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Urban food insecurity in the context of high food prices: a community based cross sectional study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: High food prices have emerged as a major global challenge, especially for poor and urban households in low-income countries such as Ethiopia. However, there is little empirical evidence on urban food security and how people living in urban areas are coping with sustained high food prices. This study aims to address this gap by investigating the food insecurity situation in urban Ethiopia -a country experiencing sustained high food prices, high rates of urban poverty, and a growing urban population. METHODS: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 18 to February 14, 2012. A total of 550 households were selected from three sub-cities of Addis Ababa using three-stage sampling technique. Data were collected using questionnaire based interview with household heads. Items in the questionnaire include, among others, basic socioeconomic variables, dietary diversity and coping strategies. Food security status of households was assessed by a Household Food Insecurity Access Score. Data analysis was done using SPSS software and both univariate and bivariate analysis were done. RESULTS: The study found that 75% of households were food insecure and 23% were in a state of hunger. Households with higher food insecurity scores tend to have lower dietary diversity and are less likely to consume high quality diets. Reduction in meal size and shifting to poor quality/less expensive/food types were among the common coping strategies to high food price used by households. Household incomes, occupational and educational status of household heads were significant determinants of food security. CONCLUSION: Food insecurity in Ethiopia is not only a rural problem. Urban food insecurity is a growing concern due to the toxic combination of high rates of urban poverty, high dependency of urban households on food supplied by the market, and fluctuating food prices. Household food insecurity was particularly high among low income households and those headed by uneducated, daily wagers and government employed household heads. Therefore, policy makers should work on stabilization of the food market and creating opportunities that could improve the livelihood and purchasing power of urban households.

SUBMITTER: Birhane T

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4227136 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Urban food insecurity in the context of high food prices: a community based cross sectional study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Birhane Tesfay T Shiferaw Solomon S Hagos Seifu S Mohindra Katia Sarla KS

BMC public health 20140704

<h4>Background</h4>High food prices have emerged as a major global challenge, especially for poor and urban households in low-income countries such as Ethiopia. However, there is little empirical evidence on urban food security and how people living in urban areas are coping with sustained high food prices. This study aims to address this gap by investigating the food insecurity situation in urban Ethiopia -a country experiencing sustained high food prices, high rates of urban poverty, and a gro ...[more]

PMID: 24993286

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Project description:BackgroundMeasuring household food insecurity in specific geographic areas provides vital information that enables appropriate and effective intervention measures to be taken. To that end, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of food insecurity and associated factors among Urban Productive Safety Net Program (UPSNP) beneficiary households in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital city.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 624 UPSNP beneficiary households in nine districts of Addis Ababa from June to July 2019. A multi-stage sampling method was used; study participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique after establishing the proportionally allocated sample size for 9 districts. Data were collected by trained personnel using a pretested, structured questionnaire. The outcome variable was food insecurity as measured by Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), a tool developed by the Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance Scale (FANTA) and validated for developing countries, including Ethiopia. A binary (crude odds ratio [COR]) and multivariable (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]) logistic regression analysis were employed at 95% CI (confidence interval). From the bivariate analysis, factors having a p-value<0.25 were included in the multivariable analysis. From the multivariable analysis, any variable at p-value < 0.05 at 95% CI was declared significantly associated with household food insecurity. Model fitness was also checked using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test with p-value>0.05.ResultsThe prevalence of household food insecurity was 77.1% [95%CI:73.8-80.7] during the month prior to the survey. Illiteracy of household head [AOR: 2.56; 95%CI:1.08-6.07], family size of 4 or more [AOR: 1.87, 95%CI:1.08-3.23], high dependency ratio [AOR: 3.95; 95%CI:1.31-11.90], household lack of access to credit [AOR:2.85; 95%CI:1.25-6.49], low household income [AOR: 4.72; 95%CI:2.32-9.60] and medium household income [AOR: 9.78; 95%CI:4.29-22.35] were significantly associated with household food insecurity.ConclusionWe found that three in four of Addis Ababa's UPSNP beneficiary households were food-insecure. Implementation of measures to improve household income, minimize the dependency ratio of households, and arrange access to credit services are paramount ways to tackle food insecurity problems in Addis Ababa.

Project description:BackgroundEven though the urban health extension program (HEP) has been implemented since 2009, little was known about its implementation, experience and challenges. Therefore, this study was aimed at exploring the implementation, experience, and challenges of the urban HEP.MethodsA qualitative case study was conducted in Addis Ababa from November 15 to December 29, 2017. The study participants were recruited purposefully. The parent populations were health extension professionals (HEPs). However, health post supervisors, health development army leaders (HDAs), Addis Ababa city HEP administrators, and other community members were also involved in the study. Four focus group discussions and 31 in-depth and key informant interviews were conducted. Data were transcribed verbatim, translated into the English, and analyzed by an inductive thematic analysis approach using Atlas ti7.1 software.ResultThe study found that there were 15 health service packages of the urban HEP delivered to the community based on the need of the households. The strategies for the program implementation were provision of trainings, home visitation, creation of model households, strengthening of HDAs, supervision and reporting, referral and feedback, and social and community mobilization. However, program implementation was challenged by the health system related challenges (health service package and delivery, workload of HEPs, shortage of trained HEPs, lack of regular supervision or monitoring, lack of logistical or motivational support, poor supply chain management, dissatisfaction of HEPs, assigning of more than expected households for HEPs, etc.), multisectoral related and community related challenges (HDAs need of incentives, and lack of graduating model households as per the plan, etc.).ConclusionsAlthough the program had a significant contribution to the health of community, it was affected by different challenges that underscore the need to develop different strategies and taking of actions. Therefore, the district health office, health centers and stakeholders from different sectors should have to support and motivate the HEPs and HDAs, and work together with them for successful implementation of the program.

Dataset Information

Urban food insecurity in the context of high food prices: a community based cross sectional study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Publications

Urban food insecurity in the context of high food prices: a community based cross sectional study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

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