Household Diet Research Articles

Unlocking the potential of smallholder dairy farm: Evidence from the central highland of Ethiopia

Sustainable livestock farming practices have the potential to improve productivity and high income, reduce greenhouse gases, and improve household food security. Despite previous efforts to disseminate these technologies, the rate of adoption has remained very low in Ethiopia. In this study, we investigate the determinants of adoption and the impact of improved dairy farming practices (IDFP), which include improved breed, improved feed, and improved feeding conditions, on household food security in the central highland of Ethiopia. A multi-stage stratified random sampling technique was used to select 480 smallholder farmers from four districts. The study employed principal component analysis (PCA) to group IDFPs, and the endogenous switching regression model (MESR) was used to examine household food security status. Our findings showed that IDFP adoption had a significant and positive impact on per capita food consumption and increases the likelihood of smallholder farmers being food secure compared to non-adopters. The adoption of integrated IDFP had a greater impact on household food security when smallholder farmers used a package that incorporates improved breeds, feeds, and feeding systems (B1F1S1). The implementation of this package increased food security by 31% in terms of household food consumption score (HFCS) and 26% in terms of household diet diversity score (HDDS). Additionally, the size of livestock holdings, off-farm income, extension services, and milk collection centers all influenced the adoption decision of this package. It has been confirmed that improving dairy farming practices for sustainable development can significantly contribute to the food security of smallholder farmers when used in combination. Interventions that address access to farm resources, the supply chain for technological inputs and services, and output markets may assist in the adoption of dairy technologies.

English

Genetic “biofortification” presents an opportunity to provide sustainable and cost effective solution to the perennial problem of ‘hidden hunger’ prevalent in most marginalized regions of the world. Diets in households across many developing countries typically consist of high calorie crops which are mostly cereals with limited diversified food. Production of cereal crops with elevated quantities of micronutrients needed by the human body is thus imperative. This review outlines “biofortification” of cereal crops with emphasis on existing genetic variability, genetic and molecular basis for essential amino acids, zinc and iron accumulation in crops. Key issues emerging are that in most crops there is scope to undertake conventional improvement given the sufficient variability influenced by additive genes or associated with polymorphic molecular markers. Availability of high potential non-commercialized genetically modified cereals points to prohibitive legislative frameworks and the need to adopt other tools such as gene editing, mutation breeding not subject to stiff restrictions. Furthermore, given the output nature of “biofortification” traits there is need to integrate this genetic enhancement in a pipeline breeding approach which integrates breeding objectives so that communities and processors can access these peculiar traits in every new improved variety. Key words: Essential amino acids, micronutrients, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, malnutrition.

Impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on household diet diversity in rural Bihar, India: a longitudinal survey

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic disrupted livelihoods and diets across the world. This study aimed to assess changes in household diet diversity and food consumption between the pre-COVID-19 period (December 2019–January 2020) and during the lockdown (March–May 2020), and to identify the socio-economic characteristics that determine these changes in rural Bihar, India.MethodsHouseholds that had provided their phone numbers in the pre-COVID-19 household survey (n = 1797) were contacted for interviews during the lockdown telephonic survey in a longitudinal survey in two districts (Gaya and Nalanda) in Bihar. In total, 939 households were interviewed. Using data on food consumption from both surveys, 876 households were included in the analysis. Food and Agriculture Organization’s household diet diversity score (HDDS) was used to compare diet diversity between the pre-COVID-19 period and during the lockdown. Logistic regression was used to identify factors affecting household diet diversity and food consumption in the study households.ResultsLow diet diversity increased from 51.6% (95% CI 48.3–54.9) to 75.8% (95% CI 73.0–78.6) from the pre-COVID-19 to the lockdown period. Reduced food consumption was reported across all foods with nearly a quarter of the households reporting reduced consumption of fruits (27%), pulses (25%) and cereals (21%). Nearly 60% and above reported stopping consumption of nutrient-rich foods such as chicken, fish and eggs although the population was predominantly non-vegetarian. Logistic regression analysis revealed that taking a loan from neighbours/relatives (OR = 1.8; 95% CI 1.3–2.5) and belonging to lower social groups (OR = 1.8; 95% CI 1.1–2.9) increased odds of low HDDS. While those possessing ration cards had lower odds of reduced consumption of all food items, it was not associated with stopping consumption of any food item. In an unadjusted analysis, receipt of cash transfer during lockdown was also not associated with diet diversity (OR = 1.2; 95% CI 0.9–1.7).ConclusionsCOVID-19 has impacted the consumption of nutrient-rich foods among already low-income rural households in India. Maintaining diet diversity among socio-economically vulnerable households during periods when food consumption is most threatened by shocks such as COVID-19 would need sustained government support in terms of social protection coverage and benefit transfers in rural communities.

Wild and Indigenous Foods (WIF) and Urban Food Security in Northern Namibia

Rapid urbanisation and food system transformation in Africa have been accompanied by growing food insecurity, reduced dietary diversity, and an epidemic of non-communicable disease. While the contribution of wild and indigenous foods (WIF) to the quality of rural household diets has been the subject of longstanding attention, research on their consumption and role among urban households is more recent. This paper provides a case study of the consumption of WIF in the urban corridor of northern Namibia with close ties to the surrounding rural agricultural areas. The research methodology involved a representative household food security survey of 851 urban households using tablets and ODK Collect. The key methods for data analysis included descriptive statistics and ordinal logistic regression. The main findings of the analysis included the fact that WIFs are consumed by most households, but with markedly different frequencies. Frequent consumers of WIF are most likely to be female-centred households, in the lowest income quintiles, and with the highest lived poverty. Frequent consumption is not related to food security, but is higher in households with low dietary diversity. Infrequent or occasional consumers tend to be higher-income households with low lived poverty and higher levels of food security. We conclude that frequent consumers use WIF to diversify their diets and that occasional consumers eat WIF more for reasons of cultural preference and taste than necessity. Recommendations for future research include the nature of the supply chains that bring WIF to urban consumers, intra-household consumption of WIF, and in-depth interviews about the reasons for household consumption of WIF and preferences for certain types of wild food.

Losing the Plot: The Impact of Urban Agriculture on Household Food Expenditure and Dietary Diversity in Sub-Saharan African Countries

Urban agriculture (UA) is proposed as a solution to the social and economic challenges presented by cities by providing urban households with food and income using environmentally friendly food production techniques. To date, most analysis of UA has been based on single-city studies. This paper aims to contribute to the literature by using a cross-country approach and by analysing household level data from nine sub-Saharan countries—Burkina Faso (2014), Ethiopia (2013), Ghana (2009), Malawi (2013), Niger 2014, Nigeria (2012), Tanzania (2010) and Uganda (2013). This paper sets out to answer three questions; the first investigates which are the main characteristics of households engaged in urban agriculture; the second looks at the role played by UA in diversifying household diets and reducing household food expenditure; the third examines the heterogeneity in the impact of UA across the food expenditure distribution. Using an inverse-probability weighted regression adjustment method, the results show that households engaged in agriculture reduced expenditure on food and modified their food expenditure profile by spending more on protein rich food -nuts, legumes, fruits, dairy products, meat and poultry. The study also finds substantial variation on the impact of UA across the food expenditure distribution.

A net-map analysis of stakeholder connections and influence in agriculture-for-nutrition policymaking in Ghana

Nutrition-sensitive agriculture approaches can improve farming household incomes, food security, and diet quality. Adopting nutrition-sensitive agriculture approaches means placing a nutrition lens on the policies, strategies, and investments in the food and agriculture sector without detracting from the sector's traditional goals of food supply. To understand the processes involved in developing agriculture-for-nutrition policies in Ghana, this paper examined the influence of stakeholders' interconnections using a visual participatory mapping technique, Virtual Net-Map. Three convening platforms were identified for stakeholder engagement: the Agriculture Sector Working Group, the National Agricultural Technical Committee, and the Public-Private Partnership Dialogue Platform. Sixty stakeholders with 188 connections were recognised for their involvement in agriculture-for-nutrition policymaking in Ghana. Fourteen stakeholders, twelve from government organizations and two from donor and development partner organizations, were identified as the most influential. International stakeholders (donors and development partners) were critical in funding agriculture-for-nutrition policymaking activities. While all stakeholders had a joint mandate to ensure policies were developed, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture led the policy development process in Ghana's food and agriculture sector. Moreover, government stakeholders notably received more support from other stakeholders for funding, advocacy, dissemination, and technical assistance than the support they offered. Generally, stakeholders were more engaged in technical assistance activities and least involved in disseminating agriculture-nutrition information in the agriculture-for-nutrition policymaking process. The information on stakeholders' interconnections and influence showed areas that had the most and least stakeholder engagements, which will enable potential stakeholders to identify niche(s) to support the nutrition agenda in Ghana's food and agriculture sector and help Ghana meet the Global Nutrition Targets and the Sustainable Development Goals for 2025 and 2030, respectively. In addition, the evidence presented on Ghana's agriculture-for-nutrition policymaking network can lead to better ways of centralizing nutrition in agricultural policies and designing initiatives that encompass most, if not all, relevant stakeholders. Key words: Agriculture, Nutrition, Policymaking, Net-Map, Influence, Connections, Ghana, Nutrition-sensitive agriculture

Food Security is Associated with Higher Diet Quality Among Children of the US–Affiliated Pacific Region

BackgroundThe prevalence of food insecurity and its relationship to diet quality are factors impacting the health of persons living across the United States–affiliated Pacific region (USAP). ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to describe characterize the relationship between household food security status and diet quality of 2- to 8-y-old children across jurisdictions in the USAP. MethodsBaseline data from 2- to 8-y-olds (n = 3099) enrolled in the Children’s Healthy Living Program for Remote Underserved Minority Populations in the Pacific region, an obesity prevention study conducted in communities across Alaska, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Guam, and Hawaii, and a concomitant prevalence study in communities across the Freely Associated States (FAS) (the Federated States of Micronesia: Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk, Yap; Republic of Marshall Islands; Republic of Palau) were collected in 2012. Caregivers self-reported sociodemographic data and food insecurity. Assisted by their caregiver, children completed two dietary records on nonconsecutive, randomly assigned days. The Healthy Eating Index 2005 (HEI-2005) was used to assess the diet quality. Data were summarized overall and by jurisdiction. Differences in HEI-2005 and HEI component scores among jurisdictions and by household food security status were tested using 1-factor ANOVA. ResultsHalf or more of participants from American Samoa, Guam, CNMI, and FAS reported household food insecurity (n = 295, 59.7%; n = 292, 49.9%; n = 267, 54.6%; n = 572, 69.0%, respectively). HEI-2005 scores varied by jurisdiction (P < 0.001) and were significantly lower among FAS participants (54.7 ± 1.2) than among all other jurisdictions (P < 0.05). Total diet quality scores did not differ by food security status (59.9 ± 0.8 food secure compared with 58.3 ± 1.1 food insecure, P = 0.07); however, most diet quality adequacy component scores were significantly higher and moderation component scores significantly lower among participants in food secure households than those in food insecure households. ConclusionsSignificant differences in children’s diet quality and household food security existed across USAP jurisdictions.

The continued effects of COVID-19 on the lives and livelihoods of vegetable farmers in India.

India experienced a rapid rise in COVID-19 infections from March 2021. States imposed varying levels of lockdowns and curfews to curb the spread of the disease. These restrictions severely affected the functioning of food systems. The objective of this study was to analyze how COVID-19 continues to affect agricultural production, food security and household diets of vegetable farmers. A phone-based survey was conducted with 595 vegetable farmers in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Karnataka and Odisha, 60% of whom had been interviewed a year earlier. Overall, 60% of farmers experienced decreased vegetable production; over 80% reported a reduction in consumption of at least one food group; and 45% reported some level of food insecurity between May 2020 and May 2021. Farmers who reported decreased staples production, difficulty accessing seeds/seedlings, or reduced their household spending were more likely to report decreased vegetable production. Vegetable consumption was positively associated with receipt of COVID-19 relief benefits, borrowing money, or having home gardens. Farmers who received public agricultural assistance, or had reduced expenses, were more likely to have lower vegetable consumption. Greater severity of food insecurity was associated with farmers belonging to underprivileged social groups, non-Hindus, or those who experienced decrease in livestock production, weather related disruptions or received COVID-19 assistance. This is one of few studies that have conducted a longitudinal assessment of the impacts across multiple waves of COVID-19. COVID-19 is seen to be one among several shocks experienced by farm households, and exacerbated existing issues within agriculture and food security. There is a need for public policy support to strengthen both production and consumption of vegetables.

Dietary diversity for ensuring food security

10.8% of the population in the world, or more than 840 million people, are undernourished. The report of the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) states that although population growth has been slowing down in recent years, this growth is expected to increase in some countries until 2050. There is a high emergency of increasing food insecurity all over the world. In the case of Uzbekistan, the population is growing rapidly annually. Yet, in the country prevalence of both obesity and overweight are increasing. Additionally, micronutrient deficiencies remain high for women of reproductive age and children. In this article, one of the best indicators of food security in respect of food access is the Dietary Diversity Score (DDS) used to analyze and spread healthy diets in rural households of the Samarkand region. A total of 140 observations were taken from rural households. The mean Households DDS was 8.2. Results indicated most of the food groups consumed through their own production. However, more than 50% of all members in the households did not consume fruits, greens, pulses, and legumes due to a lack of food access. It seems there is a positive correlation between dietary diversity and own production in some circumstances, but not in all cases. In that case, own production is positively associated with dietary diversity in some situations, but not an absolute. Nevertheless, appropriate nutrition-sensitive agricultural programs will encourage both food production and consumption. Analysis shows nutrition information has a significant role in improving DDS. Promoting nutrition education via interventions, for example, information on healthy eating and a well-balanced diet through mass media, educational institution curriculum, and field days to upgrade better nutrition at household and individual levels.

Establishment of Local Fish Farm “La’ Prestige Agro” LLC in Nigeria

This project aims to create a unique and most efficient large-scale farming of freshwater fish for daily consumption in Nigeria. According to the CGIAR African Fish Research Program 2019. Nigeria has one of the highest levels of fish consumption in Africa. In Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, fish is an important part of the household diet. Fish makes up about 40% of the protein consumed in the country, with fish consumption at 13.3 kg per person per year [17]. According 2021 Fish Information and Services report, Nigeria spends 250 billion naira approximately (US$560 million) annually on fish importation [6, 7]. The mainly import fish from Japan, Norway, Russia, United States and Netherlands. Nigerian’s population fish demand is approximately 3.3 million metric tons but the country is only able to produce 1.1 million metric tons locally. With a report on this study and as a Nigerian citizen who has lived in Nigeria and has a family living there, with current updates on the Nigerian fish market and its economic status. It is estimated that Nigeria lacks 60 percent of the fish production capacity equivalent to the country's fish consumption needs. Thus, investing in fish production in Nigeria is profitable and comes with the least investment risk of bankruptcy as consumers are always available to buy once you have a successful production [8, 9]. Thus, our company has enough market space and high demand for fish to succeed in the Nigerian fish market. This will allow our company to earn enough profit to repay the investment loan and interest on it within the agreed time frame agreed with our investors.

Food Taboos, Factors of Chronic Malnutrition in Bopa, South West Benin

The quality of the diet from the first hours of life is decisive. Any inappropriate diet for pregnant women or infants has an irreversible impact on a child's bio-morphological and cognitive levels, leading to chronic malnutrition. This study assesses the factors that explain adherence to dietary taboos or restrictions and the factors statistically significantly related to the choice of nutritional restrictions in households housing stunted children under five years of age in southwest Benin. Data were collected in December 2020 on a sample of 558 families in 40 villages in the commune of Bopa in southwest Benin. Socioeconomic data from families, and anthropometric data from children (498) are analyzed within univariate, bivariate and binary logit regression methods. Results show that 36.3% of children are stunted, and 76.2% of households with stunted children have food taboos. In addition, 69.6% of households have at least one taboo on consuming beef, goat, poultry, pork, eggs, and fish, reducing in-take of the required micronutrients child growth. The gender of the head of the household, their occupation, religion, level of education, age category, area of residence, level of education of the wife of the head of the household, and average monthly household income have statistically significant effects on adherence to food taboos and restrictions in the household diet. To effectively combat stunting, advocacy targeting religious leaders and the local elite is needed.

Effect of nutrition awareness on utilization of Orange Fleshed Sweetpotato among vulnerable populations in Kenya

Malnutrition continues to affect many vulnerable populations worldwide, with the majority of these residing in developing and underdeveloped countries. This problem has been exacerbated by the changing climate and more recently by the COVID-19 pandemic. Urgent efforts geared towards enhancing sustainable production and value chains of nutritious foods to ensure access to healthier diets are therefore critical. A recent partnership between the World Food Programme and the International Potato Center to enhance utilization of biofortified crops in fragile environments in Kenya is a step in this direction, aimed at improving the diets of households at risk of hunger and malnutrition. This study sets out to provide early evidence on the potential impacts of the interventions spearheaded in this partnership, together with lessons for further scaling efforts. Using household level data, the study adopts an impact evaluation framework to understand the effect of nutrition awareness through the dissemination of information on Vitamin A deficiency, on the utilization of orange fleshed sweetpotato, a biofortified crop rich in Vitamin A. Results show positive and significant effects of nutrition awareness on utilization of the orange-fleshed sweetpotato. Several factors were also identified as key to determining the exposure to nutrition awareness, including proximity to markets and extension agents, gender, and education levels. For widespread and inclusive adoption and utilization of orange-fleshed sweetpotato, out-scaling efforts need to consider these determinants in designing interventions aimed at raising nutrition awareness, as a key entry point to enhancing utilization of orange-fleshed sweetpotato.

The cost of healthy versus current diets in the Netherlands for households with a low, middle and high education

The cost of food is an important driver of food choice and most evidence suggests that healthier diets are more costly than less healthy diets. However, current attempts to model the cost of healthy and current diets do not take into account the variation in diets or food prices. We calculated the differential cost between healthy and current diets for households with a low, medium and high education in the Netherlands using the DIETCOST program. The DIETCOST program accounts for variations in dietary patterns and allows for the calculation of the distribution of the cost of bi-weekly healthy and current household diets. Data from the Dutch National Food Consumption Survey 2012–2016 was used to construct commonly consumed food lists for the population as a whole and for households with a low, medium and high education and linked to a local food price database. The average cost of current household diets was €211/fortnight (SD 8.9) and the healthy household diet was on average €50 (24%) more expensive. For households with a low, medium and high education, healthy diets were on average 10% (€17), 26% (€50) and 36% (€72) more expensive compared to current diets, respectively. All healthy diets could be classified as affordable (i.e. requiring less than 30% of the average disposable income) as diets required around 20% of the income. To conclude, while healthy diets were found to be affordable, we found that these were more expensive than current diets, especially for those with a higher educational level. This suggests that individuals will need to spend more money on food if they aim to adhere to dietary guidelines under the assumption that they will minimally adjust their diet. Bridging the gap between the cost of healthy and less healthy foods could be an important strategy for improving population diets.

'Mens sana in corpore Sano': Home food consumption implications over child cognitive performance in vulnerable contexts.

Diet directly affects children's physical and mental development. Nonetheless, how food insecurity and household food consumption impact the cognitive performance of children at risk of social exclusion remains poorly understood. In this regard, children in Guatemala face various hazards, mainly related to the socioeconomic difficulties that thousands of families have in the country. The main objective of this study was to analyze the differences in cognitive performance considering food insecurity and household food consumption in a sample of rural and urban Guatemalan children and adolescents at risk of social exclusion. Child cognitive performance was assessed in 134 children and adolescents (age M = 11.37; SD = 3.54) from rural and urban settings. Language, attention, and executive functions were assessed using neuropsychological tasks. Differences in cognitive performance in each level of food insecurity and household diet consumption were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. A stepwise multivariate regression analysis was conducted to determine which factors may influence cognitive scores. The results showed that rural and urban groups did not differ in terms of food insecurity. However, considering just rural areas, differences were found between groups with food security and insecurity in attention and executive function tasks. Moreover, differences were found in food consumption for certain groups of food (e.g., meat, U = 1,146, p < 0.001, g = 0.72). Regarding regressions, protein food consumption (e.g., meat and fish), which is related to having a more balanced diet, was a relevant factor in executive performance. Contrary to what we expected, performance in attentional tasks was not related to the consumption of any food group. These findings could help politicians and decision-makers to select actions focused on improving diet balance and food security in families at risk of social exclusion. It is necessary to carry out more specific studies on the factors related to diet that affect the cognitive development of minors at risk of social exclusion. In addition, it is necessary to study the implementation of alternative interventions that include low-cost nutrients, thus ensuring that minors have access to a more balanced diet.

Physico‐nutritional characterization of composite cassava and orange‐fleshed sweet potato flours and sensory evaluation of “fufu” prepared from the flour blends

The orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) is being promoted for consumption as a public health tool to combat vitamin A deficiency diseases in Africa. As a staple diet in many households in West Africa, “fufu” aptly lends itself to fortification with OFSP for the delivery of essential micronutrients for health improvement. In this study, the nutritional and functional characteristics of composite cassava/OFSP flours for preparation into "fufu" were examined, and the cooked food was subjected to sensory evaluation. OFSP enriched the nutritional composition as its substitution levels for cassava increased. However, the texture and pasting properties degraded concomitantly during the heating process. Sensory panelists preferred "fufu" prepared from the composite flours with up to 5% replacement of cassava with OFSP. This can potentially contribute 39–77% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin A for children and 33% for women of reproductive age and help alleviate related deficiency diseases. Practical applications Reducing hunger and promoting health is the foremost objective of the Sustainable Development Goals 2 and 3. This requires prioritizing specific food micronutrients and establishing approaches to deliver them to the consuming public. "Fufu" is a staple diet regularly consumed in many households in West Africa. However, its nutritional content is low due to the low content of micronutrients in the traditional ingredients. A new processing recipe for "fufu", which uses the composite flours of the ingredients, aptly lends it to fortification with nutrient-rich ingredients to administer the essential dietary requirements of its consumers. Given the substantial composition of important food micronutrients, particularly β-Carotene, in the orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP), it is the most considered candidate crop for meeting the critical dietary needs of people plagued with vitamin A deficiency diseases. The importance of this study, therefore, lies in the development of a new "fufu" product fortified with OFSP to avert the vitamin A deficiency diseases that mostly affect women of reproductive age and children in Africa.

Analysis of the Constraints Faced by Rural Women Farmers in Vegetable Production in South-East Nigeria

Globally, vegetable forms a most valuable part of every household's diet and are used to increase the quality of the soup. It has also become the most important crop grown by farmers in recent time. However, vegetable farming is not without production challenges. Regrettably, there is an acute shortage of empirical studies to substantiate this claim. It was against this backdrop that the study on analysis of the constraints faced by rural women farmers in vegetable production in south-east Nigeria was undertaken. Specifically, the study was guided by the following objectives; describing the type and level of constraints women face in vegetable farming; determining the perceived effects of such constraints on all round vegetable farming and describing the solution women vegetable farmers practice in reducing the constraint they face in all round vegetable. The hypothesis of the study was that the socio-economic characteristics of women do not significantly influence their level of constraint in all round vegetable farming in the area. A multistage random sampling method was used in the selection of respondents. Sample size comprised one-hundred and thirty-five (135) vegetable women farmers. Well structured questionnaire was the main tool for data collection. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools, likert –scale rating and multiple regression analysis. Regrettably, most of the women farmers identified and perceived poor access to road and control of farm resources, e.g farmland ( =3.68), insufficient education ( =3.11), lack of credit ( =3.50) and poor institutional support ( =3.59) amongst others as the serious challenge they face in all round vegetable farming in the area. Additionally, the women farmers perceived and reported that the constraints they face has led to shortage of farm labour ( =3.63) and is disrupting planting and harvesting season of their all round vegetable production ( =3.56) amongst others. Diversification of agribusiness (99.26%) is one of the solutions they practice in reducing the constraint they face in all round vegetable. Estimated multiple regressions showed that the socio-economic characteristic of women farmers influences their level of constraint in all round vegetable farmingand is significant at 1% level of probability. It was therefore recommended that the government should subsidize the price of farm inputs in order to make them accessible and affordable to women farmers. In the same vein, better access of women to farmland and agricultural extension services is very essential in promoting not just vegetable production but more women driving the production.

Cultural and ethnobotanical legacy of native potatoes in Colombia

BackgroundNative potatoes are Andean tubers of great historical, social, food, genetic and nutritional importance, and they contribute significantly to food security by supplementing the household diet and also providing alternative income. Even when their cultivation and consumption imply great benefits, their use and local preservation depend to a large extent on the recognition of their ethnobotanical and cultural importance. In this context, this study consolidates an important ethnobotanical research bases for native potatoes in Colombia.MethodsThe study collected data through semi-structured interviews and dialogues (130) in the municipality of Chiscas, department of Boyacá, central-eastern Colombia. The questionnaire was focused on native potatoes and sought to investigate the knowledge related to cultivation, diversity, patterns and forms of preparation for use and consumption. Likewise, knowledge heritability mechanisms were investigated and ethnobotanical indices of relative importance, use and culture were estimated.ResultsDocumentation of ethnobotanical knowledge included aspects such as seed care and availability, cultural management of the crop, patterns of use and consumption, as well as ways of preparing the tubers. In total, 23 vernacular names of native potato and 360 reports of use (commercial, domestic or ritual-magical) were recorded for the 15 main genotypes. Quantitative estimates included the importance index: (a) cultural, for which values ranged between 0.059 and 0.812; (b) relative, with records between 0.04 and 0.43; and (c) use, which ranged between 0.06 and 0.63. The ethnobotanical importance index (d) for native potatoes was 57.26, which corresponds to a “very high” ethnobotanical value. This allowed us to identify that Criollas were the most recognized and used potatoes within the community. In addition, it was shown that vertical transmission is the main way in which traditional knowledge about native potatoes is inherited. Finally, an artificial intelligence tool was preliminarily implemented to identify the polarity generated in the interviewees by the questions.ConclusionThe results of this research provide valuable information on the ethnobotany of native potatoes in Colombia. The genotypes used by the community of the municipality of Chiscas were recognized for their high gastronomic and nutritional potential, as well as for their great ethnobotanical and cultural importance. These data can be considered as a valuable tool to support any action aimed at the conservation and revaluation of these tubers.

Crop diversification and child malnutrition in rural Ethiopia: Impacts and Pathways

There is a resurgence of interest in crop diversification as a strategy to deal with a variety of issues including malnutrition in the context of a changing climate and poorly developed markets. However, the empirical evidence base to justify this policy position is thin. This research seeks to contribute to the growing literature and the policy discourse by providing empirical evidence on the impact of crop diversification on child growth using panel survey data combined with historical weather data. The study finds that crop diversification has a positive but small impact on child growth. Results from heterogeneous effects analysis show that the positive effects are more pronounced in areas with limited access to markets. The study demonstrates that the positive child growth effects of crop diversification could be mediated through its positive impacts on household diet diversity, diet quality, and income.

Telescoping Error in Recalled Food Consumption: Evidence from a Survey Experiment in Ethiopia

AbstractTelescoping errors occur if survey respondents misdate events from outside the reference period and include them in their recall. Concern about telescoping influenced the design of early Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) surveys, which used a two-visit interview format to bound food consumption recall. This design fell out of favor although not for evidence-based reasons. To measure the extent of telescoping bias on food consumption measures, a survey experiment was conducted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, randomly assigning households to either a two-visit bounded recall or a single visit unbounded recall. The average value of reported food consumption is 16 percent higher (95 percent CI: 7.4–25.9) in the unbounded single visit recall relative to the two-visit bounded recall. Most of the error is explained by difference in reported spending on less frequently consumed, protein-rich foods, so apparent food security indicators based on household diet diversity are likely overstated with unbounded recall.

Rural household livelihood strategies and diet diversification in North Shewa, Central Ethiopia

This study was conducted to examine rural household livelihood strategies and diet diversification in North Shewa Administrative Zone (NSAZ), Central Ethiopia. A total of 372 family heads took part in the study. They were selected through multistage sampling procedure. Data collection took place from February to March 2020 using Questionnaire, Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) plus Key Informant Interviews (KIIs).The collected data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, t -test, ANOVA and binary logistic regression model. The finding showed that rural households who diversified their livelihood strategies by combining agriculture with at least one of the activities outside agriculture make up only about 31.20% of the respondents. Out of eight baskets of food items (legumes, nuts and seeds; cereals; vegetables; fruits; milk and milk products; oils and fats; eggs and meat) considered to calculate Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS), only 22.60% of the sampled households consumed ≥4 baskets of food items within a 24 h recall period. The remaining 77.40% of the studied households consumed <4 baskets of food items and as such, they were subjected to dietary inadequacy. Results obtained from one-way between-groups analysis of variance revealed a statistically acceptable variation in the mean HDDS at p < 0.01 level among farming, non-farming and both farming plus non-farming rural household livelihood groups [F (2, 369) = 20.94, p = 0.00]. Binary logistic regression model also showed that age of a rural family head, labour size in the household, farm size, livestock possession, extension contact, market distance and access to credit are important predictors for diversification of rural household livelihood strategies. Policymakers and stakeholders should consider these variables while designing intervention mechanisms. • Rural families in low-income nations largely rely on small-scale subsistence farming. • Dependence on subsistence farming alone is not adequate to ensure food security. • Diversifying rural households' economic base enhances income and dietary intake.