Agricultural production as a determinant of the quality and quantity of food consumed in contrasting situations in India, South Africa and Tanzania Presentation by Brent Swallow, University of Alberta to the McGill International Food Security Conference 9 October 2013
Background and Context Growing recognition of the gaps between food availability & good nutrition for a healthy and productive life. Systematic review by Massett et al (2012) found 23 studies that included a valid counter-factual analysis, mostly on effects of home gardens. Very little evidence was found of a positive effect on the prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight among children aged under 5 years. Given complexity, long-time lags, and expense of nutrition studies, other organizations have developed various nutrition indicators. Improved nutritional outcomes is a key objective of the Canadian International Food Security Research Fund (CIFSRF) & other Canadian investments in international food security. Source: Massett, E., Haddad, L., Cornelius, A. and Isaza-Castro, J., 2012. Effectiveness of agricultural interventions that aim to improve nutritional status of children: systematic review.. British Medical Journal doi: 10.1136bmjd8222.
Project: Vulnerability, coping and adaptation within the context of climate change and HIV/AIDS in South Africa Partners: Rhodes University, University of Alberta Finance: IDRC thru Ecohealth Program, Rhodes Univ, U of Alberta Food consumption data: Individual & hh food consumption data for 694 individuals in 155 households in two locations, 48-hour recall data collected quarterly for one year (focus on impacts of AIDS & use of wild foods, also mid-upper arm circumference)
Project: Alleviating Poverty & Malnutrition in Agrobiodiversity Hotspots Partners: MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, University of Alberta Donors: IDRC / CIDA through CIFSRF, U of Alberta, SSHRC Food consumption data: baseline survey of 4000 households, dietary diversity based on consumption of own produced foods; (survey of consumption and anthropometry of 1800 households in progress; NIN state data also analysed)
Integrating Dairy Goat and Root Crop Production for Increasing Food, Nutrition and Income Security of Smallholder Farmers in Tanzania Partners: Sokoine University of Agriculture, U of Alberta, ILRI Donors: IDRC / CIDA through CIFSRF Food consumption data: Diet checklists based on 24-hour recall, WHO (2008) Food Consumption Score which weights food groups by contribution to a healthy diet (attention on the effects of gendered control of resources)
Questions we can answer with data from these projects 1. Does agriculture contribute to the quality and quantity of food consumption? 2. What else contributes to the quality and quantity of food consumption? Behavioral studies; not impact assessments
Results across 7 sites in 3 countries Children under 18 years Eastern Cape, South Africa Food Dietary Wild energy Dvrsty Food needs Dvrsty Central Tanzania HH food Consn Score Dietary Diversity 3 sites in India Kerala Tamil Odisha Nadu Livestock n.s. n.s. ++ +++ (((( No results )))) Physical assets +++ +++ - - - +++ (((( No results )))) Size of crop fields n.s. n.s. +++ n.s. +++ n.s. ++ Farm Income - - - n.s. n.s. No result +++ +++ n.s. Male headed +++ +++ n.s. +++ n.s. n.s. n.s. Education +++ +++ n.s. +++ +++ +++ +++ Family size - - - n.s. n.s. n.s. - - - n.s. - - HIV affected - - - - - - n.s. No result (((( No results ))))
Propositions supported by UofA & partner studies of the determinants of food consumption behavior 1. Social protection (pensions & grants in South Africa; PDS & guaranteed employment in India) are primary sources of food consumption for poor people living in South Africa and relatively wealthy states of India; own food production major source in Odisha and Tanzania). Balance depends on state of economy and policy. 2. All of the capitals play roles in securing hh food supplies, especially education, healthy adult labour and physical assets. 3. Land and livestock are important determinants of household own food production capacity where they are important and limiting factors of production. 4. Wild foods (on common lands) are more important than own food production in rural Eastern Cape, South Africa. 5. Evidence that social networks (gifting, sharing produce from home gardens, caring for orphans) also important in all research sites.
References and Acknowledgements Acknowledgements for data collection: India: MSSRF UofA team Tanzania: SUA, UofA, ILRI team South Africa: RU and UofA team Finance: IDRC and DFATD contributions to the Canadian International Food Security Research Fund, Rhodes University, University of Alberta Material synthesized from the following: Mason, R., Ndlovu, P., Parkins, J. and Luckert, M., 2013. Gender, Resources and Food Consumption in Rural Tanzania. Paper presented at the 2013 Conference of the Canadian Food Studies Association, Vancouver, BC, June. Abu-Basutu, K., Swallow, B.M., Shackleton, C., and Dassanayake, W., 2013. Impacts of Gender, Climate and HIV / AIDS on Dietary Intake and Consumption of Wild Foods in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Paper presented at the joint annual meeting of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association and the Canadian Agricultural Economics Society., Washington, DC, August. Minhas, S. and Goddard, E., 2013. Assessing Dietary Diversity Using Production and Use Data from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Orissa. Poster presented at the First International Conference on Food Security, Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands, 29 Sept 2 Oct 2013.