The Dimensions of Urban Food Insecurity in Gaborone, Botswana

Acquah, Benjamin K.; Kapunda, Stephen M.; Legwegoh, Alexander

doi:10.1007/s12132-014-9222-8

Cited by 16 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 13 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…As many as 71% of households never obtain food from informal sources. Other studies (eg Acquah et al 2014) have found that the informal food economy and small retail outlets are far less important in Gaborone than in most other cities. Around half of Gaborone households obtain food from this source on a regular basis, compared with a regional average of 68%.…”

Section: Extentmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…The latest relevant study is that by Acquah et al (2014) on urban food insecurity in Gaborone. These researchers undertook a baseline study of 400 households drawn from Old Naledi, White City/Bontleng and Broadhurst.…”

Section: In Urban Areas"mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In 1997, the UNDP reported that 20% of people living in urban areas in Botswana were considered 'poor' and 9% 'very poor'. Nearly 20 years later in Gaborone, 20% of the population is still poor and 7% very poor (Acquah et al 2014). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Urban agriculture in Botswana

Mosha

2016

CJLG

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Botswana, a middle-income country, is experiencing a sluggish economic growth and a rapid urbanisation which has brought in its wake high unemployment, poverty and food insecurity. This has led some people to engage in subsistence and commercial urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) to address these problems. However, in spite of its known advantages, uptake of UPA has been low for a number of reasons including: high GDP before the economic meltdown of recent years; a harsh climate; lack of water; poor access to land; and over-reliance on generous government handouts. Nevertheless, the extent of its practice and its contribution to food security – albeit modest – shows that it is a sector that needs to be encouraged and supported. Both central and local government can play a big role by providing land and infrastructure, and also by implementing an enabling policy and regulatory environment which promotes small- and medium-scale urban food production.

show abstract

Section: Extentmentioning

confidence: 92%

Section: In Urban Areas"mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Urban agriculture in Botswana

Mosha

2016

CJLG

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Emerging dietary trends in Gaborone, Botswana, show that over‐ and undernutrition coexist among its urban population. On the one hand, significant numbers of especially low‐income residents face challenges accessing food, and urban residents generally consume highly processed foods devoid of nutrients (Frayne et al ., ; Acquah et al ., ). On the other hand, obesity levels are on the rise especially among urban adolescents and older individuals (Clausen et al ., ; Letamo, ; Maruapula et al ., ), with the Botswana Ministry Of Health () noting an increase in noncommunicable diseases.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring food choices within the context of nutritional security in Gaborone, Botswana

Legwegoh

Hovorka

2016

Singap J Trop Geogr

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Food consumption experiences remain largely unexplored in urban Africa, despite mounting concerns regarding both over‐ and undernutrition of city dwellers and the potential impact on overall human health and development. This paper seeks to explore the foodstuffs people consume and the factors that shape consumer choice in Gaborone, Botswana. Empirical data were drawn from food diaries and observations of 40 households and discussions with them, plus key informants interviews in Gaborone. Analysis reveals the range of foodstuff people consume, highlighting the prevalence of diets comprised of energy dense, processed and animal‐sourced foods, which are major nutritional security concerns. However these diets were not summarily western or westernizing as per the nutritional transition thesis, as our analysis suggests subtleties of dietary patterns, including the fact that meat‐based diets are traditionally rooted rather than imported and meals tend to comprise both local and western components. The paper also identifies multiple interacting factors influencing consumer food choices, illustrating how food decisions embody context‐specific personal and social circumstances. Understanding how these factors shape what people eat in Gaborone may enable policy makers to facilitate the conditions within which healthy food choices can be made and to address emerging public health and nutrition challenges in African cities.

show abstract

“…Rapid urbanisation is directly correlated with the emergence of urban poverty, which together with food insecurity has been confirmed in eleven SAC. In some of these cities over 60 % of urban households were found to be severely foods-insecure, with the most affected being Manzini (79 %), Harare (72 %), Lusaka (69 %), Cape town (68 %), Maseru (65 %) and Gaborone (63 %) (13,14) . Due to poverty and adoption of urban diets, the urban-poor's diet is markedly low in diet quality.…”

Section: Urbanisationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence of nutrition transition in Southern Africa

et al. 2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Nutrition transition is characterised by shift to highly refined diets high in fat, salt and caloric sweeteners and low in fibre in rapidly growing economies. Dietary shifts occur almost concurrently with demographic and epidemiologic shifts, urbanisation and industrialisation and together contribute to increased prevalence of nutrition related (NR)-non-communicable disease (NCR). The emergence of nutrition transition in Southern Africa countries (SAC) was examined using anthropometric, NCD prevalence, and food consumption data. The findings reveal growing prevalence of overweight and obesity (OWOB) across SAC, with national prevalence estimated between 30 and 60 % in all but two SAC. Overweight prevalence in excess of 60 % has been reported in some sub-population groups. Hypertension prevalence of at least 30 % has also been reported. Further, the prevalence of OWOB and hypertension in many SAC exceeds that of HIV and is often at par with stunting in children. NCD are equally serious public health problems as stunting and HIV. Collectively, NR-NCD explain 20-31 % of mortality for Botswana, South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique and Zambia. At least 72 % of adults in SAC have fewer servings of fruit and vegetable servings daily than recommended. Additionally, adults in SAC do poorly in physical activity; 31-75 % do not exercise regularly. Not surprisingly, 15-40 % of adults in SAC have at least three risk factors of CVD. SAC are grappling with NR-NCD which threaten to surpass infectious diseases burden. SAC are at various levels in interventions for moving their populations to stage 5, but there is room for much improvement.

show abstract

The Dimensions of Urban Food Insecurity in Gaborone, Botswana

Cited by 16 publications

References 13 publications

Urban agriculture in Botswana

Urban agriculture in Botswana

Exploring food choices within the context of nutritional security in Gaborone, Botswana

Evidence of nutrition transition in Southern Africa

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About