Food Environment Research among an Indigenous Community in Namibia – A New Approach to Explore Food Security of Rural People in Developing Countries

Abstract

ABSTRACT The concepts of food environment were developed in the industrialized countries where non-market-based components and cultural norms were largely overlooked. These are essential when studying the food security of indigenous and local communities undergoing substantial lifestyle transformations. In Namibia, the recently altered food environment of the Khwe San former hunter-gatherer community represent a relevant context to consider the above-mentioned gaps, and to assess the relationship between their current food environment and diet. To undertake this assessment, quantitative and qualitative research methodologies were used, which included participant observation, cultural domain analysis, key informant interviews, dietary surveys and ranking exercises. The dietary diversity of the population is low, and several food groups are missing or poorly represented in the diet. Key informants and food source ranking interviews revealed the comprehensive characteristics and deficiencies of the local food environment and highlighted the contribution of a strict nature conservation measure to the food-insecure condition. The results also provide information for political actors about the best food strategies to adopt to improve the local food environment.