Food insecurity (FI) is one of the major causes of malnutrition and is associated with a range of negative health outcomes in low and middle-income countries. The burden of FI in southern Africa is unknown, although FI continues to be a major public health problem across sub-Saharan Africa as a whole. Therefore, this review sought to identify empirical studies that related FI to health outcomes among adults in southern Africa. Altogether, 14 publications using diverse measures of FI were reviewed. The majority of the studies measured FI using modified versions of the United States Department of Agriculture Household Food Security Survey Module. A wide range in prevalence and severity of FI was reported (18–91%), depending on the measurement tool and population under investigation. Furthermore, FI was mostly associated with hypertension, diabetes, anxiety, depression and increased risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) acquisition. Based on the findings, future research is needed, especially in countries with as yet no empirical studies on the subject, to identify and standardize measures of FI suitable for the southern African context and to inform public health policies and appropriate interventions aiming to alleviate FI and potentially improve health outcomes in the region.

Food insecurity and intimate partner violence are important determinants of health and wellbeing in southern Africa. However, very little research has attempted to investigate the association between them even though food insecurity is anticipated to increase in the region, mostly owing to climate change. The objective of this paper was to descriptively review peer reviewed studies that investigated the relationship between food insecurity and intimate partner violence in southern Africa. Literature searches were carried out in Scopus, Web of Science and PubMed databases without any time restriction. A total of five studies that investigated the association between food insecurity and intimate partner violence were identified in South Africa and Swaziland. Of these four studies used a cross-sectional design, and one employed a longitudinal design. Samples varied from 406 to 2479 individuals. No empirical studies were found for the remaining southern African countries of Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Mozambique. Moreover, the reported findings indicated that there was an association between food insecurity and interpersonal violence (i.e., physical, psychological, and emotional) in the sub-region regardless the fact that the five studies used diverse measurements of both food insecurity and intimate partner violence.

In low- and middle-income countries, food insecurity (FI) is a living reality for many households, particularly among the most vulnerable groups. The burden of household FI in Mozambique and how FI and coping strategies relate to perceived health are unknown. This study investigated the lived experiences and coping strategies of food-insecure households, along with their perceived health. Altogether, 16 in-depth interviews were performed, audio-recorded, and transcribed verbatim. A qualitative content analysis was carried out and five themes emerged: lived experiences of FI, coping strategies used in situations of FI, food choices, climate change and food security, and FI and perceived health. A wide range of lived experiences and coping strategies were reported, including cooking whatever is available, skipping meals, receiving money or food from friends and relatives, eating unsafe and low-quality foods, taking on additional work, cooking least-preferred foods, and having a monotonous and less-nutritious diet. Furthermore, the participants reported emotional distress, anxiety and depression, substance use, and other negative health outcomes. Some had diagnoses of hypertension, diabetes or HIV/AIDS. The findings suggest the need for employment creation and women’s empowerment, as well as the implementation of appropriate policies and programmes to alleviate household FI.

Mozambican forests are exposed to risks that contribute to the loss of biodiversity and associated ecosystem services. Thus, ex situ conservation represents a key strategy to reduce genetic erosion. In this study, we evaluated the ecological status of the ex situ conservation plantation in Michafutene, Maputo province, one of the most important repositories of forest genetic resources in the country. Thirty plots were established in which all trees, shrubs and grass species were identified. A total of 2092 individuals spanning 39 species were scored. Afzelia quanzensis was the most important species (Importance Value Index -IVI = 203), but with a low silvicultural performance. Other important trees were Albizia adianthifolia (IVI = 32), Albizia versicolor (IVI = 16) and Pterocarpus angolensis (IVI = 12). A complementary genotyping analysis of A. quanzensis was conducted by intersimple sequence repeats, indicating that the germplasm collection has different provenances and represents a wide genetic pool. Thus, despite the poor management, there is a considerable potential for the conservation of A. quanzensis provided immediate and appropriate management activities are implemented to improve its ecological performance. R esum eMozambican forests are exposed to risks that contribute to the loss of biodiversity and associated ecosystem services. Thus, ex situ conservation represents a key strategy to reduce genetic erosion. In this study, we evaluated the ecological status of the ex situ conservation plantation in Michafutene, Maputo province, one of the most important repositories of forest genetic resources in the country. Thirty plots were established in which all trees, shrubs and grass species were identified. A total of 2092 individuals spanning 39 species were scored. Afzelia quanzensis was the most important species (Importance Value Index -IVI = 203), but with a low silvicultural performance. Other important trees were Albizia adianthifolia (IVI = 32), Albizia versicolor (IVI = 16) and Pterocarpus angolensis (IVI = 12). A complementary genotyping analysis of A. quanzensis was conducted by Inter-Simple Sequence Repeats, indicating that the germplasm collection has different provenances and represents a wide genetic pool. Thus, despite the poor management there is a considerable potential for the conservation of A. quanzensis provided immediate and appropriate management activities are implemented to improve its ecological performance. Les forêts mozambicaines sont expos ees a des risques qui peuvent contribuer a la perte de leur biodiversit e et des services ecosyst emiques qui y sont associ es. La conservation ex situ constitue donc une strat egie cl e pour r eduire cette erosion g en etique. Dans cette etude, nous avons evalu e le statut ecologique de la plantation ex situ de Michafutene, dans la province de Maputo, qui compte parmi les plus importants d epositaires des ressources 1 g en etiques foresti eres du pays. Trente parcelles ont et e etablies, o u toutes les esp eces d'arbres, arbustes et herbes o...

Food insecurity (FI) is a global concern and is one of the main causes of malnutrition in low- and middle-income countries. In Mozambique, the burden of FI and how various factors contribute to FI is not well known. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of FI and its associated factors in southern Mozambique. Data from 1842 household heads in Maputo City were analyzed in a cross-sectional design. Food insecurity was measured using a modified version of the US Department of Agriculture Household Food Security scale, and its association with socio-demographic factors was assessed through multiple regressions. Altogether, 79% of the households were food insecure; of these, 16.6% had mild FI, 28.1% moderate and 34.4% severe FI. The study revealed that low-income households, those with less educated heads, and those engaged in informal work were significantly more prone to FI. Likewise, dietary diversity and the number of meals were also significant predictors of FI. These findings suggest the need for decent work and job creation, which calls for joint efforts from government, the private sector, and international institutions. Furthermore, these key drivers should be considered in the development of public health policies and programs designed to alleviate household FI and malnutrition in Mozambique.

Background Food insecurity (FI) is one of the major causes of malnutrition in low- and middle-income countries. In Mozambique, the burden of FI and how it’s related to negative health outcomes is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of FI as well as the factors associated with FI in southern Mozambique. Methods Preliminary data from 301 household heads residing in suburb and peri-urban districts of Maputo were analysed in a cross-sectional design. Accordingly, FI was assessed using the 8-items of the United States Department of Agriculture Household Food Security Survey Module, and its association with various factors was determined through multiple regression models. Results The prevalence of FI was 62.8% (23.6% of households had mild FI, 16.6% had moderate FI, 22.6% had severe FI). Based on multiple regression models, 10 variables (out of 11) were relevant drivers of FI and reached statistical significance (p-value<0.05) with focus on food diversity, climate change, illnesses, household income, number of meals, type of work, household size. Conclusions These preliminary findings suggest the need for decent work and job creation. In addition, food diversity, climate change and some relevant diseases should be taken into account in the development of public health policies designed to alleviate household food insecurity in Mozambique. Key messages • Food insecurity in Mozambique calls for joint efforts from government, private sector, international institutions and communities. • The basic food basket for the most vulnerable groups is encouraged as a short-term solution.