Predictors Of Food Insecurity Research Articles

Food Insecure College Students and Objective Measurements of Their Unused Meal Plans.

Some researchers have proposed the prevalence of food insecurity among college students is high due to students’ meal plans providing insufficient meals. The association between college students’ food security status and their meal plans have not yet been examined. In this study, United States (US) first year college students (N = 534) self-reported their food security status in the Fall 2015 and/or Spring 2016 semester(s). Objective measures of students’ meal plans were obtained from the university. Logistic generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were used to determine if students’ meal plan, and meal plan use, predicted food insecurity. Linear GEEs were used to examine several potential reasons for lower meal plan use. We found that students did not use all of their available meals. Compared to students on the most expensive (unlimited) meal plan, students on the cheapest (8 meals/week) meal plan were the most likely to report food insecurity (OR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.2, 4.1). However, in the Fall semester, 26% of students on unlimited meal plans also reported food insecurity. For students on the 180 meals/semester meal plan, food insecurity was associated with using fewer meals (OR = 0.9, 95% CI = 0.8, 1.0). Students who worked tended to use their meal plan less (β = −1.3, 95% CI = −2.3, −0.3). Students are reporting food insecurity while having meals left in their meal plan.

Recognizing the Famine Early Warning Systems Network: Over 30 Years of Drought Early Warning Science Advances and Partnerships Promoting Global Food Security

AbstractOn a planet with a population of more than 7 billion, how do we identify the millions of drought-afflicted people who face a real threat of livelihood disruption or death without humanitarian assistance? Typically, these people are poor and heavily dependent on rainfed agriculture and livestock. Most live in Africa, Central America, or Southwest Asia. When the rains fail, incomes diminish while food prices increase, cutting off the poorest (most often women and children) from access to adequate nutrition. As seen in Ethiopia in 1984 and Somalia in 2011, food shortages can lead to famine. Yet these slow-onset disasters also provide opportunities for effective intervention, as seen in Ethiopia in 2015 and Somalia in 2017. Since 1985, the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) has been providing evidence-based guidance for effective humanitarian relief efforts. FEWS NET depends on a Drought Early Warning System (DEWS) to help understand, monitor, model, and predict food insecurity. Here we provide an overview of FEWS NET’s DEWS using examples from recent climate extremes. While drought monitoring and prediction provides just one part of FEWS NET’s monitoring system, it draws from many disciplines—remote sensing, climate prediction, agroclimatic monitoring, and hydrologic modeling. Here we describe FEWS NET’s multiagency multidisciplinary DEWS and Food Security Outlooks. This DEWS uses diagnostic analyses to guide predictions. Midseason droughts are monitored using multiple cutting-edge Earth-observing systems. Crop and hydrologic models can translate these observations into impacts. The resulting information feeds into FEWS NET reports, helping to save lives by motivating and targeting timely humanitarian assistance.

Prevalence and Predictors of Food Insecurity among Older People in Canada.

Background: Food insecurity research has been mainly examined among young people. The root causes of food insecurity are closely linked to poverty, and social policies and income supplements, including public and private pensions, have been shown to sharply curb food insecurity into later life. However, social, economic, and political trends that are closely connected to social and health inequalities threaten to undermine the conditions that have limited food insecurity among older people until now. Exploring the prevalence and predictors of food insecurity among older people across Canada has important implications for domestic policies concerning health, healthcare, and social welfare. Methods: Data come from the Canadian Community Health Survey 2012 Annual Component (n = 14,890). Descriptive statistics and a generalized linear model approach were used to determine prevalence and estimate the associations between food insecurity—as measured by the Household Food Security Survey Module—and social, demographic, geographic, and economic factors. Results: Approximately 2.4% of older Canadians are estimated to be moderately or severely food insecure. Income was by far the strongest predictor of food insecurity (total household income <$20,000 compared to >$60,000, OR: 46.146, 95% CI: 12.523–170.041, p < 0.001). Younger older people, and those with a non-white racial background also had significantly greater odds of food insecurity (ages 75+ compared to 65–74, OR: 0.322, 95% CI: 0.212–0.419, p < 0.001; and OR: 2.429, 95% CI: 1.438–4.102, p < 0.001, respectively). Sex, home ownership, marital status, and living arrangement were all found to confound the relationship between household income and food insecurity. Prevalence of food insecurity varied between provinces and territories, and odds of food insecurity were approximately five times greater for older people living in northern Canada as compared to central Canada (OR: 5.189, 95% CI: 2.329–11.562, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Disaggregating overall prevalence of food insecurity among older people demonstrates how disparities exist among sub-groups of older people. The seemingly negligible existence of food insecurity among older people has obscured the importance, practicality, and timeliness of including this age group in research on food insecurity. The current research underscores the critical importance of an income floor in preventing food insecurity among older people, and contributes a Canadian profile of the prevalence and predictors of food insecurity among older people to the broader international literature.

Predictors of food insecurity and coping strategies of women asylum seekers and refugees in Durban, South Africa

BackgroundThis cross-sectional study assessed the prevalence of household food insecurity and the association between food insecurity and coping strategies among women asylum seekers and refugees in the city of Durban in South Africa.MethodsA coping strategy questionnaire was used to determine food security as this gives a good indication of what the women have to go through in order to provide safe and nutritionally sound meals to family members. The questionnaire also presents an indicator of food security, with a higher score indicating a higher level of food insecurity. Participants were recruited in the Durban city centre from church and community meetings and in their workplace. Data were collected from 200 women. Households were classified as food-secure and food-insecure groups for comparison purposes. Data were analysed on SPSS, version 23.0, for descriptive statistics, correlations, and logistic and bivariate linear regression.ResultsThe results showed that 96.2% of the women were living in poverty (< US$1.9 per person per day). Only 8.0% of the women were food secure. Regarding the coping strategies, except for ‘sending children to the refugee pre-schools’ the number of coping strategies was significantly higher in the food-insecure group (p = 0.000). The number of people in the household, the unemployment status of the women and household income were predictors of poverty (R2 = 0.859, p = 0.000, SEE = 0.189). Larger household size, households spending between ZAR700 and ZAR900 on food monthly (OR 1.01; CI 0.26–4.56) and households purchasing food from street vendors (OR 4.02; CI 01.35–46.23) or informal community shops (OR 4.1; CI 0.42–40.22) were indicators of food insecurity.ConclusionThis study points to a serious problem of household food insecurity among black women asylum seekers and refugees in the city of Durban, South Africa. The food security status of this group of women can possibly impact on the nutritional status of the family unit and make the family vulnerable to disease and illness. This will place an additional burden on the government in providing healthcare services to refugees and asylum seekers.

Prevalence and predictors of food insecurity among pregnant women: A cross sectional study in Qazvin Province, Iran

Food insecurity is associated with adverse health consequences in women, especially pregnant ones. Present study is aimed to investigate prevalence and predictors of food insecurity among pregnant women. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 394 pregnant women in Qazvin during November 2016-May 2017. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) was used to assess food insecurity among pregnant women. Besides, the relationship of demographic, midwifery and socioeconomic factors was investigated using Chi-squared and logistic regression tests. Then, the obtained data were analyzed in Stata-12 software at the significance level of 0.05. Nearly 44% of the participants had food insecurity. In multivariate analysis, only husbands' unemployment and unwanted pregnancy were associated with food insecurity; thus, the chance of food insecurity among women with unemployed husband was higher than the women with employed husband by 4.7 times [OR (95% CI) = 4.69(1.64, 13.42)]. Furthermore, the probability of food insecurity among the participants with unwanted pregnancy was twice more than those with wanted pregnancy [OR (95% CI) = 2.07(1.14, 3.74)]. Unemployed husband and unwanted pregnancy are related to food insecurity among pregnant women. Nevertheless, due to the nature of this study, it was not possible to clearly specify the path of such a relationship. To reduce food insecurity among pregnant women, it is essential to take all the necessary measures for providing financial supports for pregnant women through different ways in order to reduce the stress and worries caused by financial burden of pregnancy, and to improve nutrition quality and eating behaviours among pregnant women.

Food Insecurity and Mental Health among Females in High-Income Countries.

Food insecurity is a persistent concern in high-income countries, and has been associated with poor mental health, particularly among females. We conducted a scoping review to characterize the state of the evidence on food insecurity and mental health among women in high-income countries. The research databases PubMed, EMBASE, and psycINFO were searched using keywords capturing food insecurity, mental health, and women. Thirty-nine articles (representing 31 unique studies/surveys) were identified. Three-quarters of the articles drew upon data from a version of the United States Department of Agriculture Household Food Security Survey Module. A range of mental health measures were used, most commonly to measure depression and depressive symptoms, but also anxiety and stress. Most research was cross-sectional and showed associations between depression and food insecurity; longitudinal analyses suggested bidirectional relationships (with food insecurity increasing the risk of depressive symptoms or diagnosis, or depression predicting food insecurity). Several articles focused on vulnerable subgroups, such as pregnant women and mothers, women at risk of homelessness, refugees, and those who had been exposed to violence or substance abuse. Overall, this review supports a link between food insecurity and mental health (and other factors, such as housing circumstances and exposure to violence) among women in high-income countries and underscores the need for comprehensive policies and programs that recognize complex links among public health challenges.

Prevalence and socio‐demographic predictors of food insecurity among regional and remote Western Australian children

Inequities can negatively impact the health outcomes of children. The aims of this study were to: i) ascertain the prevalence of food insecurity (FI) among regional and remote Western Australian (WA) children; and ii) determine which socio-demographic factors predicted child FI. Caregiver-child dyads (n=219) completed cross-sectional surveys. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS version 23. Overall, 20.1% of children were classified as FI. Children whose family received government financial assistance were more likely to be FI (OR 2.60; CI 1.15, 5.91; p=0.022), as were children living in a Medium disadvantage area (OR 2.60; CI 1.18, 5.72; p=0.017), compared to High or Low SEIFA ratings. Study findings are suggestive of the impact low income has on capacity to be food secure. The higher FI prevalence among children from families receiving financial assistance and living in medium disadvantage areas indicates more support for these families is required. Recommendations include: ensuring government plans and policies adequately support disadvantaged families; increasing employment opportunities; establishing evidence on the causes and the potential impact of FI on children's health. Implications for public health: One in five children were FI, demonstrating that FI is an issue in Western Australia.

Prevalence and predictors of food insecurity among people living with HIV affiliated with AIDS service organizations in Ontario, Canada

ABSTRACTUp to half of people living with HIV in resource-rich settings experience moderate to severe food insecurity. Food insecurity, in turn, has been linked to adverse health outcomes including poor antiretroviral adherence, poor HIV viral suppression, frailty, and mortality. We estimated the prevalence of food insecurity among 649 adults living with HIV and recruited from community-based AIDS service organizations in Ontario, Canada. Food security was assessed using the Canadian Household Food Security module. We used logistic regression modeling to identify demographic, socioeconomic, and psychosocial factors independently associated with food insecurity. Almost three-fourths of participants (70.3%) were food insecure and a third (31%) reported experiencing hunger. The prevalence of food insecurity in this sample is approximately six times higher than that of the general population. Factors independently associated with food insecurity were: having dependent children at home, residing in large urban areas, low annual household income (<$40,000), difficulty meeting housing-related expenses, cigarette smoking, harmful drug use, and depression. Broad, multisector interventions that address income, housing affordability, substance use and mental health issues are needed and could offset future public health expenditures.

Socio-demographic Correlates and Predictors of Food Insecurity among First Year College Students

Socio-demographic Correlates and Predictors of Food Insecurity among First Year College Students

Prevalence and Predictors of Food Insecurity among People Living with HIV Enrolled in Antiretroviral Therapy and Livelihood Programs in Two Rural Zambian Hospitals

ABSTRACTThe objective of this study was to examine the prevalence and predictors of food insecurity among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in two rural communities in Zambia. A cross-sectional sample of 101 PLHIV was surveyed using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale. In multivariable linear regression models, income, household possessions, and perceived coping strategies were significantly associated with decreased food insecurity. Debt and perceived mental distress were significantly associated with increased food insecurity. Programs that tackle economic disadvantage and its adverse effect on stress may be an appropriate strategy to improve food security of PLHIV in low-resource communities.

Levels and Predictors of Food Insecurity among HIV Positive Adult Patients Taking Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy at Arba Minch General Hospital, Southern Ethiopia, 2016

Background: Food insecurity and HIV/AIDS are interrelated in with each other. Food insecurity is one of a key contributor of the HIV/AIDS related morbidity and mortality in the world. Therefore this study was conducted to determine the Prevalence and predictors of food insecurity in order to give current evidence to design intervention measures for improvement of food security. Objective: To determine Prevalence and predictors of food insecurity among HIV positive adults attending ART clinic at Arba Minch hospital, Southern Ethiopia March, 2016. Methods: Hospital based cross sectional study design was carried out from February 15, 2016 to March 30, 2016 at Arba Minch General Hospital. Data was analyzed by using statistical package for social sciences/SPSS version 20. Frequency and cross tabulation was conducted to clean data and describe the study variable in relation to outcome. Binary logistic regression analysis was computed to assess the crude association between dependent and independent variables. Variables which showed association in binary logistic regression analysis and have P-value less than 0.25 were entered in to Multivariable logistic regression model, to identify significant factors associated with outcome variables by controlling confounding factors. Finally the level of significance was set at P-value less than 0.05. Result: There was 394 study participants involved in this study. Majority of them 260(66%) were females, 127(39.3%) of study participants were in age range of 30-39 years with mean age of 26.65 ± 10.48 years, ranging from 18-60 years. Forty six (11.7%) participants reported that they have experienced HAART related side effect in the past six months. Ninety two (23.4%) consumed less than three meals per day and 26(6.6%) of the respondents consumed below 3 food items. The Prevalence of food insecurity was 77(19.5%). Being female [AOR=2.93(1.16, 7.40)]; Rural residence [AOR=3.59(1.65, 7.836)]; monthly income less than 1000 Eth birr [AOR=6.16(2.33, 16.32)]; Having WHO clinical three & four disease [AOR=4.78(1.95, 11.69)]; Developing OIS [AOR=8.03(3.84, 16.78)] and Poor adherence to treatment [AOR=8.96(3.48, 23.05)] were independent predictors of food insecurity. Conclusion and Recommendation: In conclusion about one fifth of participants were food insecure. Factors independently predicting food insecurity were being female, Low monthly income, rural residence, having WHO stage III and IV disease, developing opportunistic infection and none adherence to ART treatment. Emphasis should be given by responsible bodies to address these predicting variables to alleviate food insecurity problem.

Prevalence and Predictors of Food Insecurity among People Living with HIV Enrolled in Antiretroviral Therapy and Livelihood Programs in Two Rural Zambian Hospitals

Prevalence and Predictors of Food Insecurity among People Living with HIV Enrolled in Antiretroviral Therapy and Livelihood Programs in Two Rural Zambian Hospitals

Gender and education as predictors of food insecurity among coffee farming households of the Jimma zone, Southwest of Ethiopia

Adequate quantity and quality of food are required for optimal health, growth and development of human life. Thus, availability of food has been a major concern in every community at all time and context. Access to food can be worse in a cash crop setting where products are meant for parties other than the farming household itself. Meanwhile, the Ethiopian coffee sub-sector represents the livelihood of eight million farming households, generating a quarter of the foreign exchange earnings of the country. However, the net impact of such an agricultural system on the availability and access of food remains unknown to date. Thus, we used empirical data to assess a household’s food insecurity and identify context specific determinants in the setting. The study was conducted in three randomly selected coffee producing sub-districts of the Jimma Zone, an area which is believed to be the birth place of coffee. A total of 749 coffee farming households were included in the study. Food insecurity was measured using a household food insecurity access scale, while determinants were assessed using a structured questionnaire. Data were entered into EpiData and the analysis was performed using SPSS version 21. The study findings showed a high prevalence of food insecurity (n = 517; 68.8%). In multivariable logistic regression, households with a formally educated head were found to be 39% less likely to face food insecurity as compared to those who had no formal education [OR = 0.61 (0.38, 0.99)]. Similarly, households with an educated spouse were 36% less likely to have food insecurity [OR = 0.64 (0.42, 0.97)]. Those households in which the husband was responsible for purchasing food were more than twice as likely to be food insecure than those in which the wife was responsible food purchasing [OR = 2.4 (1.58, 3.33)]. Similarly, households which utilized saving and credit service were 59% less likely to have food insecurity than those did not utilise such a service [OR = 0.41 (0.31-0.58)]. There exists a high prevalence of food insecurity among the studied households. Food security interventions in the setting should focus on gender, education and financial services rather than the classic income dominated approach as it fails to predict the existing prevalent food insecurity.

Food Insecurity and Food Resource Utilization in an Urban Immigrant Community.

Risk and prevalence of food insecurity and use of food security resources are important but incompletely understood factors in immigrant health. Key informant interviews and a survey (N=809) of housing units were conducted in a San Diego, California neighborhood with a high proportion of immigrant and low income families. The difference in food insecurity between immigrant and non-immigrant households was non-significant (20.1 vs. 15.7%, p=n.s.), though immigrant families were more likely to use food security resources such as SNAP (32.7 vs. 22.9%, p<.01) and food pantries (28.2 vs. 19.7%, p<.001). Among immigrants, neither national origin nor years in the United States predicted food insecurity or use of most food security resources. In immigrant families, food insecurity often remains a challenge long after immigration, suggesting a potentially increasing need for food security resources as immigration into the United States continues.

Towards Harnessing Phone Messages and Telephone Conversations for Prediction of Food Crisis

Food insecurity is a global challenge affecting millions of people especially those from least developed regions. Famine predictions are being carried out to estimate when shortage of food is most likely to happen. The traditional data sets such as house hold information, price trends, crop production trends and biophysical data used for predicting food insecurity are both labor intensive and expensive to acquire. Current trends are towards harnessing big data to study various phenomena such sentiment analysis and stock markets. Big data is said to be easier to obtain than traditional datasets. This study shows that phone messages archives and telephone conversations as big datasets are potential for predicting food crisis. This is timely with the current situation of massive penetration of mobile technology and the necessary data can be gathered to foster studies such as this. Computation techniques such as Naïve Bayes, Artificial Networks and Support Vector Machines are prospective candidates in this strategy. If the strategy is to work in a nation like Uganda, areas of concern have been highlighted. Future work points at exploring this approach experimentally.

Food Insecurity: Prevalence and Associated Factors among Adult Individuals Receiving Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) in ART Clinics of Hosanna Town, Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Background: Food insecurity and poor nutritional status may hasten progression to Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)-related illnesses, undermine adherence and response to antiretroviral therapy, and exacerbate socioeconomic impacts of the virus. There is a risk that declining food security will lead some people to discontinue treatment, due to a lack of adequate food. Little is known about prevalence and predictors of food insecurity among adults people on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the Ethiopia context, particularly at the study area. Objective: To determine prevalence of food insecurity and identify its predictors among adult individuals receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in ART clinics of Hosanna Town. Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out from January 1, 2015 to February 30, 2015 in health facilities of hosanna town. Data were collected by face-to-face interview using structured pretested questionnaires and record review. I used multivariable logistic regression model to identify predictors of food insecurity among 385 adult people (≥18 years) attending ART Clinics of Hosanna town. Results: Overall, the prevalence of food insecurity was (67.5%) among people on HAART at the study area. Poor economic status [OR = 4.34 (95% CI; (2.53 - 7.45))], middle economic status [OR = 4.1(95%CI; (2.17 - 7.57))], educational status of secondary or lower [OR = 1.7 (95%CI; (1.06 - 2.72))], absence of food support [OR = 2.35 (95%CI; (1.02 - 5.39))], and unemployment [OR = (95%CI; 1.71 (1.06 - 2.74))] were significant and independent predictors of food insecurity. Conclusions: People on HAART suffer from a significant amount of Food insecurity at the study area. Absence of food support, lower educational status, unemployment, poor and middle economic status were independent predictors of food insecurity. Food insecurity interventions should be an integral component of ART programs. Intervention initiatives should address patients with lower educational status and unemployed; and also should focus in improving socio-economic status and involving people on ART in income generating g activities.

Predictors of Food Insecurity among Older Adults in the United States.

Food insecurity among U.S. households is a national concern. Since 2010, the U.S. Healthy People goal has been to reduce food insecurity to 6%. Despite this goal, 14.5% of households remained food insecure in 2013 (U.S. Department of Agriculture). The purpose of this study was to examine the antecedents of food insecurity among older adults through the lens of the social ecological model. This retrospective cross-sectional study utilized secondary data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from the years 2007 and 2008 from a sample that included 2,045 adults 60 years of age and older. Variables related to the constructs of the social ecological model were examined using descriptive, chi-square, and logistic regression analyses. Analyses of the model indicated that the severity of depression, reports of financial support, and having ever received household food stamp benefits had statistically significant main effects on food insecurity among older adults. The study findings have implications for nursing practice, education, and research and could facilitate the development of screening methods, interventions, and policy evaluation that focus on food insecurity at multiple spheres of influence among the targeted population.

USING A BIOCULTURAL APPROACH TO EXAMINE FOOD INSECURITY IN THE CONTEXT OF ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATIONS IN RURAL COSTA RICA

This article outlines a biocultural approach that employs a mixed‐methods research design to the study of food insecurity in the context of economic transformations in the Monteverde Zone (MVZ), Costa Rica. Using structured survey data related to household (n = 200) and individual level variables as well as on anthropometric measurements, linear regression analyses were run in order to try to predict food insecurity based on biological and cultural data. Additionally, 100 in‐depth, qualitative interviews were carried out with heads of households in order to situate the quantitative findings ethnographically. A multiple linear regression model accounting for 36 percent of the variation in food insecurity was constructed with two predictors: an aggregate index of reported illness symptoms and a categorical variable concerning the strategies employed for the purchase of basic grocery items. Data on reported illness frequency and purchasing strategies predict a sizeable proportion of the variation of food insecurity in the study sample. This highlights the complex, biocultural nature of food insecurity processes.

No food for thought: moderating effects of delay discounting and future time perspective on the relation between income and food insecurity , , ,

Low income is related to food insecurity, and research has suggested that a scarcity of resources associated with low income can shift attention to the present, thereby discounting the future. We tested whether attending to the present and discounting the future may moderate the influence of income on food insecurity. Delay discounting and measures of future time perspective (Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory, Consideration of Future Consequences Scale, time period of financial planning, and subjective probability of living to age 75 y) were studied as moderators of the relation between income and food insecurity in a diverse sample of 975 adults, 31.8% of whom experienced some degree of food insecurity. Income, financial planning, subjective probability of living to age 75 y, and delay discounting predicted food insecurity as well as individuals who were high in food insecurity. Three-way interactions showed that delay discounting interacted with financial planning and income to predict food insecurity (P = 0.003). At lower levels of income, food insecurity was lowest for subjects who had good financial planning skills and did not discount the future, whereas having good financial skills and discounting the future had minimal influence on food insecurity. The same 3-way interaction was observed when high food insecurity was predicted (P = 0.008). Because of the role of scarce resources on narrowing attention and reducing prospective thinking, research should address whether modifying future orientation may reduce food insecurity even in the face of diminishing financial resources.

Does Reactive Adaptation Exist? Using the Ecosystem Service Governance Approach to Evaluate Post-Drought Rural Food Security in Kenya

Controversial climate change studies purport that predicted food insecurity and resource scarcity will intensify resource conflicts in developing nations. This belief is based on a prevalent assumption that African agricultural production systems are rigid and that their respective governments lack comprehensive adaptation ability. Therefore, I investigate whether and how effective post- drought adaptation activity is sustaining food production and livelihoods at Loitoktok district in Kenya. This study uses the theoretical three-step ecosystem service governance approach that analyzes both natural resources attributes and relational data. Results confirm a substantial decline in productivity and huge monetary losses in the agricultural sector of Loitoktok following the 2009 drought. Post-drought analysis reveals high diversification in crops and livestock that are drought-tolerant, fast maturing and high income generating such as camels, rabbits and dairy goats, horticultural and fruit production that sustain food security, income and local livelihoods. These reactive adaptation activities originate from an active public-private cooperation that promotes knowledge exchange among Loitoktok stakeholders. This cooperation is also seen in the efficient resource conflict resolution network. In conclusion, rural communities seem to be efficiently adapting to changing environmental conditions but require more financial and technical support from the government. Unfortunately, appraisal of national planned adaptation reveals effort-duplication that may divert much needed adaptation funds from being invested in research projects with multiple benefits to Kenyan food producers.