Presentation by Silvia Silvestri, PhD at the ‘Our Common Future under Climate Change’ conference 7-10 July 2015, Paris, France. Co-authors: Douxchamps S., Kristjanson P., Förch W., Radeny M., Mutie I., Quiros C., Herrero M., Ndungu A., Ndiwa N., Mango J., Claessens L., Rufino M.

1. Household and food security: what lessons can we learn fromHousehold and food security: what lessons can we learn fromHousehold and food security: what lessons can we learn fromHousehold and food security: what lessons can we learn from
food secure householdsfood secure householdsfood secure householdsfood secure households????
Silvestri Silvia, PhD
and
Douxchamps S., Kristjanson P., Förch W., Radeny M., Mutie I., Quiros C., Herrero
M., Ndungu A., Ndiwa N., Mango J., Claessens L., Rufino M.
Conference ‘Our Common Future under Climate Change’
7-10 July 2015, Paris, France
@Kilungu S. @CCAFS@ILRI

2. OOOOutlineutlineutlineutline
• Aim of the study
• Study sites, design and methods
• Food security in this research study
• Results
• Conclusions
@CCAFS

3. Aim of the studyAim of the studyAim of the studyAim of the study
• Growing concernGrowing concernGrowing concernGrowing concern around climate change impact on food
security in East Africa.
• Knowledge gapKnowledge gapKnowledge gapKnowledge gap on adaptation options.
• What are key factorskey factorskey factorskey factors that contribute to households food
security?
• What lessonslessonslessonslessons can we learn from food secure households?
• What are optionsoptionsoptionsoptions that are likely going to benefit female-
headed households in particular?
• How can we better inform the targetinginform the targetinginform the targetinginform the targeting of national and
regional policies to enhance adaptation in agricultural
smallholders systems of East Africa?

4. Study sites, design and methodsStudy sites, design and methodsStudy sites, design and methodsStudy sites, design and methods Wote, KenyaWote, KenyaWote, KenyaWote, Kenya
• Climate:Climate:Climate:Climate: rainfall 520 mm
• Production system:Production system:Production system:Production system:
o crop-livestock with local sheep
o crop livestock with dairy
• Farming and livelihoods:Farming and livelihoods:Farming and livelihoods:Farming and livelihoods:
Crops: maize, cowpea, green grams, fruit
trees
Livestock: sheep, dairy cattle,
indigenous cattle, goats, chicken.
@ C.Schubert (CCAFS)
Rakai, UgandaRakai, UgandaRakai, UgandaRakai, Uganda
• Climate:Climate:Climate:Climate: rainfall >1400 mm
• Production system:Production system:Production system:Production system:
o coffee-banana with annual crops and
local livestock
• Farming and livelihoods:Farming and livelihoods:Farming and livelihoods:Farming and livelihoods:
Crops: banana and coffee, maize, beans,
cassava, groundnuts and
sweet potatoes
Livestock: cattle, goats,
chicken.
Lushoto, TanzaniaLushoto, TanzaniaLushoto, TanzaniaLushoto, Tanzania
• Climate:Climate:Climate:Climate: rainfall 1200-1300 mm
• Production system:Production system:Production system:Production system:
o crop-livestock with indigenous livestock
o horticultural crops, exotic and local cattle
breeds
o cash crops and exotic and local cattle
and goats
• Farming and livelihoods:Farming and livelihoods:Farming and livelihoods:Farming and livelihoods:
Crops: maize, cassava, beans, vegetables,
fruit trees, coffee, tea
Livestock: dairy cattle, indigenous cattle,
goats, chicken.
• IMPACTlite survey
methodology and
questionnaire*
• 200 HHs per study
site, 3 sites
*data.ilri.org/portal/dataset/

5. Components of Food SecurityComponents of Food SecurityComponents of Food SecurityComponents of Food Security
& Key Elements
FOOD ACCESS
• Affordability
• Allocation
• Preference
FOOD UTILIZATION
• Nutritional value
• Social value
• Food safety
FOOD AVAILABILITY
• Production
• Distribution
• Exchange
“When all people at all times have
access to sufficient, safe and
nutritious food that meets their
dietary needs and food preferences
for an active and healthy life” (FAO,
1996)
FOOD AVAILABILITY
• Production
• Distribution
• Exchange
SecuritySecuritySecuritySecurity
@Futureearth.org
@CCAFS

6. ResultsResultsResultsResults
@Schubert C.
• No significant
difference in livestock
ownership and other
categories of asset
(domestic, productive
and transport)
between food secure
and food insecure
HHs.
Livestock and other asset (domestic,
productive and transport)
Crops
• Food secure households have
higher diversity of crops and
devote more land to
vegetables, starches, pulses
and cereals.
• Male headed households are
more diversified in their crops.
• Higher crop diversity
corresponds to larger land sizes
per capita.
Household size, FSR
• Family size of food insecure
are bigger (average 5.8 vs
4.5).
• High food insecurity levels:
62% Rakai, 80% Lushoto,
85% Wote.
• Food insecurity may not be
more severe for female-
headed households than
male-headed households.
@CCAFS @CCAFS @CCAFS

7. Income
• High poverty levels (37% below the
poverty line of 1.25 USD).
• Food insecure households have lower
income.
• Contribution of livestock income higher
for food insecure households.
• Relative contribution of crop income is
in average 50% for food secure
households.
@CCAFS

8. • Household income increases with
the number of crops cultivated.
• Low income households have to
diversify their income sources
and/or household welfare
depends more on activity mix
than on the total number of
activities per se.
Total income vs
crops and activities diversity
@CCAFS

9. @CCAFS
Factors influencing food securityFactors influencing food securityFactors influencing food securityFactors influencing food security
Positive relationship between food
security and:
• Crop diversity
• Maize yield
• Crop labour
• Market orientation
Negative relationship between
food security and:
• Livestock income
• Livestock labour
• Crop labour
• Domestic asset (♀)@CCAFS

10. ConclusionsConclusionsConclusionsConclusions • Food insecurity may not be more
severe for female-headed
households than male-headed
households.
• Different factors are important in
terms of explaining variations in
food security across the three
sites -> targeting.
• More communication effort and
investments on market access.
• What other factors underpinning
food security status from a gender
perspective? Intra household
analysis needed.
@CCAFS

11. The presentation has a Creative Commons licence. You are free to re-use or distribute this work, provided credit is given to ILRI.
better lives through livestock
ilri.org
Silvia Silvestri
s.silvestri@cgiar.org
silsilvestri@gmail.com