Food Security
Volume 6, Issue 2, 2014, Pages 283-297

Exploring the impact of the 2008 global food crisis on food security among vulnerable households in rural South Africa (Article) (Open Access)

Nawrotzki R.J. , Robson K. , Gutilla M.J. , Hunter L.M. , Twine W. , Norlund P.
  • a CU Population Center, University of Colorado, Institute of Behavioral Science, UCB 483, C435B, 4th Floor, 1440 15th Street, Boulder, CO, 80302, United States
  • b Colorado School of Public Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, United States
  • c Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado at Anschutz Medical Campus, Boulder, CO, United States
  • d CU Population Center, University of Colorado, Institute of Behavioral Science, Boulder, United States, University of Witwatersrand, School of Public Health, MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), Johannesburg, South Africa
  • e School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
  • f Department of Geography, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States

Abstract

Recurring food crises endanger the livelihoods of millions of households in developing countries around the globe. Owing to the importance of this issue, we explored recent changes in food security between the years 2004 and 2010 in a rural district in Northeastern South Africa. Our study window spans the time of the 2008 global food crisis and allows the investigation of its impacts on rural South African populations. Grounded in the sustainable livelihood framework, we examined differences in food security trajectories among vulnerable sub populations. A unique panel data set of 8,147 households, provided by the Agincourt Health and Demographic Surveillance System (Agincourt HDSS), allowed us to employ a longitudinal multilevel modeling approach to estimate adjusted growth curves for the differential changes in food security across time. We observed an overall improvement in food security that leveled off after 2008, most likely resulting from the global food crisis. In addition, we discovered significant differences in food security trajectories for various sub populations. For example, female-headed households and those living in areas with better access to natural resources differentially improved their food security situation, compared to male-headed households and those households with lower levels of natural resource access. However, former Mozambican refugees witnessed a decline in food security. Therefore, poverty alleviation programs for the Agincourt region should work to improve the food security of vulnerable households, such as former Mozambican refugees. © 2014 The Author(s).

Author Keywords

Food security South Africa Natural resources Global food crisis Growth curve models Agincourt

Index Keywords

growth curve rural area Mozambique sustainable development refugee subpopulation developing world natural resource vulnerability poverty South Africa household income food security
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84899460953&doi=10.1007%2fs12571-014-0336-6&partnerID=40&md5=62cd8d4e143b82c1bdd6f57a00d8a28d
DOI: 10.1007/s12571-014-0336-6
ISSN: 18764517
Cited by: 3
Original Language: English