Browsing by Subject "Dietary quality"

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The role of home gardens in mitigating food insecurity and dietary quality : the case of the Mbororo community in the Northwest Region of Cameroon
(2023) Ebile, Pride Anya; Birner, Regina
Despite significant efforts made by development and research organizations to combat global food and nutrition insecurity, many people, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, still struggle with acute food insecurity. Over two billion people also suffer from micronutrient deficiencies or "hidden hunger," which leads to various health problems, particularly in poor communities without access to health infrastructures such as health centers, clinics, and hospitals. Against this backdrop, this dissertation investigated the impact and challenges of home gardens in addressing food and nutrition insecurity in the Mbororo minority community in the Northwest Region of Cameroon. The publications included in this thesis focus on (i) micronutrient deficiencies within the Mbororo community, (ii) assessing the impact of a home garden project on food and nutrition outcomes, and (iii) evaluating agricultural risks within the Mbororo community as a challenge to their food system and the home garden project. The study on micronutrient deficiencies used the 24-hour dietary recall method to collect data on the dietary diversity of Mbororo women in the Northwest Region. Mean dietary diversity scores were used to examine the impact of socio-cultural and economic characteristics on the quality of the Mbororo womens diet. The study found that some characteristics, such as the size of the cooking stove, had a significant impact on the diet, while others, like education, did not. Iron-rich foods were the least consumed, indicating a high risk of nutritional anemia within the community. Members of the Aku sub-tribe were found to be more vulnerable than their Jaafun counterparts. The home garden project aimed to empower Mbororo women by cultivating nutrient-rich vegetables for both income and home consumption. Women from 114 households in seven communities participated in the project, and gardens were built for all participants. The women received materials, educational support, and financial assistance during the implementation of the project. Three groups of vegetables were included in the project: nutrient-rich vegetables like amaranth, high market-value vegetables like chili peppers, and indigenous vegetables like "caricachee." The home garden project was evaluated as a way to mitigate food and nutrition insecurity within the Mbororo community and potentially serve as a model for other minority communities. Qualitative research methods, including in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and observations, were used to evaluate the outcome of the project. The garden project was found to increase the vegetable variety in the seven communities. The women harvested nutrient-rich vegetables for home consumption, and the high market-value vegetables like chili peppers were sold for extra income. It was noted that the households preferred indigenous vegetables for home consumption, such as okra and eggplant. Although the garden project was successful in mitigating food and nutrition insecurity within the vulnerable communities, it also faced challenges such as a prolonged dry season and political instability in the region. The last study evaluated agricultural risks as a hindrance to the Mbororo communitys food system. The study aimed to assess the types of risks encountered, their frequency and severity, and the management strategies being used to mitigate these risks. The study used an action research approach with interviews, semi-structured questionnaires, and focus group discussions. It was found that the Mbororo communitys food system was fragile due to threats from all risks under consideration. The most severe risks were those related to climatic conditions, followed by pests and diseases, and market fluctuations. The most critical risks were drought, crop and animal diseases, political insecurity, and price variation in the market. It was challenging for the Mbororo people to develop any meaningful mitigation strategies because they lack the required financial resources. However, they mostly sell their cattle as a coping strategy when money is needed to manage financial difficulties. In conclusion, the garden project and the associated research findings provided meaningful information on combating food and nutrition insecurity. The garden project study showed that home gardens can increase vegetable biodiversity, leading to increased availability and accessibility of nutrient-rich vegetables in the Mbororo communities that may help for example to alleviate existing iron-related health deficiencies. However, the assessment of agricultural risks indicates that drought and pests are challenges for implementing and managing home gardens. Nevertheless, home gardens, if well managed, can mitigate food and nutrition insecurity in resource-poor communities such as the Mbororo minority group. However, these gardens should include indigenous vegetables since they are highly preferred to other vegetables among the Mbororo people and could also help to buffer some of the agricultural risks.