Local Food Environment and Household Food Security Status: Case Study of Pulilan, Bulacan, Philippines

Food insecurity is the key policy challenge for Ethiopia in general and Gursum district in particular. To combat this problem diversifying the smallholders’ farming systems and income sources is an option. In this regards, the production of cash crops like hot pepper, groundnut and other market-oriented crops is indispensable. Although hot pepper production is important source of income of households, systematic and rigors analysis of its contribution to households’ food security has not been done in Gursum district. Thus, this research was undertaken in Gursum district of Oromia regional state in two kebeles with the objectives of examining food security status of household, analyzing the contribution of hot pepper in household food security and identifying the factors affecting household food security and hot pepper production. The research used primary data generated from 150 randomly selected sample households and secondary data from secondary sources. Household calorie consumption method was used to identify food security status of the sample household. The collected data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics like mean, standard deviation, frequency and percentage. The chi-square(X 2 ) test for systematic association of discrete/dummy variables with food security status and t-test for mean difference of continuous variables for food secure and food insecure households were used. Binary logit model was used to identify the factors affecting household food security in the study area. Among twelve hypothesized variables five were significantly affect food security status of the household those were household size at p<5%, land size at p<1%, level of education at p<5%, non-farm participation and income from hot pepper at p<1% probability level. In general from the empirical analysis, similar to other studies on income from cash crop has contribution for food security, thus, this study also confirms that income from hot pepper has significant contribution in improving food security status of the household. But low price, lack of improved and other constraints challenges the production of hot pepper. Therefore, local government, both local and international Non-government Organizations and other stakeholders should jointly work on hot pepper production and its income to improve food security of household. Keywords: Food security, Hot pepper, Binary Logit, Gursum DOI : 10.7176/FSQM/86-05 Publication date : April 30 th 2019

Regardless of the steady increase in the economic growth of South Africa, poverty levels and food insecurity have not declined as one would have anticipated. Urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) presents an opportunity as a livelihood strategy to alleviate poverty and ensure household food security within the urban and peri-urban spheres. However, less research has been done in this area to discover the contribution of UPA on households’ food security. This paper assesses the food security status of households that practised any form of UPA activities (later on referred to the rest of this paper as UPA practising households) and those that did not (later on referred to the rest of this paper as non-UPA practising households) within the Tongaat peri-urban area of eThekwini Municipality. The specific objectives of the paper are to estimate the household food security status of the UPA practising households vis-à-vis the non-UPA practising households and to elicit the reasons associated with the practice of UPA activities. Two hundred and eight (208) households (that is 109 and 99 UPA and non-UPA practising households respectively) were selected using a stratified random sampling procedure. The Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) and Household Food Insecurity Access Score (HFIAS) measures were employed to estimate a household’s food security status. A probit regression analysis was used to elicit the reasons associated with the practice of UPA activities by households. A non-parametric independent samples test (Mann-Whitney U) was used to compare whether there were significant differences between the two groups. A Pearson Chi-Square test reveals that the employment status, access to arable land, land tenure (ownership rights or arable land) and household monthly income variables were statistically significantly associated with the food security status (in terms of HDDS) of households. The results from the HDDS tool, show that a greater proportion (54%) of the UPA practising households consumed &gt;6 food groups (deemed to be food secure in terms of dietary access) as compared to their counterparts, the non-UPA practising households (40%) in the same food group. However, the Mann-Whitney U test (U = 5292, p = 0.808) show that there was no significant difference from this data in terms of the dietary diversity (HDDS) of the two groups. The HFIAS measure reveal that a greater proportion (about 72%) of the UPA practising households indicated that they never or rarely worried about food shortages (deemed to be food secure in terms of food access) as compared to their counterparts—the non-UPA practising households (about 61%) that never or rarely worried about food shortages. The Mann-Whitney U test (U = 4118.5, p = 0.001) show that there was a significant difference in terms of food access (HFIAS) of the two groups. Overall, the results show that although UPA practising households seemed to be better off in terms of food access as compared to the non-UPA households, the results are inconclusive or show no evidence that a significant difference existed concerning dietary diversity of the two groups. The probit regression analysis shows that the variable arable land size (p = 0.000) has a positive correlation with the practice of any UPA activity. In order for UPA to enhance the household food security status (particularly in terms of dietary diversity) within the peri-urban spheres, an integrated approach (with agricultural land support from government and city planners) together with the diversification of high-value UPA activities by households is paramount.

To investigate the association of seasonality with dietary diversity, household food security and nutritional status of pregnant women in a rural district of northern Bangladesh. A cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2013 to February 2015. Data were collected on demographics, household food security (using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale), dietary diversity (using the women's dietary diversity questionnaire) and mid-upper arm circumference. Descriptive statistics were used to explore demographics, dietary diversity, household food security and nutritional status, and inferential statistics were applied to explore the role of seasonality on diversity, household food security and nutritional status. Twelve villages of Pirganj sub-district, Rangpur District, northern Bangladesh. Pregnant women (n 288). Seasonality was found to be associated with dietary diversity (P=0·026) and household food security (P=0·039). Dietary diversity was significantly lower in summer (P=0·029) and spring (P=0·038). Food security deteriorated significantly in spring (P=0·006) and late autumn (P=0·009). Seasons play a role in women's household food security status and dietary diversity, with food security deteriorating during the lean seasons and dietary diversity deteriorating during the second 'lesser' lean season and the season immediately after. Interventions that aim to improve the diet of pregnant women from low-income, subsistence-farming communities need to recognise the role of seasonality on diet and food security and to incorporate initiatives to prevent seasonal declines.

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition that occurs during pregnancy can result in inadequate household food security so that it will affect the baby to be born. AIM: This study aims to determine household food security, nutrient intake, and nutritional status of pregnant women in the Central Tapanuli Regency. METHODS: This research is part of the DRPM research with the title of improving the nutrition of pregnant women and the success of breastfeeding immediately after birth through strengthening household food security in the Central Tapanuli Regency. The stages of this research are to identify the level of household food security and nutrient intake as well as the nutritional status of pregnant women. The study was conducted using observation and interviews as well as measuring LILA, examination of Hb levels, and iodine levels in the urine of 131 pregnant women purposively in eight districts of the Central Tapanuli. RESULTS: The household food security of status that is food insecure is 18.3%. The nutritional status of pregnant women with anemia was 58.7% and those with SEZ were 19.1% fiber with the low levels of iodine in the urine as much as 63.9%. Adequate intake of energy nutrients is 42% and sufficient protein is 38.9%. There was a significant relationship between food security status and energy intake (p = 0.000; OR = 53.9) and protein intake (p = 0.004; OR = 4.1). CONCLUSIONS: There is a significant relationship between household food security status with energy and protein intake of pregnant women. Increased consumption of foods containing animal protein is recommended for pregnant women related to household food insecurity.

Is Household Food Insecurity Associated with Overweight/Obesity Among Adults in CALABARZON Region, Philippines?

Drought vulnerability perceptions and food security status of rural lowland communities: An insight from Southwest Ethiopia

Food security is defined in its most basic form as access to adequate safe and nutritious food required for healthy and active life by all people at all times. Availability of food and access are two essential determinants of food security. A number of factors such as income educational level household sizes are known to affect household food security. Food insecurity hunger and poverty are closely linked. The level of poverty in Nigeria is high and the percentage of food insecure households in Nigeria was reported to be 18% in 1986 and over 40% in 1998 the level in 2005 is not known. This study was therefore designed to assess the food security status of households in some selected local government areas in two of the large cities (Lagos and Ibadan) in Nigeria. A previous administration of this module suggested that food security is associated with income and the households studied here have steady and definable income. The study therefore was undertaken to describe the food security status of households headed or managed by teachers employed in secondary and primary public and private schools. The study was descriptive and cross-sectional in design with a sample size of 482 households that were selected using random sampling techniques. The data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire (USDA 18-Question Household Food Security Questionnaire Module). Descriptive statistics such as frequencies means and standard deviation were employed in the analysis of the data. The results obtained from the study show that the prevalence of food security (26 per cent) in teachers households in both Lagos and Ibadan was low and the food security status of the teachers household in Lagos was better (p<0.05) than of households in Ibadan. The results of the study also identified income status and the educational status of the household head to influence the food security in those households. A household food insecurity of over 70% in this study is unacceptably high. (authors)

Indigenous crops have been proposed as part of a solution for household food security and sustainable farming systems. However, they have been overlooked and underutilised by households and farmers despite their potential contribution to household food security. The objective of this paper was to determine the association of socio-economic factors and indigenous crops with the household food security of farming households. About 260 farming households were selected using a simple random sampling procedure. The food security status was measured through the use of the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). The Chi-square test and extended ordered probit regression model assessed the relationship of socio-economic factors and indigenous crops with household food security status. The results from the HFIAS showed that farming households were largely in the mildly and moderately food-insecure categories, with 34.2% and 36.2% of the sampled farmers found in these categories, respectively. The Chi-square test showed a statistically significant relationship between food security status and socio-economic factors. Young men and everyone were perceived to be the ones likely to consume indigenous crops. Consumption of indigenous crops was perceived to be associated with food security. The results also showed that farming experience is likely to positively contribute to the food security status of the farming households. Selling indigenous crops in a formal market is perceived to be associated with food security compared to selling in an informal market. This study concludes that consuming indigenous crops is likely associated with improved food security. Identifying an appropriate market for sales of indigenous crops is imperative. Government, extension officers, and nutritionists must conduct training workshops to encourage households to grow, market and buy indigenous crops. Government and policymakers need to include indigenous crops in the national food and nutrition security policy and create formal markets for indigenous crops.

Summary Food and nutritional (in)security remain an important matter of concern, especially in developing countries. Despite the efforts to enhance food security among smallholder soybean households, the proportion of the undernourished population in Butere Sub-County still remains high for unknown reasons. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of food security among smallholder soybean households in Butere Sub-County, Kenya. The study adopted the exploratory research design. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select a sample of 201 respondents. Cross-sectional data were gathered through face-to-face interviews using pretested semi-structured questionnaires and analyzed using ordered logistic regression model. Household Food Insecurity Access Scale was used to measure and categorize the soybean household food (in)security status. The results revealed that the household food (in)security status differed across soybean households and was greatly influenced by an interplay of socio-economic, market, and institutional factors. Age of the household head negatively influenced food security, whereas the level of soybean commercialization, education, livestock units, network density, extension visits, and credit access were positively associated with household food security. The study recommends policy interventions that seek to ensure intensive literacy development, frequent extension and training, improved access to credit, and reinvestment in productive assets or inputs for increased production, commercialization and food security. Strengthening of social ties and increased allocation to safety net programs for the aged, vulnerable, and resource-poor households are also recommended.

Child under nutrition due to household food insecurity remains critical issues in many households in Ethiopia. Literature in nutrition knowledge and practice of mothers and the nutritional status of their infants is scanty. This study aimed to assess the nutritional status of six to 23-month-oldchildren, mothers’ knowledge, attitude and practice of child nutrition and household food security status in a semi-urban and a rural kebeles. A community based cross-sectional study was undertaken in semi-urban and rural kebeles in Tehuledere Woreda (district) to assess household food security and nutritional status of six to 23-month children. A total of 245 mother-child pairs were selected randomly from the two kebeles. Anthropometric indices were used to determine the nutritional status of under-two children. Child age, weight and height were measured and used to calculate weight-for-age, weight-for-height and height-for-age Z-scores. Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure (ciaf) was calculated to determine total malnutrition. Household food insecurity access scale (hfias) was used to assess food security status. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data on mothers’ knowledge, attitude and practice in child nutrition, food diversity and child feeding. Data were statistically analyzed. Stunting was noted in 7.5% and 17% of under-two children in the urban and rural kebeles, respectively. Similar levels of thinness (6%) were observed in both kebeles. There were more under-weight children in the semi-urban (5.2%) than in the rural (3.6%) kebeles. Chronic energy deficiency was noted in 20% and 15% of the children in semi-urban and rural kebeles, respectively. ciaf was higher in children in the semi-urban kebele (48%) than in the rural kebele (31%). A small proportion of study households were food secure (17.9%). The rest were either mildly (54.4%) or moderately (27.8%) food insecure. Average knowledge of child nutrition among mothers in the semi-urban and rural kebeles was very low (about 34% and 37%, respectively).The low anthropometric measurements of the children in this study could be due to poor food diversity, insufficient food intake, and poor nutritional knowledge and practice of mothers. Creating awareness in child feeding practices and diet diversity is recommended.&#x0D;

Globally a total of 842 million people was food insecure between 2011 and 2013. The prevalence of food insecurity in Africa is high whereby close to 25% of Africa’s population is food insecure More than 10 million Kenyans are chronically food insecure and 1.6 million have HIV. Food insecurity remains a crucial problem in poor households, and its implications worsen in disease states including Human Immuno-deficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. The purpose of this study was to assess the household food security and the nutritional status of HIV sero-positive patients attending Comprehensive Care Clinic at Longisa County Hospital, Bomet County. The study used a cross-sectional study design on a sample size of 210 HIV sero-positive patients. A questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic and socio-economic factors, anthropometric measurements, and food security status. Statistical analysis was done using Pearson-moment correlation, Chi-square, Independent sample t-test and one-way ANOVA. Results showed that 61.6% were females, household food insecurity prevalence was 17.7% About 23.7% of the respondent’s households had severe household hunger. Mean Household Hunger Scale score (HHS) was 1.56±0.061 indicating that most of the respondent’s households experienced moderate household hunger. 7.6% of the respondents were severely undernourished, and 15.2% were moderately undernourished. There was a significant relationship between nutritional status measured by BMI and household food security status at p=0.001. Household food security status measured by HHS and nutritional status had a significant association at p=0.001. Household food security status is a core determinant of the nutritional status of HIV sero-positive clients. Such information provides an ample platform for optimizing ART, enhancing rehabilitation, and adherence to treatment.

BackgroundMillions of people in low and low middle income countries suffer from extreme hunger and malnutrition. Research on the effect of food insecurity on child nutrition is concentrated in high income settings and has produced mixed results. Moreover, the existing evidence on food security and nutrition in children in low and middle income countries is either cross-sectional and/or is based primarily on rural populations. In this paper, we examine the effect of household food security status and its interaction with household wealth status on stunting among children aged between 6 and 23 months in resource-poor urban setting in Kenya.MethodsWe use longitudinal data collected between 2006 and 2012 from two informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. Mothers and their new-borns were recruited into the study at birth and followed prospectively. The analytical sample comprised 6858 children from 6552 households. Household food security was measured as a latent variable derived from a set of questions capturing the main domains of access, availability and affordability. A composite measure of wealth was calculated using asset ownership and amenities. Nutritional status was measured using Height-for-Age (HFA) z-scores. Children whose HFA z-scores were below −2 standard deviation were categorized as stunted. We used Cox regression to analyse the data.ResultsThe prevalence of stunting was 49 %. The risk of stunting increased by 12 % among children from food insecure households. When the joint effect of food security and wealth status was assessed, the risk of stunting increased significantly by 19 and 22 % among children from moderately food insecure and severely food insecure households and ranked in the middle poor wealth status. Among the poorest and least poor households, food security was not statistically associated with stunting.ConclusionOur results shed light on the joint effect of food security and wealth status on stunting. Study findings underscore the need for social protection policies to reduce the high rates of child malnutrition in the urban informal settlements.

The study assessed the food security and livelihood status of rural households adopting improved rice varieties in Kwara and Niger States of Nigeria. Sample sizes of three hundred and ninety four rice farmers were selected using multi-stage sampling method. Structured questionnaire complimented with interview were used for data collection. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, food security index, livelihood status index and Simpson index of diversity. The findings revealed 83.3% and 82.7% of rice farmers adopted FARO 44 and FARO 54 respectively. Also, 92.1% were food secured while 65.5% were of moderate livelihood status. The Simpson Diversification Index of rice farmers in the study area was 0.219, indicating low degree. Thus, it is recommended that rice farmers should diversify into other income generating activities in order to enhance their livelihood status and food security status. Also, research institutes should ensure farmers' access improved rice varieties with affordable prices and right time in order to enhance their livelihood and food security status.

Conflict-induced food insecurity has been currently emerging to be a widespread challenge to the decent livelihood of the human population. This study examined conflict-induced food insecurity in conflict-affected areas of the northeastern part of Ethiopia. This study assessed three time periods (pre-conflict, conflict, and post-conflict times) to analyze the impact of conflict on the studied households. Food consumption score and household food insecurity access scale tools were used to measure the food security status of households. Descriptive statistics and independent t-test were used to analyze the data. The major finding confirmed that the food security status of both urban and rural households in the study areas was negatively affected by the conflict. Compared to the pre-conflict period (22.2%), the number of food-insecure households at the time of the conflict was three times higher. Though the food security status of both rural and urban households was affected by the conflict in the area, the effect was much severe for the rural households. The number of food-insecure rural households during the conflict was three times higher than the pre-conflict period. During the conflict, female-headed households (78.3%) were more vulnerable to food insecurity than male-headed households. The independent t-test result confirmed the presence of a difference in food security status between rural and urban households (P > 0.01) and between female- and male-headed households (P > 0.021). Food security status variations were also seen among the study livelihood zones. Households from the north wello east plain livelihood zone suffered a lot (71.3%). The result suggested that any project aiming at improving households' food security in conflict-affected areas should give attention to the provision of food aid, agricultural inputs, credit services, and financial support to the affected community. Restoring peace would rather be the long-lasting solution to minimize the conflict-induced food insecurity in the area.

BackgroundThe local retail food environment around schools may act as a potential risk factor for adolescent diet. However, international research utilising cross-sectional designs to investigate associations between retail food outlet proximity to schools and diet provides equivocal support for an effect. In this study we employ longitudinal perspectives in order to answer the following two questions. First, how has the local retail food environment around secondary schools changed over time and second, is this change associated with change in diet of students at these schools?MethodsThe locations of retail food outlets and schools in 2001 and 2005 were geo-coded in three London boroughs. Network analysis in a Geographic Information System (GIS) ascertained the number, minimum and median distances to food outlets within 400 m and 800 m of the school location. Outcome measures were ‘healthy’ and ‘unhealthy’ diet scores derived from adolescent self-reported data in the Research with East London Adolescents: Community Health Survey (RELACHS). Adjusted associations between distance from school to food retail outlets, counts of outlets near schools and diet scores were assessed using longitudinal (2001–2005 n=757) approaches.ResultsBetween 2001 and 2005 the number of takeaways and grocers/convenience stores within 400 m of schools increased, with many more grocers reported within 800 m of schools in 2005 (p< 0.001). Longitudinal analyses showed a decrease of the mean healthy (−1.12, se 0.12) and unhealthy (−0.48, se 0.16) diet scores. There were significant positive relationships between the distances travelled to grocers and healthy diet scores though effects were very small (0.003, 95%CI 0.001 – 0.006). Significant negative relationships between proximity to takeaways and unhealthy diet scores also resulted in small parameter estimates.ConclusionsThe results provide some evidence that the local food environment around secondary schools may influence adolescent diet, though effects were small. Further research on adolescents’ food purchasing habits with larger samples in varied geographic regions is required to identify robust relationships between proximity and diet, as small numbers, because of confounding, may dilute effect food environment effects. Data on individual foods purchased in all shop formats may clarify the frequent, overly simple classification of grocers as ‘healthy’.