Hybrid seed use and diversity of diets among women in smallholder maize-growing households in Zambia

Despite the policy importance of household nutrition and food security in rural Zambia, we are not aware of any analyses since a 1994 study by Shubh Kumar that have related the adoption of hybrid seed to dietary diversity among smallholder maize growers in Zambia. We estimate regression models to te...

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Main Authors: Smale, Melinda, Moursi, Mourad, Birol, Ekin, De Groote, Hugo
Format: Informe técnico
Language:Inglés
Published: International Food Policy Research Institute 2013
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/153641
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author Smale, Melinda
Moursi, Mourad
Birol, Ekin
De Groote, Hugo
author_browse Birol, Ekin
De Groote, Hugo
Moursi, Mourad
Smale, Melinda
author_facet Smale, Melinda
Moursi, Mourad
Birol, Ekin
De Groote, Hugo
author_sort Smale, Melinda
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Despite the policy importance of household nutrition and food security in rural Zambia, we are not aware of any analyses since a 1994 study by Shubh Kumar that have related the adoption of hybrid seed to dietary diversity among smallholder maize growers in Zambia. We estimate regression models to test the relationship between hybrid seed use and four indicators of dietary diversity: food group diversity (24-hour), vitamin A diversity (7-day), food frequency (7-day), and frequency of consuming foods fortified with vitamin A (7-day). We find that, according to the first three indicators, women in maize-growing households that plant hybrid seed have more diverse diets. Findings are weak when we consider the frequency of consuming foods fortified with vitamin A, highlighting the importance of testing multiple indicators. Results suggest that in Zambia, families of smallholder maize farmers who do not grow hybrid seed are likely to be a disadvantaged group, with respect to maize productivity and other diet-related welfare indicators.
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spelling CGSpace1536412025-11-06T06:45:19Z Hybrid seed use and diversity of diets among women in smallholder maize-growing households in Zambia Smale, Melinda Moursi, Mourad Birol, Ekin De Groote, Hugo maize hybrids diet retinol nutrition smallholders households gender Despite the policy importance of household nutrition and food security in rural Zambia, we are not aware of any analyses since a 1994 study by Shubh Kumar that have related the adoption of hybrid seed to dietary diversity among smallholder maize growers in Zambia. We estimate regression models to test the relationship between hybrid seed use and four indicators of dietary diversity: food group diversity (24-hour), vitamin A diversity (7-day), food frequency (7-day), and frequency of consuming foods fortified with vitamin A (7-day). We find that, according to the first three indicators, women in maize-growing households that plant hybrid seed have more diverse diets. Findings are weak when we consider the frequency of consuming foods fortified with vitamin A, highlighting the importance of testing multiple indicators. Results suggest that in Zambia, families of smallholder maize farmers who do not grow hybrid seed are likely to be a disadvantaged group, with respect to maize productivity and other diet-related welfare indicators. 2013 2024-10-01T13:56:59Z 2024-10-01T13:56:59Z Report https://hdl.handle.net/10568/153641 en Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Smale, Melinda; Moursi, Mourad; Birol, Ekin and De Groote, Hugo. 2013. Hybrid seed use and diversity of diets among women in smallholder maize-growing households in Zambia. HarvestPlus Working Paper 12. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://hdl.handle.net/10568/153641
spellingShingle maize
hybrids
diet
retinol
nutrition
smallholders
households
gender
Smale, Melinda
Moursi, Mourad
Birol, Ekin
De Groote, Hugo
Hybrid seed use and diversity of diets among women in smallholder maize-growing households in Zambia
title Hybrid seed use and diversity of diets among women in smallholder maize-growing households in Zambia
title_full Hybrid seed use and diversity of diets among women in smallholder maize-growing households in Zambia
title_fullStr Hybrid seed use and diversity of diets among women in smallholder maize-growing households in Zambia
title_full_unstemmed Hybrid seed use and diversity of diets among women in smallholder maize-growing households in Zambia
title_short Hybrid seed use and diversity of diets among women in smallholder maize-growing households in Zambia
title_sort hybrid seed use and diversity of diets among women in smallholder maize growing households in zambia
topic maize
hybrids
diet
retinol
nutrition
smallholders
households
gender
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/153641
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