Community perspectives on food security and dietary diversity among rural smallholder farmers: A qualitative study in central Uganda

Smallholder farmers produce majority of food in developing countries yet continue to be vulnerable to poverty, food insecurity, limited diet quality and diversity, malnutrition, and face various production challenges. Though quantitative studies have explored determinants of dietary diversity among...

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Main Authors: Nabuuma, Deborah, Ekesa, Beatrice, Faber, Mieke, Mbhenyane, Xikombiso
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Elsevier 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/114334
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author Nabuuma, Deborah
Ekesa, Beatrice
Faber, Mieke
Mbhenyane, Xikombiso
author_browse Ekesa, Beatrice
Faber, Mieke
Mbhenyane, Xikombiso
Nabuuma, Deborah
author_facet Nabuuma, Deborah
Ekesa, Beatrice
Faber, Mieke
Mbhenyane, Xikombiso
author_sort Nabuuma, Deborah
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Smallholder farmers produce majority of food in developing countries yet continue to be vulnerable to poverty, food insecurity, limited diet quality and diversity, malnutrition, and face various production challenges. Though quantitative studies have explored determinants of dietary diversity among farmers, this data can be further enriched with farmer experiences and perspectives of whether and how these factors affect dietary diversity to inform intervention design and implementation. A qualitative study was conducted among rural smallholder farmers in Kiboga district, Central Uganda with 28 participants in eight focus group discussions (four groups with men and four groups with women). The results showed that both men and women were concerned about food security and dietary diversity and viewed household food production as pivotal to food security. Purchase of food was affected by prices, household income, distance to markets and food diversity in the accessed markets. Major determinants of dietary diversity included household food production, agricultural and nutrition knowledge and awareness, information access and use, household income, and time. Poor perception towards meetings, insufficient nutrition information, skills and training were also noted. Gender influences and differences noted were concerned with allocation and use of harvested food and income within the household; more men than women having a poor perception towards meetings/trainings; and women having limited time for agricultural and nutrition practices that support dietary diversity. From the results, efforts to improve dietary diversity should address the food security and production challenges faced; support income generation whether on- or off-farm and market access to diverse foods; use designs that address gender issues and are labor and time sensitive; and include capacity building in nutrition and practices that support access to and utilization of diverse food baskets, and social behavior change strategies.
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spelling CGSpace1143342025-11-11T19:01:55Z Community perspectives on food security and dietary diversity among rural smallholder farmers: A qualitative study in central Uganda Nabuuma, Deborah Ekesa, Beatrice Faber, Mieke Mbhenyane, Xikombiso dietary diversity food security smallholders gender income generation market access diversidad de la alimentación seguridad alimentaria pequeños agricultores Smallholder farmers produce majority of food in developing countries yet continue to be vulnerable to poverty, food insecurity, limited diet quality and diversity, malnutrition, and face various production challenges. Though quantitative studies have explored determinants of dietary diversity among farmers, this data can be further enriched with farmer experiences and perspectives of whether and how these factors affect dietary diversity to inform intervention design and implementation. A qualitative study was conducted among rural smallholder farmers in Kiboga district, Central Uganda with 28 participants in eight focus group discussions (four groups with men and four groups with women). The results showed that both men and women were concerned about food security and dietary diversity and viewed household food production as pivotal to food security. Purchase of food was affected by prices, household income, distance to markets and food diversity in the accessed markets. Major determinants of dietary diversity included household food production, agricultural and nutrition knowledge and awareness, information access and use, household income, and time. Poor perception towards meetings, insufficient nutrition information, skills and training were also noted. Gender influences and differences noted were concerned with allocation and use of harvested food and income within the household; more men than women having a poor perception towards meetings/trainings; and women having limited time for agricultural and nutrition practices that support dietary diversity. From the results, efforts to improve dietary diversity should address the food security and production challenges faced; support income generation whether on- or off-farm and market access to diverse foods; use designs that address gender issues and are labor and time sensitive; and include capacity building in nutrition and practices that support access to and utilization of diverse food baskets, and social behavior change strategies. 2021-09 2021-07-20T08:05:43Z 2021-07-20T08:05:43Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/114334 en Open Access application/pdf Elsevier Nabuuma, D.; Ekesa, B.; Faber, M.; Mbhenyane, X. (2021) Community perspectives on food security and dietary diversity among rural smallholder farmers: A qualitative study in central Uganda. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research 5:100183. 7 p. ISSN 2666-1543.
spellingShingle dietary diversity
food security
smallholders
gender
income generation
market access
diversidad de la alimentación
seguridad alimentaria
pequeños agricultores
Nabuuma, Deborah
Ekesa, Beatrice
Faber, Mieke
Mbhenyane, Xikombiso
Community perspectives on food security and dietary diversity among rural smallholder farmers: A qualitative study in central Uganda
title Community perspectives on food security and dietary diversity among rural smallholder farmers: A qualitative study in central Uganda
title_full Community perspectives on food security and dietary diversity among rural smallholder farmers: A qualitative study in central Uganda
title_fullStr Community perspectives on food security and dietary diversity among rural smallholder farmers: A qualitative study in central Uganda
title_full_unstemmed Community perspectives on food security and dietary diversity among rural smallholder farmers: A qualitative study in central Uganda
title_short Community perspectives on food security and dietary diversity among rural smallholder farmers: A qualitative study in central Uganda
title_sort community perspectives on food security and dietary diversity among rural smallholder farmers a qualitative study in central uganda
topic dietary diversity
food security
smallholders
gender
income generation
market access
diversidad de la alimentación
seguridad alimentaria
pequeños agricultores
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/114334
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