Seasonal variation of food security among the Batwa of Kanungu, Uganda

Abstract

ObjectiveClimate change is projected to increase the burden of food insecurity (FI) globally, particularly among populations that depend on subsistence agriculture. The impacts of climate change will have disproportionate effects on populations with higher existing vulnerability. Indigenous people consistently experience higher levels of FI than their non-Indigenous counterparts and are more likely to be dependent upon land-based resources. The present study aimed to understand the sensitivity of the food system of an Indigenous African population, the Batwa of Kanungu District, Uganda, to seasonal variation.DesignA concurrent, mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative) design was used. Six cross-sectional retrospective surveys, conducted between January 2013 and April 2014, provided quantitative data to examine the seasonal variation of self-reported household FI. This was complemented by qualitative data from focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews collected between June and August 2014.SettingTen rural Indigenous communities in Kanungu District, Uganda.SubjectsFI data were collected from 130 Indigenous Batwa Pygmy households. Qualitative methods involved Batwa community members, local key informants, health workers and governmental representatives.ResultsThe dry season was associated with increased FI among the Batwa in the quantitative surveys and in the qualitative interviews. During the dry season, the majority of Batwa households reported greater difficulty in acquiring sufficient quantities and quality of food. However, the qualitative data indicated that the effect of seasonal variation on FI was modified by employment, wealth and community location.ConclusionsThese findings highlight the role social factors play in mediating seasonal impacts on FI and support calls to treat climate associations with health outcomes as non-stationary and mediated by social sensitivity.

Dietary intake and factors influencing eating behaviours in overweight and obese South Asian men living in the UK: mixed method study

“…It has been shown to be a reliable and valid measure of diet when compared with 4-day food diaries. 17 An interviewer-administered version of the questionnaire was used to ensure accurate data entry and provide the opportunity to discuss both quantitative and qualitative aspects of dietary intake with participants.…”

Community-based monitoring of Indigenous food security in a changing climate: global trends and future directions

“…Indeed, Indigenous communities in many countries tend to be more food insecure than their non-Indigenous counterparts [27][28][29]; for example, Indigenous peoples in the United States including American Indians and Alaska Natives were twice as likely to be food insecure compared to non-Indigenous peoples [30]. Around 97% of Indigenous Batwa households in Uganda were found to be food insecure, which was substantially higher than the national Ugandan average of 20% [31]. Furthermore, Indigenous peoples often have close relationships with the environment for subsistence; as such, even subtle changes in the environment can have large impacts on their food security [32,33], including reducing access to, and availability of, Indigenous foods [34,35].…”

Factors associated with undernutrition among 20 to 49 year old women in Uganda: a secondary analysis of the Uganda demographic health survey 2016

“…Furthermore, these studies have shown slow annual stunting reduction rate of 0.45% which increases the chances of these children growing into stunted adults and this could partly explain the high proportions and increased odds of stunting in western and central regions seen in this study. An alternative explanation to these ndings could be the fact that Western Uganda is partly inhabited by the Batwa tribe, an indigenous pygmy population who are relatively short (in height) compared to other Ugandans [5,16] and the possibility of migration of stunted women from other regions to the Central and Western regions which are the most economically vibrant regions.…”

“…Underweight was de ned as body mass index (BMI) less than (<) 18.5 kg/m 2 while stunting was de ned as height less than (<) 145cm [3,11,20]. Underweight is further classi ed as severe (BMI less than 16.00 kg/m 2 ), moderate (BMI 16.0016.99 kg/m 2 ), and mild (BMI 17.00-18.49 kg/m 2 ).…”

“…Undernutrition reduces economic productivity through reduced labor productivity, high treatment costs, reduced wages and human capital losses [16][17][18]. This negatively affects community and national development through reduced family income and gross domestic product [16,18]. Undernourished women are more likely to give birth to newborns with low birth weight and these newborns are at high risk of malnutrition leading to an intergenerational cycle of malnutrition [19].…”