Characterisation of food security and consumption patterns among smallholder livestock farmers in Botswana

Abstract

Background: Achievement of food security is an important objective in the National Development Plan of Botswana. This study set out to characterise food security situation and food consumption patterns among livestock keepers in Botswana. The study also sought to determine the effect of various factors (including livestock-related issues) on nutrition/food consumption patterns of livestock farmers in Botswana. Data used in this study come from a survey of smallholder livestock producers conducted by the International Livestock Research Institute and its partners in Botswana in 2013. A food consumption score (FCS) is a qualitative measure of food security constructed using data collected at a household level, and to investigate the influence of various factors on food security and consumption patterns, both logit and OLS regression were used. Results:Results show that purchase was the chief source of foodstuffs (including main staples) in these households. About 20% of households claimed that they had suffered lack of food at least once during the preceding 12 months prior to the collection of data used in this analysis. Nearly all of them reported having had to endure going to bed hungry. Application of the World Food Programme (WFP) FCS methodology of food security analysis supported this claim. Based on the FCS, about 9% of households were food insecure. This category constituted 6% that ranked poorly and 3% that were on the borderline according to the WFP's definition of food security. These findings justify continued efforts to ensure realisation of food security among livestock keepers in Botswana. Conclusion:The results from this study justify continued, but well-targeted efforts to ensure realisation of food security among livestock keepers in Botswana. The significant effect that livestock keeping has on food security implies that promotion of the livestock activities, especially in the rural areas, could foster alleviation of malnutrition, especially among the poor.

Climate change adaptation strategy for sustainability and food security of cassava farming households in Lampung, Indonesia

“…It is known that food availability and food accessibility are the indicators of food security that depict the situation of farm household, while food consumption is the indicator of direct impact of food security, reflected by the quantity and quality of farm household food consumption. The result found that significant relationship was found 78.78 % (Table 2) between household food security, food consumption pattern and exogenous variables (household size, access to food family expenditure, energy consumption (Novianto et al, 2015), and protein consumption (Bahta et al, 2017).…”

A Qualitative Study to Explore Dietary Knowledge, Beliefs and Practices Among Pregnant Women in a Rural Health Zone in Democratic Republic of Congo.

“…(26,27). For example, implementation of a backyard garden project within the Ramotswa area in Botswana was able to successfully reduce poverty in participating households from 52-15% (28). Similar practices could be adopted and evaluated to strengthen agricultural practices in the Popokabaka area, with the aim of improving dietary diversity and alleviating poverty.…”

Household Food Insecurity Status and Determinants: The Case of Botswana and South Africa

“…Unlike South Africa, which is food secure at the national level, Botswana is highly dependent on food imports, mainly because 70% of its total land comprises the Kalahari Desert. Botswana imports approximately 90% of its gross food supply from South Africa (Bahta et al, 2017). The same publication reveals that approximately 3500 square kilometers on the eastern and northern margins of Botswana is reported to be suitable for crop and livestock farming which is pursued by smallholder livestock producers.…”