How Close Are We to Self-Provisioning? A Look at the Livelihood Strategies of Rural Households in the Southern Andean Region of Colombia

Héctor Eduardo Hernández,Fernando Casanoves,Gustavo Adolfo Gutiérrez,Isabel Gutiérrez-Montes,Hernán J Andrade,Cornelia Butler Flora,Juan Carlos Suárez,Angie Paola Bernal

doi:10.3390/su14052504

Abstract

Production for self-provisioning contributes to food security in rural territories; however, studies have indicated that this capacity is limited. We analyzed the impact of livelihood strategies on self-provisioning conditions in 162 rural households in the department of Huila, Colombia. We analyzed: a. source of foods; b. composition of home gardens; c. push and pull factors towards self-provisioning. We found that rural households are 79% dependent on grocery stores for their food. Only 51% of households have a home garden, with limited plant species diversity. Capacity for self-provisioning varies according to the livelihood strategies and capitals endowment of the household. Those households with a greater diversity of agricultural activities have higher capacity for self-provisioning. Conditions that are often the main objective of rural development programs, such as improving the economic income of families, turn out to be contradictory to the capacity to produce the food itself. For example, the larger the area to grow crops or keep livestock and the better the economic income, the greater the external dependence on food.

Highlights

The world is largely dependent on markets to meet its food needs, a significant number of rural households, mainly in developing countries, are highly dependent on their own food production [1]
This study was conducted with 162 rural households in ten municipalities of the department of Huila, Colombia
This study was conducted with 162 rural households in ten municipalities of partment of Huila, Colombia

Summary

Introduction

The world is largely dependent on markets to meet its food needs, a significant number of rural households, mainly in developing countries, are highly dependent on their own food production [1] This practice is referred to as self-provisioning [2,3]. Self-provisioning can be generated through different production processes, such as local processing, using harvest surpluses for home consumption [5], and family agriculture or the home gardens [7]. The latter favors the valuation of the social, environmental, and cultural dimensions of rural households and offers direct access to food, which are Sustainability 2022, 14, 2504.

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Discussion

Conclusion