Food Security Of Women Research Articles

Food (In)Security, Human (In)Security, Women’s (In)Security: State Policies and Local Experiences in Rural Rwanda

ABSTACTDespite the growing importance of the concept human security, security studies in Africa remain largely focused on the threat of direct violence and the role of state actors. This article broadens the security agenda by focusing on food security and discusses how women in rural Rwanda experience and view food security. In making individual women the referent of security, the article exposes the gap between national level reforms, which aim to and have been deemed successful to combat poverty and increase food production, and the experiences of women who report a decline in food availability and increased problems in accessing food in the wake of reforms and who often struggle against hunger in a disadvantaged position within their households and local power structures. Building on 51 interviews with women in western Rwanda conducted in 2013 and 2014, the article illustrates how the human security perspective with a sensitivity to gender relations and positions is important for gaining a fuller picture of the security of individuals.

Effects of Group Prenatal Care on Food Insecurity during Late Pregnancy and Early Postpartum.

This study compared the effects of group to individual prenatal care in late pregnancy and early postpartum on (1) women's food security and (2) psychosocial outcomes among food-insecure women. We recruited 248 racially diverse, low-income, pregnant women receiving CenteringPregnancy™ group prenatal care (N = 124) or individual prenatal care (N = 124) to complete surveys in early pregnancy, late pregnancy, and early postpartum, with 84 % completing three surveys. Twenty-six percent of group and 31 % of individual care participants reported food insecurity in early pregnancy (p = 0.493). In multiple logistic regression models, women choosing group versus individual care were more likely to report food security in late pregnancy (0.85 vs. 0.66 average predicted probability, p < 0.001) and postpartum (0.89 vs. 0.78 average predicted probability, p = 0.049). Among initially food-insecure women, group participants were more likely to become food-secure in late pregnancy (0.67 vs. 0.35 individual care average predicted probability, p < 0.001) and postpartum (0.76 vs. 0.57 individual care average predicted probability, p = 0.052) in intention-to-treat models. Group participants were more likely to change perceptions on affording healthy foods and stretching food resources. Group compared to individual care participants with early pregnancy food insecurity demonstrated higher maternal-infant attachment scale scores (89.8 vs. 86.2 points for individual care, p = 0.032). Group prenatal care provides health education and the opportunity for women to share experiences and knowledge, which may improve food security through increasing confidence and skills in managing household food resources. Health sector interventions can complement food assistance programs in addressing food insecurity during pregnancy.

Effects of Group Prenatal Care on Food Insecurity

The 2013 Lancet Nutrition Series highlighted the importance of nutrition-sensitive interventions across multiple sectors, including the health sector. This study compared the effects of group to individual prenatal care on women's food security. We recruited 248 racially diverse, low-income, pregnant women receiving group (N=124) or individual prenatal care (N=124) to complete surveys in early and late pregnancy and early postpartum, with 84% completing three surveys. Multiple logistic regression models compared changes in food security by prenatal care model. Among women initially food insecure, group participants were more likely to become food secure in late pregnancy (0.64 compared to 0.36 average predicted probability, p<0.001). Initially food-insecure women who remained in group care through pregnancy were more likely to become food secure postpartum (0.77 compared to 0.59 average predicted probability, p=0.045). Among women initially food secure, group participants were more likely to maintain food security in late pregnancy (0.92 compared to 0.76 average predicted probability, p<0.001). Group participants were more likely to change perceptions on affording healthy foods and stretching food resources. Group prenatal care provides health education and the opportunity for women to share experiences and knowledge, which may improve confidence and skills in managing household food resources. Health sector interventions can complement food assistance programs in addressing food insecurity among pregnant women. Funded by AHRQ and the USDA RIDGE Program.

Rural Women's Empowerment in Improving Household Food Security in the Divandarreh County

Purpose: Considering the important role of rural women in food security, the main purpose of this study is to study the rural women's empowerment in improving household food security. Method: The research data was collected through questionnaires filled out by rural married women in Divandareh County. Based on random sampling, 213 of them were selected. The validity of questionnaire was confirmed by the panel of food security experts and faculty members of management and agricultural development department in university of Tehran, and its reliability was confirmed by Cronbach's Alpha coefficient and composite reliability. Results: The results can be concluded that the rural households have not been in suitable conditions in terms of food security. Also the results of Correlation analysis showed that among all dimensions of rural women’s empowerment (economic, social & psychological) with food security of their family were significantly correlated. In addition, the results of structural equation modeling showed that dimension of rural women’s empowerment with the coefficient of determination 0.83 (γ=0.72, t=7.12) had positive and significant effect on the food security of the family. Practical implications: Due to rural women' financial weakness, it is strongly suggested that financial supports will be dedicated to improvement of rural women's empowerment, and their access to credits through creation and development of rural credit cooperatives and microfinance institutions that provide small loans to rural poor with little income or collateral,. Original/value: In this study rural women’s empowerment in different dimensions that is contribute to improve food security were identified. The results of the study could be considerably helpful to rural development planners and policy makers for improving food security in rural communities.

From the field: Empowering women to improve family food security in Afghanistan

AbstractKitchen gardens may improve family food security and nutrition. While these gardens are the domain of women in Afghanistan, women face unique challenges accessing training and resources to maximize small-scale agricultural output. The University of Maryland's Women in Agriculture Project builds capacity among female extension educators to work with vulnerable women to implement and maintain kitchen gardens. Extension educators use experiential methods to teach vegetable gardening, apiculture, small-scale poultry production, post-harvest handling and processing, nutrition and marketing through workshops, demonstration gardens and farmer field schools. This paper explores contextual factors related to women's food security and agricultural opportunities, describes key project activities and approaches and discusses project success and challenges, sustainability and implications for future programs.

Impact of Intervention Program on Production Technologies of Horticultural Crops among Rural Women Assam, India

Women play a vital role both in farm and household activities. There is some evidence that despite the contribution made by rural women in food security they are not being well served by the existing extension system. They are in urgent need of understanding and acquiring new knowledge and skills on cultivation of horticultural crops, so that they could contribute more effectively to the production process. The present study was conducted to identify the knowledge of rural women of Assam, India about scientifically validated existing production technologies and disseminate the same among themselves. A multi-stage purposive-cum-stratified random sampling design was followed covering 1,500 respondents for the present study. The study revealed that majority of the rural women had a very low level of knowledge in all the aspects of cultivation of horticultural crops namely nursery production, nutritional management, plant protection, followed by production practices of horticultural crops, seed production, land preparation and harvesting. Five trainings were organized for rural women on various aspects of production technologies of horticultural crops and this intervention helped in improving the knowledge which was observed through feedback received from post-training analysis after one month and participation in open forum discussion. The rural women were highly motivated to adopt improved production technologies in their field and interested to consider this area as one of the entrepreneurial activities of self-help group.

Non-timber forest products farming and empowerment of rural women in Ghana

United Nations estimates indicate that up to 70% of the world’s poor are female, and women in developing countries constitute the majority of the labour force, playing a key role in managing community resources and helping to improve food security and protect the environment. Increased attention in recent years has been focused on the potential role of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in improving the incomes and health of women in developing countries. NTFPs farming and marketing are very critical for the economic empowerment of rural poor, particularly women. Despite this potential, the contribution of NTFPs farming to the empowerment of women remains largely undervalued and understudied. This paper examines the potential contribution of NTFPs farming in poverty reduction and livelihood improvement of women in Ghana using the Sefwi Wiawso District (SWD) and Bibiani-Bekwai District (BBD) in the Western Region of Ghana as a case study. The paper explores the contribution of NTFPs farming to the total annual income, acquisition of assets, health, and food security of women through participatory research methods. ANOVA and Pearson Correlation (p < 0.05) show that a significant association exists between total annual income of women, acquisition of assets, health, food security, and the income earned from NTFPs in the SWD and BBD. The study revealed that NTFPs can contribute significantly to the economic empowerment of women. The paper asserts that commercialisation of NTFPs will have a greater impact on women’s livelihoods and therefore any opportunity for increasing their involvement is very essential for the empowerment and sustainable development of rural communities in Ghana.

Gender, large-scale development, and food insecurity in Lesotho: an analysis of the impact of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project

This article investigates the effects of development policy on gender and food security. It analyses how one policy instituted by a large-scale multi-dam development project, the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), affected women's food security in the rural highlands of Lesotho, southern Africa. This was a mitigation policy, aiming to ensure that the LHWP did not negatively impact on the people living in the area where the dams were constructed. However, ethnographic research suggests that the policy itself reinforced and exacerbated gender inequalities that affected women's ability to secure food, and put women at risk of food insecurity within their households. Once again we see that gender issues must be central to the constitution and implementation of development projects.

Role of women in food security and seasonal variation of expenditure pattern in coastal fishing communities in Lagos State

This study examined the socio-economic characteristics, role of women and expenditure pattern as it relates to seasonal variation in lagoon and marine fishing communities in Lagos State. A two stage stratified sampling method was used to select the sample size of 210 fishing (35 female and 175 male–headed) households from 25 lagoon and 10 marine fishing communities. Data were collected through field observation and administration of structured questionnaire at household level. Analytical technique used was descriptive statistics. Results indicate that though women do not fish in the high sea, female-headed households from among the Ilajes are actively involved in fishing in the lagoon waters. The study reveals that wives and daughters of fishermen are actively involved in fish processing, preservation and sales of fish caught as well as farming. Mean per Adult Equivalent Household Expenditure (MPAEHE) ranged from N350.74 for the first decile to N 3, 928.30 for the tenth decile. Percentage of the total expenditure spent on food decreased from 90.8% for the first decile to 41.9% in the tenth deciles. Other crucial roles of women in ensuring food security despite the seasonal variation are highlighted. The need to ensure food security should follow a multi-dimensional approach in order to achieve considerable improvement in the living standards of the poor fisher-folks.

Is the South African land reform programme gender sensitive to women's food security and livelihood efforts?

abstract Complexities created by the dichotomy between statutory and customary land laws and practices are proving to have an impact on women's efforts at deriving land-based livelihoods and food security. Water is required for sustained land-based livelihoods. This focus aims to provide insight into challenges of land-based livelihoods in two research sites in rural KwaZulu-Natal by considering questions around gender sensitivity of land reform and access to water for land-based livelihoods. Purposive sampling was used to select female land reform beneficiaries and those residing in communal areas. Focus group discussions complemented by a structured questionnaire were used for data collection. The results indicated the complexity in understanding, perception and values of land straddling the statutory and customary land laws and practice landscape. Women continue to be disenfranchised by the two systems, and their efforts at a land-based livelihood are undermined. A framework that allows functional elements of both land systems needs continued engagement and research to deal with this dichotomy. Ways to improve access to water should be sought, despite the challenges of the two land systems.

Exploring the role of economic empowerment in HIV prevention

It has been argued that women's economic vulnerability and dependence on men increases their vulnerability to HIV by constraining their ability to negotiate the conditions, including sexual abstinence, condom use and multiple partnerships, which shape their risk of infection. In the face of escalating infection rates among women, and particularly young women, many have pointed to the potential importance of economic empowerment strategies for HIV prevention responses. Global evidence suggests that the relationship between poverty and HIV risk is complex, and that poverty on its own cannot be viewed simplistically as a driver of the HIV epidemic. Rather, its role appears to be multidimensional and to interact with a range of other factors, including mobility, social and economic inequalities and social capital, which converge in a particularly potent way for young women living in southern Africa. To date, there have been few interventions that have explicitly attempted to combine economic empowerment with the goal of HIV prevention, and even fewer that have been rigorously evaluated. This paper explores how programmes such as microfinance, livelihood training and efforts to safeguard women's food security and access to property have begun to incorporate an HIV prevention focus. Although such circumscribed interventions, by themselves, are unlikely to lead to significant impacts on a national or regional scale, they are useful for testing cross-sectoral partnership models, generating practical lessons and providing a metaphor for what might be possible in promoting women's economic empowerment more broadly. Despite numerous calls to 'mainstream AIDS' in economic development, cross-sectoral responses have not been widely taken up by government or other stakeholders. We suggest potential reasons for limited progress to date and conclude by presenting programme and policy recommendations for further exploring and harnessing linkages between economic empowerment and HIV prevention in Southern Africa.

Social Status, Traditional Food Taboos and Food Security: A Study of Igbo Women in Imo State, Nigeria

A study was conducted to examine adherence to traditional food taboos by women in Imo State, and relate that to social status and food security. Data was collected from 72 women across the three agricultural zones of the State. It was found that age, income and education are some factors affecting adherence to these taboos. This is further evidence of the need to raise women education and income levels as well as providing them employment opportunities. About twenty-five (25) such taboos were identified. These include non-consumption of some crop and livestock products. It was found that these are important sources of calorie, protein, vitamins and minerals. They were also found to be commonly available and within the purchasing power of the women. Prohibiting women from consuming those products denied the potential contribution of those items to women food security denied, apparently for no nutritional reasons. However, enforcement of these taboos is by the women themselves. It is suggested that extension, Nutritionists and dieticians embark on subtle campaigns to reverse these. Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences Vol. 4 (2) 2006: pp. 139-146

Gender Resource Utilization in Integrated Postharvest System for Citrus Fruits

Integrated postharvest system comprising the fresh-market and juice processing from citrus fruits was the model system selected to evaluate gender participation in fruit agribusiness in Nigeria. This was in realization of the role of women in family support and food security. Results showed 60% of the labor force engaged in citrus processing and fresh fruit marketing are women. Fruit retailing involves partial processing through peeling and short-term modified-atmosphere packaging, while key unit operations of processing cover juice production, handling, and quality control. Retail activities attract higher income relative to factory work. Implications of seasonality in fruit supply in terms of income generation, employment, rural development, and strategies to empower the gender for greater productivity are discussed in the presentation.

Food security and nutrition, 1971–91: Lessons learned and future priorities

This is an edited version of testimony given by the authors before the US House of Representatives Select Committee on Hunger, 16 October 1991. They offer rules of thumb for achieving food security and nutrition goals, and emphasize that greater attention should be given to understanding the impact of policies on women's food security and nutrition. In addition, it is necessary to broaden the concept of food and nutrition security to offer greater protection to vulnerable households.