African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6883

Full Length Research Paper

Household food insecurity and associated factors in rural communities: A case of Kilosa District, Tanzania

J. Ntwenya
  • J. Ntwenya
  • Department of Public health, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of Dodoma, P. O. Box 395, Dodoma, Tanzania.
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J. Kinabo
  • J. Kinabo
  • Department of Food Sciences and Technology, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P. O. Box 3006, Morogoro, Tanzania.
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J. Msuya
  • J. Msuya
  • Department of Food Sciences and Technology, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P. O. Box 3006, Morogoro, Tanzania.
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P. Mamiro
  • P. Mamiro
  • Department of Food Sciences and Technology, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P. O. Box 3006, Morogoro, Tanzania.
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D. Mamiro
  • D. Mamiro
  • Department of Public health, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of Dodoma, P. O. Box 395, Dodoma, Tanzania.
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L. Katalambula
  • L. Katalambula
  • Department of Crop Science and Production, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P. O. Box 3005, Morogoro, Tanzania.
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  •  Received: 22 August 2012
  •  Accepted: 16 October 2015
  •  Published: 24 December 2015

Abstract

Food insecurity continues to be a major contributing factor to nutrition insecurity in developing countries. A nine item Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) was administered twice to 307 households among three agro-ecological zones in rural communities of Kilosa District-Tanzania to measure food security. Households were surveyed once during the rainy season (February–May) and once immediately post harvest (September–October) in the year 2011. The mean HFIAS score was the highest during the rainy season (8.15±6.06) and ranged from 0 to 26. During the harvest season, the mean HFIAS was 6.76±5.88 and ranged from 0 to 24. Using the categorical measure of food insecurity, the proportion of food secure households was higher during harvest season (31.3%) than was the case 19.9% during the rainy season. Similarly, 31.6% of the surveyed households were classified as being most food insecure during the rainy season as opposed to 26.1% during the harvest season (P=0.01). Food insecurity persisted among 39.2% of the surveyed households during the rainy season and period after harvest. The households in which at least one member offered casual labour such as the clearance of the farm fields, had 2.1 higher odds (95% CI: 1.05 to 4.29) of being food insecure. A substantial proportion of the surveyed households were food insecure across agricultural seasons and in various agro-ecological zones.

 

Key words: Household food insecurity, Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), associated factors, rural, communities, seasons, agro-ecological zones, Tanzania.