Determinants of household food security of selected traditional vegetable growers of Thiruvananthapuram

Abstract

The present study was carried out in the four selected blocks namely Kazhakuttam, Nedumangad, Vamanapuram and Nemom of Thiruvananthapuram district, where a considerable percentage of traditional vegetable growers are available. From the selected four blocks Pothencode, Karakulam, Peringamala and Kalliyoor panchayath were selected respectively from each block. A total number of hundred growers; twenty five each from the four selected vegetable tract belonging to the respective blocks comprise the sample. From the hundred families, thirty women were selected as the micro sample and their nutritional status were assessed.

The objective of the study was to assess the trend and to analyse the determinants of house hold food security among the traditional vegetable growers belonging to the selected vegetables tracts of Thiruvananthapuram district.

Tools were constructed to ascertain the socio- economic status and personal characteristics of the respondents. Monthly expenditure on different food items were observed by purchase inventory. Food use frequency, food consumption pattern and food habits of the family were studied with the help of diet survey.

For the micro sample, anthropometry measurements, actual food and nutrient intake and morbidity details were recorded.

A considerable percentage of the respondents in the study reported the use of leased in land for cultivation. The food availability and accessibility data was collected through food purchase inventory survey of three months, which revealed that majority of the respondents were not purchasing or procuring enough food needed to meet their requirement based on the recommended allowances for a balanced diet as suggested by ICMR (1999).As far as the micro sample was considered, it was found that their diet did not meet the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA). A high percentage of RDA deficit was noted in protein and iron intake.

The result of the study revealed that based on food security hunger core module formulated by USDA (2000). The result shows that, 11 families were found to be food secure and 62 per cent were food insecure without hunger. Families who are food insecure with moderate hunger were eighteen per cent and with severe food insecurity were nine per cent.The findings of the study revealed that age, family type, monthly income, educational qualification, number of meals per day and expenditure on food and PDS utilization are the major determinants of the food security.Therefore it can be concluded that a considerable percentage belonged to food insecure group and that requires appropriative corrective measures. Hence it was suggested that nutrition education as well as motivation programmes for supplementing the family income may be executed to improve the house hold food security.