Household Security Research Articles

Household Food Insecurity and Changes in BMI Z-Score in a Pediatric Obesity Management Clinic

BackgroundMulticomponent lifestyle interventions are fundamental in pediatric obesity management. However, whether household food insecurity influences the efficacy of such interventions remains undocumented. ObjectivesThe objective was to compare changes in BMI z-score (BMIz) among children whose family received lifestyle counseling at a pediatric obesity management clinic in Montréal (Canada) according to their household food security status. MethodsThis is a retrospective, longitudinal analysis of medical records of children (2–17 y) with overweight or obesity who received lifestyle counseling at a pediatric obesity management clinic. The number of visits at the clinic and the duration of the follow-up were individualized. Household food security status was assessed using the Health Canada’s Household Food Security Survey Module at the first visit at the clinic. BMIz was calculated and updated at each visit. A reduction of ≥0.25 in BMIz between the last and the first visit at the clinic was considered clinically meaningful. Statistical significance was considered at P < 0.05. ResultsAmong the 214 children included in the study, 83 (38.8%) lived in a food insecure household. In multivariable-adjusted analyses, differences in BMIz between the last and the first appointment tended to be smaller among children who lived in a food insecure household than those in children living in a food secure household [ΔBMIzfood insecurity = −0.432 (95% CI: −0.672, −0.193) compared with ΔBMIzfood security = −0.556 (95% CI: −0.792, −0.319; P = 0.14)]. Differences were most notable in the first 6 mo of follow-up. The OR of achieving a clinically significant reduction in BMIz over follow-up associated with household food insecurity, compared with household food security, was 0.57 (95% CI: 0.31, 1.05; P = 0.07). ConclusionsIn this sample of children followed up at a pediatric obesity clinic, those who lived in a food insecure household experienced smaller BMIz reductions than those who lived in a food secure household.

Looking up and going down: Does sustainable adaptation to climate change ensure dietary diversity and food security among rural communities or vice versa?

Sustainable food systems are essential to ensure food security and mitigate climate change. Adaptation to climate change is part and parcel of sustainable food systems. Prior literature merely documented the climate-smart agricultural practices and explored the relationship with food security of adopters without taking the period of the strategies into account. Therefore, this study explored the factors affecting sustainable adaptation to climate change and created a further link between sustainable adaptation to climate change and the food security of rural households. The cross-sectional data were collected from 384 farmers through a face-to-face survey in Pakistan, selected by a multistage random sampling method. An ordered probit model and propensity score matching technique were used to analyze the data. Education, farm size, credit access, extension services, internet use for agriculture information, women's participation in farm-related decision making, and considering climate change a significant problem for agriculture were all positively influencing the sustainable adaptation to climate change at farms. The results indicated that farmers with a higher level of sustainable adaptation to climate change consumed more diversified diets and more daily calories as compared to those with a lower level of sustainable adaptation. Similarly, farmers with a lower level of sustainable adaptation to climate change had significantly lower food security than farmers with a high level of sustainable adaptation at their farms. This research indicated that farmers can gain food and nutrition benefits by becoming more sustainable adapters to climate change. This study has important policy implications for achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) of zero hunger (SDG 2) and climate action (SDG 13) in developing countries.

Homestead Vegetable Production: A Means Of Livelihood and Nutritional Security for Resource Poor Households in Bangladesh

Justifiable, nutritious and safe food productions are main challenges for food safety which reduce starvation, meets dietary needs and food preferences for a healthy life. Home gardens can play a significant role in providing better food supply and diversity of food. Studies on niche-based homestead gardening were carried out at FSRD site Atia, Tangail under On-Farm Research Division of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute during 2018-19 and 2019-20 to utilize the homestead resources for producing vegetables and fruits and to enhance nutritional security for the farm families. A total of 12 households were selected from marginal (0.021–0.20 ha), small (0.21–1.0 ha) and medium (1.0- 3.0) farmer groups and seven production niches were intervened for year-round production following the Palima model. Results revealed that homestead area could be capable of harvesting sufficient and diversified vegetables round the year by utilizing all possible homestead nieches. After intervention, the number of vegetables was produced by medium farmers (630 kg/year) followed by small (510 kg/year) and marginal (408 kg/year) farmers. Yearly vegetable requirements of farmers were largely met by homestead garden with a supply between 30-58 kg/head/year compared with bench mark level of 5-12 kg/head/year. Results suggested that farmers consumed lion share of their products that could meet up nutrition. Utilization of farm resources available in the farm that increased nutritional security, income and improved livelihoods as well. The up scaling of the production model based on ecosystem in different poverty-stricken regions of Bangladesh is recommended to attain food security and lessening malnutrition.&#x0D; Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 47(1): 51-68, March 2022

Conflict-Induced Shocks and Household Food Security in Nigeria

Conflicts such as the Boko Haram insurgency, herder–farmer conflicts, and armed banditry attacks are major concerns affecting the livelihoods and food security of households in Nigeria. In this paper, firstly, we reviewed and synthesized the nature, spatial extent, and implications of conflicts on food security in Nigeria. Secondly, using survey data and econometric models, we examined the effects of conflict-induced shocks, such as forced migration and fatality on household food security indicators. Our review shows that the underlying causes for the majority of violent conflicts in Nigeria are linked to competition for productive resources, economic inequality, and ethnoreligious tensions. Review results also indicate spatial variations in the nature and severity of violent conflicts in Nigeria. While the Boko Haram insurgency is prominent in the North-East, the North-Central is mainly exposed to herder–farmer conflicts, and there is a high prevalence of communal conflicts in the South-South region of the country. In terms of gender dimensions, women are more vulnerable to conflicts and shoulder more social and economic burdens than men. From our empirical analysis, we found that conflict-induced shocks such as forced migration, fatality, abduction, and injury significantly exacerbate the severity of food insecurity and deteriorate the dietary diversity of households. Conflicts also affect agricultural investment decisions with a negative consequence on future agricultural productivity and food security. Based on the findings, the key policy suggestions include the need for tailored interventions to resolve state or region-specific conflicts, policy interventions on property/land rights and livestock management systems to address herder–farmer conflicts, and targeted investments in building the resilience capacity of households.

Stronger Food and Nutrition Security Impacts from More Intense Project Participation: Evidence from a Multi-Country Intervention Program

Rigorous experiments show that nutrition-sensitive intervention programs can contribute to improved food and nutrition security (FNS) of rural households in low-and middle-income countries. Targeted individuals may, however, choose to engage with the intervention package at different intensities. It is yet unclear to what extent individual participation in more interventions influences FNS outcomes. Positive links would justify efforts by development stakeholders to diversify intervention packages and enable, encourage, or incentivize beneficiaries to participate in many different interventions. Using cross-sectional data from 2733 households across seven countries, we first estimate effects of a multi-sectoral intervention program using probit regressions, propensity score matching, and inverse probability weighted regression adjustment. Over the course of the three-year program, beneficiaries joined 8.3 interventions, on average. We find that targeted households were 6–9 percent more likely to be food secure, and targeted women and children were 15–17 percent more likely to consume a nutrient-adequate diet. Our estimates show that, across three indicators of FNS, each additional intervention increased the probability of achieving positive outcomes by about 1 percent. We conclude that investments in diversified intervention programs can be justified by stronger FNS benefits. Development stakeholders could enable strong individual participation by reducing transaction and opportunity costs of participation.

Effect of Consumers’ Acceptance of Indigenous Leafy Vegetables and Their Contribution to Household Food Security

In the past decades, indigenous leafy vegetables (ILVs) have played a significant role in household food security, especially in poor rural households. However, ILVs have been replaced by exotic cash crops in the contemporary world. This study was conducted to assess the consumption of indigenous leafy vegetables and their contribution to household food security of households in Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces. The study used secondary data collected by the South African Vulnerability Assessment Committee in 2016. A total of 1520 respondents were selected using a multistage sampling method. The results from descriptive statistics revealed that most consumers did not produce ILVs but consumed them. Meanwhile, a small number of people produced ILVs yet did not consume them. The results from the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) showed that a large proportion of the population experienced moderate food security while some of the individuals within the population experienced severe food insecurity. An endogenous switching regression model (ESRM) was employed to analyze the impact of the consumption of ILVs on household food security. The results revealed that only a few variables of the consumption of ILVs were significant and positive (household size, wealth index, and ‘if the disabled person receives grants’). As a result, the consumption of ILVs had a minimal impact on the household food security of the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces. The findings further revealed that age, gender, and education variables negatively influenced the consumption of ILVs. Thus, the recommended programs must be established to educate people about the importance of consuming ILVs. Agricultural extension services must equally promote the consumption of exotic cash crops and ILVs. Lastly, policies can contribute by increasing the diversity of ILVs left at retail outlets through diverse production.

Determinants of food security in Nigeria: Empirical evidence from beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries rice farmers of the Kano River Irrigation Project

IntroductionWhile the prevalence of hunger decreased globally, it has risen in sub-Saharan Africa in recent years mainly due to rapid population growth, low agricultural productivity, and economic downturns. This study was conducted to examine food security determinants at the household levels among the beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries rice farmers of the Kano river irrigation project in Nigeria.MethodsCross-sectional data were used for the analysis while multi-stage sampling technique was used to obtain data from 382 respondents, out of which 217 were project beneficiaries and 165 non-beneficiaries; using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Household food security index and Logit regression model.Results and discussionThe results showed that 72.6% of the beneficiaries' households were food secure, against the non-beneficiaries, who had 65.4% food secure households. The findings also revealed that the beneficiaries have 11 and 4% food insecurity depth and severity respectively. Non-beneficiaries, on the other hand, had 17 and 8% food insecurity depth and severity, respectively. Extension contact, farm size, rice output, and educational attainment were the positive determinants of food security. Similarly, determinants that could increase food insecurity identified were; credit constraints and household size. It is recommended that the design of a food security strategy should be multi-dimensional and should encompass social, institutional and economic transformation of small scale farmers. Addressing the identified determinants is also crucial for enhancing the food security status in the study area.

Assessment of genetic diversity of the fat-tailed Dumba sheep of India by mitochondrial and microsatellite markers

India has a centuries-old tradition of sheep production and breeding that accomplish economic, agricultural, and religious roles. In addition to the 44 registered sheep breeds, there is a fat-tailed sheep population referred to as Dumba. This study evaluated genetic variation in Dumba sheep and its differentiation from other Indian sheep breeds using mitochondrial DNA and genomic microsatellite loci. Haplotype and nucleotide diversity based on mitochondrial DNA analysis revealed substantially high maternal genetic diversity in Dumba sheep. Major ovine haplogroups A and B observed in sheep populations across the globe registered their presence in the Dumba sheep. The molecular genetic analysis using microsatellite markers also showed high measures of allele (10.125 ± 0.762) and gene diversity (0.749 ± 0.029). Results correspond to the non-bottleneck population that is near mutation-drift equilibrium despite some deficiency in the number of heterozygotes (FIS = 0.043 ± 0.059). Phylogenetic clustering confirmed Dumba to be a distinct population. Results of this study endow authorities with critical information imperative for sustainable utilization and conservation of Indian fat-tailed sheep, which is considered to be an untapped genetic resource contributing to the food security, livelihood, and economic sustainability of rural households in marginal areas of the country.

How farmland circulation affects household financial vulnerability in China: The chain mediation effect of labor transfer and financial literacy

Financial vulnerability is an important issue in livelihood resilience research domain. In the context of the Farmland Property Rights Reform in rural China and the promotion of farmland circulation, this study aims to explore whether and how household financial vulnerability is affected by farmland circulation and whether its impact shows heterogeneous characteristics depending on differences in farm household characteristics and regional characteristics. To answer these questions, a theoretical and empirical study was conducted based on the latest available Chinese household survey data (N = 9,822) from 2015 to 2019, using a chain mediating effects model and group regressions. The findings showed that farmland circulation could significantly reduce household financial vulnerability (Coef.=−0.167, p&amp;lt;0.01) while labor transfer and financial literacy played a mediating role. That is to say, farmland circulation could indirectly reduce household financial vulnerability by affecting labor transfer and financial literacy. The heterogeneity analysis showed that farmland circulation had a stronger mitigating effect on the financial vulnerability of older “first-generation farmer” households (with heads born before the 1980's) and households in the eastern regions with higher levels of economic development, suggesting that despite the “better late than never” advantage of farmland circulation, it can lead to greater regional inequality. These findings not only advance our understanding of how farmland circulation is associated with financial vulnerability but also provide some implications for the government's continuous optimization of the Farmland Property Rights Reform to ensure the financial security of farming households.

COVID-19 Benefits and Dietary Behaviors Among Mothers From Low-Income, Food-Insecure Households

ObjectiveTo examine the dietary behaviors of mothers from very low food security (VLFS) households following the availability of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) unemployment and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. MethodsDiet and food security status were obtained from 2,584 California mothers during Federal Fiscal Year 2020. Fruits, vegetables, and 100% fruit juice (FV100%FJ), sugar-sweetened beverages, and water intake, and Healthy Eating Index-2015 scores, were compared across 4 groups (before vs after COVID-19 benefits by VLFS vs non-VLFS households) with race/ethnicity and age as covariates. ResultsBefore COVID-19 benefits, VLFS was associated with fewer cups of FV100%FJ (P = 0.010), more fluid ounces of sugar-sweetened beverages (P = 0.004), and poorer diet quality (P = 0.003). After COVID-19 benefits, mothers from VLFS vs non-VLFS households reported similar dietary outcomes. VLFS mothers reported 0.96 (95% confidence interval, 0.53–1.38) more cups of FV100%FJ after COVID-19 benefits. Conclusions and ImplicationsCoronavirus disease 2019 benefits may have reduced dietary inequities among low-income families. Associations between increased Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and unemployment benefits and decreased costs associated with the negative health outcomes linked to food insecurity and poor diets would be of value.

Dietary Diversity and Associated Factors among Adolescent Girls in Rural Community of Doyogena District, Kembata Tembaro Zone, Southern Ethiopia, 2020

Background: Optimal nutrition for adolescent girls is critical for growth, development, and long-term health. Dietary diversity is a crucial component of feeding strategies. In resourcepoor countries, undiversified diets and low-quality monotonous diet feeding habits are frequent. This leads to poor nutritional status, particularly micronutrient deficiencies, which has an impact on adolescent females' current and future lives, as well as their kids. However, data on the magnitude of dietary diversity and associated determinants among adolescent girls in resource-poor settings such as Ethiopia, which include the research area, is sparse. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted among 603 adolescent girls from randomly selected adolescent girls in Ethiopia using a multistage sampling method. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews by using a pretested structured questionnaire and entered into Epi-data 4.2.0.0 version and exported to SPSS version 20 for analyses. Multicollinearity between independent variables and model goodness fit test was checked. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to determine the degree of relationship between independent and dependent variables. At a p-value of less than 0.05, the odds ratio was declared, along with the 95 percent confidence interval and the level of statistical significance. Results: The prevalence of dietary diversity among adolescent girls was 43.8% (95% CI: 39.7%- 48.0%). having secondary and above level of education and primary education, [AOR = 4.0, 95% CI: (1.89-8.32)], being in food secure households [AOR = 6.99, 95% CI: (4.34-11.23)], skipping practice of meals [AOR = 0.54, 95% CI: (0.33-0.88)], currently being on the menstruation [AOR = 0.42, 95% CI: (0.26-0.66)] and having good knowledge about nutrition [AOR = 2.20, 95% CI: (1.32-3.56)] were significantly associated with dietary diversity among adolescent girls. Conclusion: The prevalence of dietary diversity among adolescent girls was low in the study area. Therefore, attention should be given to fathers with no formal education, and efforts should be made to improve household food security, adolescent girls knowledge about nutrition, and minimize skipping of meals to increase adolescent girls dietary diversity and to break the vicious cycles of malnutrition.

Food Insecurity Is Associated With an Increased Risk of Neonatal Acute Kidney Injury and Abnormal Kidney Function

Background: Prenatal food insecurity (FI) negatively affects both maternal and infant health. These effects may be even more notable in infants as 1) prematurity and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission increase the risk of kidney disease, 2) maternal malnutrition leads to decreased kidney mass, and 3) FI accelerates the progression of kidney disease.Our aim was to determine the association between FI and kidney health.&#x0D; Methods: Single-site prospective cohort study.Parents of infants admitted to the NICU at Riley Children’s Health at Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN were interviewed. We collected demographic characteristics and FI status using the Hunger Vital Signs (a validated two-question screening tool). Maternal and infant data were abstracted from medical records and kidney outcomes were compared by FI status.&#x0D; Results: A total of 45 infants were enrolled in this study. In the cohort, the mean gestational age was 32 weeks and the average birthweight was 1.8kg. 26 (60%) reported a household income &gt;$50,000 per year and 21 (47%) held an Associate’s degree or higher. Of the cohort, 22% (10/45) lived in FI households. Infants from FI households were more likely to have AKI than those from food secure households (60% vs 17%, p=0.007) and were more likely to have an abnormal serum creatinine at two weeks of age (70% vs 31%, p=0.028). While not statistically significant, infants from FI households had a trend towards higher likelihood of IUGR (30% v 14%).&#x0D; Conclusion: Food insecurity was common among families with infants admitted to the NICU. Infants born into FI households were more likely to have AKI and delayed maturation of kidney function than those born in food secure households. This emphasizes the importance of FI screening as part of prenatal care along with the need for resources such as food pantries for families admitted to the NICU.

Differentiation of food preservation methods to avoid waste

Food waste is a problem that affects the food security of Mexican households, increases the erosion of ecological, social, and economic resources, and puts greater pressure on production systems, supply chains and consumers. Among members of society, the waste or discard of perishable products of agricultural origin, linked to intentional or unintentional human behavior and negligence, is in the last links of the food chain. The waste or discard of perishable products of agricultural origin, linked to human behavior and negligence, with or without intentionality, is located at the bottom of the food chain. It is the members of the household who waste the water-soil-energy resources used in food production. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that 17% of total food production worldwide is wasted; of this, 61% corresponds to households, with fruits and vegetables being the most important, representing 45% of the waste. The development of new practices associated with the reduction of food waste in households are key to the development of strategies that allow the gradual reduction of losses and contribute to the fulfillment of goal 12 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030. The proposal to group different preservation methods, based on the differentiation of fruits and vegetables by organ of consumption in the home, will promote affordable options that contribute to the reduction of waste in households, improve food security, strengthen the household economy, and reduce the ecological impact caused by irresponsible consumption.

Linkages between poverty and food insecurity in Pakistan: Evidence from urban and rural households in Peshawar.

To assess household poverty, sanitation and hygiene practices, and food security in both urban and rural settlements of district Peshawar. We conducted this cross-sectional study from March 2019 to October 2019 in the urban and rural households of Peshawar, KPK. Using stratified random sampling, 554 households (HH) having children and young adolescents of age 5-19 years, adult men > 19 - 62 years, and adult women >19 - 62 years were included in this study. Data was collected using comprehensive tool comprised of all validated questionnaires and was analyzed using SPSS Version 24.0. Within the urban clusters, the maximum number of households (n=29) were from Gari Baloch and the minimum number of households (n=7) were from Gulberg. In the rural clusters, the maximum number of households surveyed (n=41) were from Lamara, minimum(n=21) was from Chargula. The average age of household heads was 44.5 ±12.5 with mean age slightly higher in urban areas (45.1 ±11.8) compared to 44.0 ±13.2 in rural areas. The mean poverty score was 56.8 (±11.6) with 72.1% non-poor households, and 94.2% households being food secure. Handwashing practices were highly prevalent among all the HH, however, handwashing practices before eating were comparatively lower in all HH (45.2%), lowest (37.8%) among rural households. The findings of the study revealed both non-poor and food secure households with satisfactory water, hygiene and sanitation practices.

Socio-hydrological drought impacts on urban water affordability

In water-stressed regions, droughts pose a critical challenge to urban water security for low-income households. Droughts reduce water availability, forcing water providers to invest in additional supplies or enact expensive, short-term emergency measures. These costs are frequently passed on to households through increased rates and surcharges, driving up water bills for low-income households and altering patterns of water consumption. Here we have developed a socio-hydrological modelling approach that integrates hydrology, water infrastructure, utility decision-making and household behaviour to understand the impacts of droughts on household water affordability. We present here an application based on Santa Cruz, California and show that many drought resilience strategies raise water bills for low-income households and lower them for high-income households. We also found that low-income households are most vulnerable to both changing drought characteristics and infrastructure lock-in.

ASSESSMENT OF THE ADOPTION OF ORANGE FLESHED SWEET POTATO AMONG FARMERS IN OSUN STATE

Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato is a crop with lots of nutritional and economic benefits, which has great potential of curbing nutritional deficiency in young children and adult, while also aiding food security of farming households as well as providing needed financial strength to the farmers. OFSP has been well adopted in countries like Zimbabwe as a national food for infants, with result to show it potentials. It is easy to cultivate and its adoption comes with no technicality and therefore needs to become a household crop widely cultivated all and consumed across Nigeria. The study was carried out in Osun state, with the population of the study being all potato farmers in the state. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 121 potato farmers for this study. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools such as percentages, mean and frequency distribution, while the hypotheses were tested using Chi-square and Pearson’s product moment correlation (PPMC). The study revealed that mean age of the respondents was 54 years, majority were male (79.3%), married (67.8%) and had no formal education (52.9%). Also, the main sources of information available to the farmers include; fellow farmers (x̅ = 1.793), friends and families (x̅ = 1.727) and Extension agents (x̅ = 1.314) and majority (56.7%) of the respondents had high knowledge about OFSP. Susceptibility to pests and diseases (x̅ = 1.78), perishability (x̅ = 1.63) and unavailability of ready market (x̅ = 1.61) were the main constraints affecting the farmers. The result on adoption of OFSP shows that, planting of sweet potato vines soon after cutting (x̅ = 1.12), select a site close to a water source (x̅ = 1.28) and ensuring moist soil conditions are maintained at all times but avoid water logging (x ̅ = 1.0) were the most adopted techniques, while majority (55.4%) of the respondents had low level of adoption of Orange Flesh Sweet Potato. The study concluded that majority of the respondents were male, married and in their middle age, but approaching old age, without formal education. Fellow farmers, friends and families and Extension agents were the main sources of information available to the farmers, while majority of the respondents had high knowledge on OFSP. Also, majority of the respondents had low level of adoption of OFSP. The study therefore recommends that government and research institutes should encourage farmers, researchers and relevant stakeholders aimed at developing OFSP varieties that are more susceptible to pests and diseases and better shelf life to curb the major constraints.

Socio-economic Status, Food Security Status and its Coping Strategies among ‘The Lost Food Project’ (TLFP) Recipients in Klang Valley during COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: The Lost Food Project (TLFP) is a non-profit organization who continuously working on their strategic plan in combating the food insecurity problem by distributing food surplus to low income households within Klang Valley. This cross-sectional study aims to determine the socioeconomic status, food security status and its coping strategies among TLFP recipients in Klang Valley during COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This study was conducted from April to June 2021. There were 88 respondents recruited through convenience sampling. A set of questionnaires regarding food assistance, nutrition knowledge, food security and its coping strategies was prepared, and the respondents were interviewed either by phone, face-to-face or self-administered questionnaire. Results: The prevalence of food insecurity among households in this study was 59.1%. Most of them have moderate (37.5%) to good (27.5%) nutrition knowledge. The coping strategy that most of the respondents applied was ‘using less expensive food’ (58.3%) with at least once per week within the past one month. Food insecure households tend to adopt more coping strategies compared to those food secure households (p&lt;0.001). Moreover, households who rent their house (p&lt;0.01), low household income (p&lt;0.05) and high monthly food and drinks expenditure (p&lt;0.01) were associated with the food insecurity among TLFP recipients. Conclusion: The study concluded that lower household income, higher food and drinks expenditure and those who rent the house have negative impacts on household’s food security status. Thus, the situation forced them to apply more food-related coping strategies in their daily life. Further research should be conducted on the effectiveness of TLFP in helping them to improve Malaysian’s food security status.

Effects of land titling on household tenure security and investments: Evidence from Nicaragua

We analyze the impacts of systematic land tenure rights formalization under the Land Administration Program (PRODEP) in Nicaragua. We use quasi-experimental impact evaluation methods, based on data collected for this purpose, to analyze the impact of titling on tenure security, land value, and household-level investments. Based on these methods which help isolate the effects of the program, we find that titling under PRODEP contributed to an increase of 2.8% in landowners’ perception of tenure security and of up to 39% increase in perceived value of their land. Women that obtained their titles during the second phase of the program were more likely than men, about 9% more, to report an increase in the value of their land. While the outcomes of the program are encouraging, the study did not find conclusive impacts in household investments resulting from titling. Data and knowledge on the program’s targeting suggest that, because of pre-program high levels of tenure security (potentially an anticipation effect) household investments and land transactions were already taking place. Also, data on the program context points to a lack of initiatives, including those supporting local economic development, housing improvements, or livelihoods’ support, which could have boosted the results from PRODEP’s titling.

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.

Impact of climate-smart agriculture adoption on food security and multidimensional poverty of rural farm households in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

BackgroundClimate change has perverse effects on the natural resource base and agricultural productivity, negatively affecting the well-being of households and communities. There are various attempts by the government and NGOs to promote climate-smart agricultural (CSA) practices to help farmers adapt to and mitigate these negative impacts. This study aimed to identify CSA practices widely adopted in the study area and examined their impacts on rural farm households’ food security and multidimensional poverty. A three-stage proportional to size sampling procedure was followed to select four districts out of nine districts, and 278 households were randomly selected from two kebeles from each district. A cross-sectional data of the 2020–2021 cropping season were collected using a structured and pretested survey questionnaire. The food consumption score, dietary diversity score, food insecurity experience scale, and multidimensional poverty index, constructed out of 9 indicators, were used to assess households’ food security and poverty status, respectively. A multinomial endogenous switching regression model was used to assess average treatment effects on these outcome indicators.ResultsWidely adopted CSA practices are conservation agriculture, soil fertility management, crop diversification, and small-scale irrigation. The results illustrated that adopter households on average showed more food consumption score, dietary diversity score, and less food insecurity experience scale than non-adopters. The results also showed that CSA adopter households, on average, have a low deprivation score in multidimensional poverty than non-adopter households. Accelerating wider adoption of CSA through up-scaling incentives is quite important.ConclusionThis study showed that CSA adoption improves households’ food security and reduces multidimensional poverty. We conclude that up-scaling of CSA practices is important for contributing to the achievement of SDG1, SDG2 and SDG13 targets.