264958 Use of sustainable agriculture practices is related to food security in rural Malawi

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Lance S. Weinhardt, PhD , Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
Loren W. Galvao, MD, MPH , Center for Cultural Diversity and Global Health, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
Thokozani Mwenyekonde , CARE, CARE International in Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi
Esther Saka , CARE, CARE International in Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi
Katarina Grande, MPH , Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison Population Health Institute, Madison, WI
Patricia E. Stevens, RN, PhD, FAAN , College of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
Lucy Mkandawire-Valhmu, PhD, RN , College of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
Naoyo Mori, PhD , College of Health and Sciences Center for Urban Population Health, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
Jennifer Kibicho, PhD , Center for AIDS Intervention Research, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
Melissa Lemke, MA , Center for Urban Population Health, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Milwaukee, WI
Background: Malawi has struggled with widespread food insecurity and associated health problems for years due to drought, depleted soil, decreased food diversity, and poverty. Sustainable agriculture may offer a solution by diversifying the range of foods grown and rehabilitating soils, resulting in more stable food supplies and better nutrition.

Methods: As part of a larger study, we conducted a random household survey (N=1001) in the Kasungu district of central Malawi, and assessed food security and use of a variety of sustainable agriculture techniques.

Results: 762 households (76%) experienced at least one month of food insecurity in the past year (Median = 3 months); 239 households (24%) reported being food secure. Food secure households were more likely to use vetiver grass (for erosion management) (23% vs 13%, p < .001), practice crop diversification (88% vs 79%, p < .003), practice seed multiplication (48% vs 23%, p < .001), grow drought tolerant or early maturing crops (61% vs 53%, p < .022), grow vegetables (59% vs 48%, p < .003), grow indigenous vegetables (21% vs 8%, p<.001), and use improved grain storage (82% vs 58%, p<.001). Other practices used by more food secure households included application of composted manure on soil and interplanting legumes with grains.

Conclusions: Use of sustainable agriculture methods was associated with food security among smallholder agriculturalists in Malawi. Interventions to increase the use of sustainable agriculture techniques may help to ease the effects of increasing extreme weather cycles and depleted soil on food security in Malawi and elsewhere.

Learning Areas:
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Identify sustainable agricultural practices related to food security at the household level.

Keywords: Food Security, Food and Nutrition

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the principal investigator on multiple federally funded projects focusing on public health outcomes. Among my scientific interests is food security. I am the principal investigator of the study submitted.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 5018.0: Poster Session: Nutrition