IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/ssefpa/v12y2020i2d10.1007_s12571-020-01011-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Comparing measures of urban food security in Accra, Ghana

Author

Listed:
  • Cascade Tuholske

    (University of California)

  • Kwaw Andam

    (International Food Policy Research Institute)

  • Jordan Blekking

    (Indiana University)

  • Tom Evans

    (University of Arizona)

  • Kelly Caylor

    (University of California)

Abstract

The urban population in Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to expand by nearly 800 million people in the next 30 years. How this rapid urban transition is affecting household-level urban food security, and reverberating into broader food systems, is poorly understood. To fill this gap, we use data from a 2017 survey (n = 668) of low- and middle-income residents of Accra, Ghana, to characterize and compare the predictors of household-level food security using three established metrics: the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS); the Household Food Insecurity Access Prevalence (HFIAP); and the Food Consumption Score (FCS). According to HFIAP, 70% of sampled households are food insecure, but only 2% fall below acceptable thresholds measured by FCS. Only one household reported sourcing food from modern supermarkets and fewer than 3% produce food for consumption through gardening, farming, or fishing. Instead, households rely on purchased food from traditional markets, local stalls and kiosks, and street hawkers. Results from a suite of general linear models show that household assets, education, and demographic characteristics are significantly associated with food security outcomes according to HFIAS and HFIAP. The poor correlation and weak model agreement between dietary recall such as FCS, and experience-based food security metrics, like HFIAS and HFIAP, highlight limitations of employing historically rural-centric food security measurement approaches within the urban context. Given that Sub-Saharan Africa’s future is urban, our results add empirical evidence in support of the growing chorus of scholars advocating for comprehensive urban-oriented food security research and policy agendas across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Suggested Citation

  • Cascade Tuholske & Kwaw Andam & Jordan Blekking & Tom Evans & Kelly Caylor, 2020. "Comparing measures of urban food security in Accra, Ghana," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 12(2), pages 417-431, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:ssefpa:v:12:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1007_s12571-020-01011-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s12571-020-01011-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12571-020-01011-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s12571-020-01011-4?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. repec:bla:devpol:v:24:y:2006:i:2:p:163-174 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Verpoorten, Marijke & Arora, Abhimanyu & Stoop, Nik & Swinnen, Johan, 2013. "Self-reported food insecurity in Africa during the food price crisis," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 51-63.
    3. Jordan Blekking & Cascade Tuholske & Tom Evans, 2017. "Adaptive Governance and Market Heterogeneity: An Institutional Analysis of an Urban Food System in Sub-Saharan Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-16, November.
    4. Mason, Nicole M. & Jayne, Thomas S., 2009. "Staple Food Consumption Patterns in Urban Zambia: Results from the 2007/2008 Urban Consumption Survey," Food Security Collaborative Working Papers 56803, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    5. Bigsten, Arne & Kebede, Bereket & Shimeles, Abebe & Taddesse, Mekonnen, 2003. "Growth and Poverty Reduction in Ethiopia: Evidence from Household Panel Surveys," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 87-106, January.
    6. Peter Richards & Tom Reardon & David Tschirley & Thom Jayne & Jim Oehmke & David Atwood, 2016. "Cities and the future of agriculture and food security: a policy and programmatic roundtable," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 8(4), pages 871-877, August.
    7. Oludele Akinloye Akinboade & Segun Adeyemi Adeyefa, 2018. "An Analysis of Variance of Food Security by its Main Determinants Among the Urban Poor in the City of Tshwane, South Africa," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 137(1), pages 61-82, May.
    8. J. Scott Long & Jeremy Freese, 2006. "Regression Models for Categorical Dependent Variables using Stata, 2nd Edition," Stata Press books, StataCorp LP, edition 2, number long2.
    9. Jane Battersby & Vanessa Watson, 2018. "Addressing food security in African cities," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 1(4), pages 153-155, April.
    10. Thomas Reardon & C. Peter Timmer & Christopher B. Barrett & Julio Berdegué, 2003. "The Rise of Supermarkets in Africa, Asia, and Latin America," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 85(5), pages 1140-1146.
    11. Deon Filmer & Lant Pritchett, 2001. "Estimating Wealth Effects Without Expenditure Data—Or Tears: An Application To Educational Enrollments In States Of India," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 38(1), pages 115-132, February.
    12. Vasco Molini & Pierella Paci, 2015. "Poverty Reduction in Ghana—Progress and Challenges," World Bank Publications - Reports 22733, The World Bank Group.
    13. Stephan Litschig & Kevin M. Morrison, 2013. "The Impact of Intergovernmental Transfers on Education Outcomes and Poverty Reduction," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 5(4), pages 206-240, October.
    14. Vasco Molini & Pierella Paci, 2015. "Poverty Reduction in Ghana," World Bank Publications - Reports 22732, The World Bank Group.
    15. Vaitla, Bapu & Coates, Jennifer & Glaeser, Laura & Hillbruner, Christopher & Biswal, Preetish & Maxwell, Daniel, 2017. "The measurement of household food security: Correlation and latent variable analysis of alternative indicators in a large multi-country dataset," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 193-205.
    16. Haysom, Gareth & Tawodzera, Godfrey, 2018. "“Measurement drives diagnosis and response”: Gaps in transferring food security assessment to the urban scale," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 117-125.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Yun Zhu & Changzheng Zhang & Dechun Huang, 2024. "Assessing Urban Water–Energy–Food Security: A Case of Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 175(2), pages 487-516, November.
    2. Manyong, Victor & Bokanga, Mpoko & Akonkwa Nyamuhirwa, Dieu-Merci & Bamba, Zoumana & Adeoti, Razack & Mwepu, Gregoire & Cole, Steven M. & Dontsop Nguezet, Paul Martin, 2022. "COVID-19 outbreak and rural household food security in the Western Democratic Republic of the Congo," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 28(C).
    3. Wenmei Guo & Veeshan Rayamajhee & Alok K. Bohara, 2023. "Impacts of climate change on food utilization in Nepal," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(1), pages 630-659, February.
    4. Elizabeth Opiyo Onyango & Bernard Owusu & Jonathan S. Crush, 2023. "COVID-19 and Urban Food Security in Ghana during the Third Wave," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-24, February.
    5. Latif Apaassongo Ibrahim & Aidoo Robert & Osei Mensah James, 2024. "City governance, urban livelihoods, and food security: insights from street food trade in Kumasi, Ghana," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 16(5), pages 1081-1098, October.
    6. Cameron McCordic & Bruce Frayne & Naomi Sunu & Clare Williamson, 2022. "The Household Food Security Implications of Disrupted Access to Basic Services in Five Cities in the Global South," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-20, April.
    7. Dolapo Adeyanju & John Mburu & Wainaina Gituro & Chepchumba Chumo & Djana Mignouna & Adebayo Ogunniyi & John Kehinde Akomolafe & Joseph Ejima, 2023. "Assessing food security among young farmers in Africa: evidence from Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 11(1), pages 1-20, December.
    8. Mockshell, Jonathan & Asante-Addo, Collins & Andam, Kwaw S. & Asante, Felix A., 2021. "Transitioning to nutrition-sensitive food environments: Triple sector strategies to reduce the triple burden of malnutrition," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315410, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    9. Martey, Edward & Etwire, Prince M. & Atinga, David, 2021. "To attend or not to attend: Examining the relationship between food hardship, school attendance and education expenditure," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    10. Serge Savary & Sonia Akter & Conny Almekinders & Jody Harris & Lise Korsten & Reimund Rötter & Stephen Waddington & Derrill Watson, 2020. "Mapping disruption and resilience mechanisms in food systems," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 12(4), pages 695-717, August.
    11. Mbombo-Dweba, Tulisiwe Pilisiwe & Lembete, Simiso & Sambo, Themba Andries, 2024. "Evaluating the challenges of food access and the factors influencing it among residents of peri-urban areas in Ray Nkonyeni Municipality, Kwazulu-Natal Province, South Africa," Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development, Asian Economic and Social Society (AESS), vol. 14(04).
    12. Martin Julius Chegere & Razack Lokina & Agnes G. Mwakaje, 2020. "The impact of hermetic storage bag supply and training on food security in Tanzania," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 12(6), pages 1299-1316, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Giroux, Stacey & Blekking, Jordan & Waldman, Kurt & Resnick, Danielle & Fobi, Daniel, 2021. "Informal vendors and food systems planning in an emerging African city," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    2. Jane Battersby, 2019. "The Food Desert as a Concept and Policy Tool in African Cities: An Opportunity and a Risk," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-15, January.
    3. Tadesse, Getaw & Abate, Gashaw T. & Zewdie, Tadiwos, 2020. "Biases in self-reported food insecurity measurement: A list experiment approach," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    4. Davies, Julia & Hannah, Corrie & Guido, Zack & Zimmer, Andrew & McCann, Laura & Battersby, Jane & Evans, Tom, 2021. "Barriers to urban agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    5. Dekker, Marlieen, 2008. "Estimating Wealth effects without expenditure Data: Evidence From rural Ethiopia," Ethiopian Journal of Economics, Ethiopian Economics Association, vol. 15(01), pages 1-85, May.
    6. Habibov, Nazim, 2012. "Early childhood care and education attendance in Central Asia," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 798-806.
    7. Cebotari, Victor & Dito, Bilisuma B., 2021. "Internal and international parental migration and the living conditions of children in Ghana," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    8. Fernald, Lia C.H., 2007. "Socio-economic status and body mass index in low-income Mexican adults," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 64(10), pages 2030-2042, May.
    9. Ida Rudolfsen, 2021. "Food price increase and urban unrest: The role of societal organizations," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 58(2), pages 215-230, March.
    10. Odusola, Ayodele & Lal, Radhika & Dhliwayo, Rogers & Sabo, Isiyaka & Neuhaus, James, 2017. "Drivers of Income Inequality in Burkina Faso, Ghana and the United Republic of Tanzania: A comparative analysis," UNDP Africa Reports 270551, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
    11. Abdul-Gafaru Abdulai & Giles Mohan, 2019. "The politics of bureaucratic ‘pockets of effectiveness’ - Insights from Ghana’s Ministry of Finance," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series esid-119-19, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    12. Dalia Fadly & Francisco Fontes & Miet Maertens, 2023. "Fuel for food: Access to clean cooking fuel and food security in India," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(2), pages 301-321, April.
    13. Gill,Indermit S. & Revenga,Ana L. & Zeballos,Christian, 2016. "Grow, invest, insure : a game plan to end extreme poverty by 2030," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7892, The World Bank.
    14. Trommlerová, Sofia Karina & Klasen, Stephan & Leßmann, Ortrud, 2015. "Determinants of Empowerment in a Capability-Based Poverty Approach: Evidence from The Gambia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 1-15.
    15. F. Clementi & A. L. Dabalen & V. Molini & F. Schettino, 2020. "We forgot the middle class! Inequality underestimation in a changing Sub-Saharan Africa," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 18(1), pages 45-70, March.
    16. UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa & Ayodele Odusola & Radhika Lal & Rogers Dhilwayo & Isiyaka Sabo & James Neuhaus, "undated". "Drivers of Income Inequality in Burkina Faso, Ghana and the United Republic of Tanzania: A comparative analysis," UNDP Africa Policy Notes 2017-15, United Nations Development Programme, Regional Bureau for Africa.
    17. Jose Cuesta & Stephen Devereux & Abdul‐Gafaru Abdulai & Jaideep Gupte & Luigi Peter Ragno & Keetie Roelen & Rachel Sabates‐Wheeler & Tayllor Spadafora, 2021. "Urban social assistance: Evidence, challenges and the way forward, with application to Ghana," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 39(3), pages 360-380, May.
    18. Kihoro, Esther M. & Irungu, Patrick & Nyikal, Rose & Maina, Immaculate N., 2016. "An analysis of factors influencing farmers’ choice of green gram marketing channels in Mbeere south sub-county, Kenya," 2016 Fifth International Conference, September 23-26, 2016, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 249331, African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE).
    19. Eric Gaisie, 2017. "Living standards in pre-independent Ghana: evidence from household budgets," HHB Working Papers Series 7, The Historical Household Budgets Project.
    20. Martin Evans, 2018. "Simulating policy options for universal child allowances in Ghana," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2018-145, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:ssefpa:v:12:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1007_s12571-020-01011-4. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.