ABSTRACT
This study was conducted in Umuahia North L.G.A of Abia State to assess the food security and coping strategies of adolescent secondary day students. The respondents were made up of 290 students. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire on their social-economic status, food security situation and coping strategies. Results showed that majority of the respondents households (26%) earned between N70, 000 and N90,000 per month, followed by (24%) who earned between N30,001 and N50,000. The lowest proportion of the respondents (12%) were those who had income between N50,001 and N70,000. The average income of respondents in this study is N61,333. Findings from the food security situation of the respondents showed that majority of the respondents responded in affirmative that they lack food for the past 3 months. This shows high level of food scarcity among adolescent. The study from the household food security status revealed that a greater proportion of the respondents (88%) indicated that they had experienced food scarcity at some point in their family, which is an indication of food insecurity, only about (12%) of the respondents’ individual absence of food scarcity. Households were profiled into food secure and food insecure groups based on their food scarcity status. Also from the household food security status, (54%) indicated that they sometimes eat what they don't like because it is what is available/affordable, followed by (36%, 10%, 0.67%) that indicated always, rarely, and never. This implies a high level of food insecurity in the study area. According to the result of the ranking of the coping strategies, respondents are perceived to mostly cut down on food and other expenditures as a way of coping with food insecurity. This ranks 1st in the list and is followed by borrowing money from friends and families which ranks 2nd. The households also reduce number of meals consumed per day and this ranks 3rd. The households also reduce number of meals consumed per day and this rank 3rd. Also findings from the coping strategies of the respondents show that. Hunting for wild fruits and vegetables was the 4th strategy while sale of family livestock and buying food on credit were the 5th and 6th strategies employed by these households. Other strategies include pledging some items to get money, working for people in order to get paid and begging for food or money these ranks 7th, 8th and 9th respectively. In conclusion, there was a strong implication for the health and performance of these students and their entire households as well as the national economy and is capable of increasing the level of school dropout on the side of the student and a dwindling economic growth for the nation.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
COVER PAGE
TITLE PAGE I
DECLARATION II
CERTIFICATION III
DEDICATION IV
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS V
TABLE OF CONTENTS VI
LIST OF TABLES VIII
ABSTRACT ix
CHAPTER 1:
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem 3
1.3 Objectives of the Study 4
1.3.1 General Objective of the Study 4
1.3.2 Specific Objective of the Study 5
1.4 Significance of the Study 5
CHAPTER 2:
LITERATURE REVIEW 6
2.1 The Concept of Food Security 6
2.2 Food Insecurity 8
2.2.1 Determinants of Food Security 9
2.3 Factors Affecting Food Security 10
2.3.1 Household Size 10
2.3.2 Farmland Size 10
2.3.3 Land Quality 11
2.3.4 Age of the Household Head 11
2.4 Food Security at Different Levels 11
2.4.1 Food Security at National 11
2.4.2 Food Security at Community Level 13
2.4.3 Community Food Security Dimensions 15
2.4.4 Personal and Household Food Security 15
2.4.5 Food Environments 16
2.4.6 Sustainability 17
2.4.7 Strength of Local Food System 19
2.4.8 Barriers to Community Food Security 20
2.4.9 Complexity 20
2.4.10 Collecting Data 21
2.4.11 Political Will 21
2.4.12 Opportunities/Strategies 22
2.4.13 Community Programs and Capacity Building 22
2.4.14 Advocacy 23
2.4.15 Policy 25
2.4.16 Food Security at the Household Level 25
2.5 Causes of Food Insecurity 27
2.5.1 Some other Causes of Food Insecurity Includes 28
2.6 Solutions to Food Insecurity 32
2.6.1 Employment 32
2.6.2 Crop Production Management 32
2.6.3 Education 34
2.7. Methods Used to Assess Household Food Insecurity 34
2.7.1 Food Insecurity and Coping Strategies 35
2.7.2 Consumption and Income Coping Strategies 36
2.7.3 Rural Livelihood Strategies 37
2.7.4 Coping Strategies Index (CSI) 38
2.7.5 Food Coping Strategy Concept 39
2.8 Dietary Intake Assessment Methods 40
2.8.1 24-Hours Dietary Recall 40
2.8 2 Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) 41
2.9 Household Food Insecurity (Access) Scale 41
2.9.1 Advantage of Household Food Insecurity Access Scale 43
2.9.2 Limitations of Household Food Insecurity Access Scale 44
CHAPTER 3:
MATERIALS AND METHODS 46
3.1 Study Designs 46
3.2 Area of Study 46
3.3 Population of the Study 46
3.4 Sampling and Sampling Techniques 47
3.4.1 Sample size 47
3.4.2 Sampling Procedure 48
3.5 Preliminary Activities 49
3.5.1 Preliminary Visits 49
3.5.2 Training of Research Assistants 49
3.6 Data Collection 49
3.6.1 Questionnaire Administration 49
3.7 Data Analysis 50
3.8 Statistical Analysis 50
CHAPTER 4:
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 51
4.1 Socioeconomic Characteristics of Respondents 51
4.2 Food Security Situation of the Respondents 55
4.3 Perceived Coping Strategies Employed by Households in Cushioning the Effects of Food Insecurity 56
4.4. Distribution of respondents according to their duration of food scarcity 60
4.5 Perceived coping strategies employed by households in cushioning the effects of food insecurity 63
CHAPTER 5:
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 65
5.1: Conclusion 65
5.2: Recommendations 65
REFERENCES 66
APPENDIX 78
LIST OF TABLES
Table 4.1 Socioeconomic Characteristics of the respondents 52
Table 4.2 Socioeconomic Characteristics of their parents 55
Table 4.3 Distribution of Respondents According to
their Food Security Situation 59
Table 4.4a Distribution of respondents according to household food security status 61
Table 4.4b Distribution of Respondents According to their
Duration of Food Scarcity 63
Table 4.5 Distribution of the Respondents According
to their Coping Strategies 64
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Food is of high importance in matters of human wellbeing and economic productivity. Hence the need for food in Nigeria, like other parts of the world, has become a policy issue (Omotesho and Muhammad, 2010). Food here is defined as any substance that people eat and drink to maintain life and growth (Food and Agriculture Organization FAO, 2000). Furthermore, food is a basic necessity of life, it is regarded as the basic means of sustenance, and an adequate food intake in the terms of quantity and quality is a key for healthy and productive life (FAO, 2005). Besides, the nutrients contained in food are necessary for proper body functions (Omotesho and Muhammad, 2010). As a result, safe and clean water is an essential part of food commodities (FAO, 2000).To be food secure, sufficient resources are usually required to produce or purchase adequate food (FAO, 2005).
Food security is defined as access by all people at all times to enough food for an active and healthy life, it is one of the major factors necessary for household members, and particularly children to be healthy and well nourished (Nord et al., 2008). Food which is one of the most basic needs and necessity for human survival is achieved through qualitative feeding practices. The feeding practices and access to the appropriate quality and quantity of foods are essential components of optimal nutrition for young children (Lutter and Rivera, 2003).
Food security also refers to the availability of food and one's access to it. A household is considered food secured when its occupants do not live in hunger or fear of starvation (FAO, 2001). Idachaba (2006), Identified that food security exists when all people at all times have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. Food security includes a minimum of
• Availability of nutritional, adequate and safe foods and
• An assured ability to require acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways. that is without resorting to emergency food supplies, scavenging, stealing or other coping strategies (USDA, 2008).
Food insecurity in turns refers to limited or uncertain physical and economic access to secure sufficient quantities of nutritionally adequate and safe foods in socially acceptable ways to allow household members to sustain active and healthy living (FAO.1996; Frongillo, 2001). By this definition, household food insecurity has two broad components: insufficient access to a nutritionally adequate and safe food supply at the household level (Coates et al., 2006), and inadequate utilization of these foods by household members. Household food insecurity can negatively affect food consumption, including reduced dietary variety, nutrient intake, and nutritional status of household members. Household members are vulnerable to food insecurity due to low level of income below the poverty line, ignorance, economic background, socio economic status, families headed by single women, black households, Hispanic households, thereby leading to low body mass index of members of the households generally (USDA, 2001).
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The problem of food insecurity are global but the frequency and effects are more severe in developing countries (Sunberg, 2003). It is estimated that over 900 million people worldwide are chronically hungry and of these, 800 million representing about 18% of the world’s population living in developing countries (Braun, 2005; Baje 2008). According to Food and Agriculture Organization, almost 200 million Africans were undernourished at the down of the millennium compared to 133 million twenty years (20yrs) earlier (FAO, 2002). Food insecurity in the continent has worsened since 1970 and the proportion of the malnourished population has remained within the 33 to 35 percent range in Sub-Saharan Africa. The prevalence of malnutrition within the continent varies by region. It is lowest in Northern Africa with 4 percent and highest in Central Africa with 40 percent (FAO, 2013).
Malnutrition constitutes a huge problem for the global community. It has been documented that as much as 60% of the global community is affected by malnutrition (Shrimpton, 2006). In Africa, prevalence of malnutrition is 34.5% (de onis et al., 2000). While in Nigeria as much as 42% of 1-5 years children by chronic long standing malnutrition (Mazya et al., 2004). This problem of malnutrition has reached the stage where it is now being referred to as the “double burden of malnutrition” a situation where under nutrition and over nutrition co-exist more in the urban than rural areas, but then increasingly in the same communities and eventually even in the same households (Standing Committee on Nutrition 2006). Recently, in Nigeria, the Millennium Development Goal report of 2004 reveals that reducing poverty and hunger remains a key developmental challenge in Nigeria (FAO, 2002).In view of this, the main aim of this work is to assess the food security and coping strategies of adolescent secondary day students in Umuahia North Local Government Area, Abia State.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
1.3.1 General objective of the study
The general objective of this study is to assess the food security and coping strategies of adolescent secondary day students in Umuahia North Local Government Area, Abia State.
1.3.2 Specific objectives of the study
The specific objectives includes to:
1. determine the socio economic status of adolescent secondary day students in Umuahia North L.G.A, Abia State.
2. access their food security situation
3. determine their coping strategies
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will provide valuable insight to the Federal Government, Ministry of Health, Non-governmental organizations, and other relevant stake-holders, concerning the food security and coping strategies of adolescent secondary day students in Umuahia North L.G.A, Abia State. Furthermore, findings from this study will provide information on the socio-economic status of the students, their level of food security and coping strategies. Also the findings of this research could motivate nutrition professionals and Scholars to carryout further researches on the subject in the Nigerian context, as well as plan programs to amend the food and nutrition security status of secondary students in Nigeria if found necessary. In addition, this research will provide awareness to the society at large, concerning the need for improved nutrition and food supply, not only for students, but likewise for the entire population.
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