Coping or adapting? Experiences of food and nutrition insecurity in specialised fishing households in Komodo District, eastern Indonesia

Abstract

Background There is growing recognition of the need for fish to be better integrated into nutrition-sensitive strategies for addressing malnutrition. Fish are overwhelmingly produced by the small-scale sector, which supports food and nutrition security directly through the provision of fish and indirectly through the generation of income which can be used to purchase other desired foods. However, there has been relatively little research on the extent of food and nutrition security in specialised fishing communities. This study assessed food and nutrition security among households in specialised fishing communities in Komodo District, eastern Indonesia. Methods We assessed the seasonal nutrition quality of household diets using the Food Consumption Score for nutritional analysis and food insecurity using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale in 66 households across three communities, using a modified cluster sampling strategy. We calculated and generated descriptive statistics for these indicators with Microsoft Excel and ran a logistic generalized linear mixed model to determine factors associated with severe food insecurity using SPSS. We used semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions to understand perceptions of, change over time, and strategies for dealing with food shortfalls. Results While most households have acceptable access to nutritious foods, especially protein and heme iron-rich foods, nearly one half of households consumed vitamin A rich foods on less than 3 days of the 7-day recall period in either season. More than half of households reported experiencing a moderate or severe level of food insecurity, with higher food insecurity in the wet season. Low maternal education (OR: 3.8, 95%CI 1.5–9.9) and lower household wealth (OR: 0.5, 95%CI 0.3–0.9) were found to be associated with a severe level of food insecurity. Household’s consumptive and non-consumptive response strategies reflect adaptation to chronic food insecurity but are nutritionally and economically unsustainable. Conclusion Households in specialised fishing communities in Komodo District consumed diets with low diversity and experienced high levels of food insecurity. There is a need for culturally-appropriate nutrition-sensitive strategies to enhance food and nutrition security in vulnerable fishing communities.

How Livelihood Change Affects Food Choice Behaviors in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Scoping Review

“…Oil palm adoption, household welfare, and nutrition among smallholder farmers in Indonesia Cross-sectional Quantitative: Face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaire September–December 2012 Jambi province, Sumatra, Indonesia Farm households ( n = 664: oil palm adopters n = 199, nonadopters n = 465) Gibson et al. [ 79 ] (2021). Coping or adapting?…”

“… Traditional household vs. nuclear household (male migrant workers) X X Those that worked in traditional households usually had first choice on what was cooked and eaten first Work inside home was seen as less strenuous so they should eat less • More flexibility in food allocation, decision making and traditions in nuclear households X X Gibson et al. [ 79 ] (2021). Coping or adapting?…”

Taboos, food avoidances, and diseases: Local epistemologies of health among Coastal Endenese in Eastern Indonesia

“…The consumption of marine products decreases dramatically in the full moon or during the Monsoon storms when fishing activity declines and prices rise. Restrictions in the consumption of fish by women by skipping meals or reducing portions to prioritize the nutritional sufficiency of children in the household are also observed then (Gibson et al, 2020(Gibson et al, , 2021. In all, ecological and economic conditions explain why a large proportion the diet is characterized by carbohydrates (manioc, tubers, and rice), highly processed foods (noodles) or items of low nutritional value (snacks).…”

“…While the relationship between taboos, health, and malnutrition continues to be a topic of interest (Köhler et al, 2018(Köhler et al, , 2019, the systematic study of dietary avoidances, food preferences and of their nutritional consequences among traditional societies, and especially, on coastal groups, remains somewhat limited (but see Begossi et al, 2004;Gibson et al, 2020Gibson et al, , 2021. Over the past decades, attention has grown toward the challenges faced by Indigenous fisheries (Charles, 2012;Chuenpagdee et al, 2013).…”

“…To advance interventions targeting malnutrition among these societies, knowledge on the role played by taboos and dietary avoidances on the consumption of fish related products becomes crucial. Lack of information on how decisions are made within fishing households in terms of diets, as well as their symbolic connections to disease and ill health, poses an interesting obstacle (Gibson et al, 2020(Gibson et al, , 2021. This article proposes as its main goal to explore how different types of prescriptions and beliefs about the spiritual world regarding the consumption of maritime and coastal items shape dietary practices within a small-scale fishery in Ende, Eastern Indonesia.…”