Assessing food insecurity in Latin America and the Caribbean using FAO’s Food Insecurity Experience Scale

Abstract

The complexity of the operational concept and definition of food insecurity has complicated the study of the 'food insecure' and efforts to determine clear policy directions. Previous findings on the prevalence and severity of food insecurity are inconsistent and often depend on the measure used. To overcome limitations in food security measurement, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations developed the Food Insecurity Experience Scale, which is the first survey protocol to measure people's direct experience of food insecurity on a global scale. Using this new measure, our study contributes to the understanding of the food insecure by examining the determinants of food insecurity within and across countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Using a series of multilevel linear models, we find the three determinants associated with the largest increase in the likelihood of experiencing food insecurity in LAC are: low levels of education, limited social capital, and living in a country with low GDP per capita. Results suggest the need to promote education of the most vulnerable, encourage social interactions that help build individuals' social capital, and adopt gender-sensitive programs. The

Factors Associated with Seasonal Food Insecurity among Small-Scale Subsistence Farming Households in Rural Honduras

“…This is consistent with other studies in Latin America, in which overcrowding and low socioeconomic status have been cited as factors contributing to household food insecurity [14,40,41]. Beyond the total number of people in the household, household life cycle factors including household composition, age of household members, and marital status also influence individual and household food security [41][42][43]. Additionally, as gender influences food production, distribution, and consumption, it also has direct implications for individual and household food security [4].…”

“…In this study, individuals from larger and poorer households reliant on subsistence agriculture were more likely than individuals from smaller and wealthier households to have insufficient food availability and access. This is consistent with other studies in Latin America, in which overcrowding and low socioeconomic status have been cited as factors contributing to household food insecurity [14,40,41]. Beyond the total number of people in the household, household life cycle factors including household composition, age of household members, and marital status also influence individual and household food security [41][42][43].…”

“…Additionally, as gender influences food production, distribution, and consumption, it also has direct implications for individual and household food security [4]. In Latin America women are, in general, more likely to experience food insecurity than men, with this trend being more prominent in rural regions [41,43]. Although this study did not identify differences in seasonal food availability and access between women and men, further research is needed to more closely examine the relationship between the intrahoushold life cycle, gender, and seasonal food insecurity in this context.…”

Validity of the Food Insecurity Experience Scale and Prevalence of Food Insecurity in the Bahamas

“…While it is not particularly surprising that having more education is associated with less food insecurity, the nding that older persons are less likely to experience food insecurity may run counter to that of other nations. For example, in Latin America and in the US, older individuals are often at higher risk [16,22]. However, based on the knowledge of our Bahamian co-author, Bahamians have long held traditions to rst feed the elders in the home, which may explain the effect.…”

Food security and the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES): ensuring progress by 2030

“…Source: FAO 2014. http://www.fao.org/in-action/voices-of-the-hungry/background/en/ researchers measured criteria validity of the tool, results showed that despite the diversity in the global population, food insecurity was associated with commonly cited determinants and consequences of food security such as national income, health, and well-being (Jones 2017;Smith et al 2017b).…”