An investigation into the contribution of food coping strategies to food availability and dietary intake of adult women living in farm worker households on Oranje farm in the Fouriesburg district (RSA)

Abstract

This study is aimed at investigating the different food copying strategies used during food stress and how they relate to the dietary intake of women in farm worker households on Orange farm in the Fouriesburg district. Food copying strategies refer to plans of action adopted by a household to fulfil a specific goal, that is, to acquire enough food needed to live an active and a healthy life. Not all the strategies will provide positive health outcomes. The type of food coping strategy to employ is guided by the availability of resources. The study sample consisted of adult woman (18 – 55 years) responsible for organising the resources at their disposal to limit the effect of a limited food supply. Data was gathered with a structured questionnaire concerning demographic information, quantitative 24-hour dietary recall to assess their food intake and a food coping strategy index (FCSI) score to assess the food security level. Data on food coping strategies was collected over five seasons in one calendar year: early summer, late summer, autumn, spring and winter. The food copying strategies were ranked and weighted by measuring their frequency and severity, and then combined into a single score that is used to measure a household’s food security status. Food copying strategies that are mostly employed by this community to ensure adequate food intake or to improve the dietary variety of their staple rich monotonous diet are relying on the less preferred or cheap food, buying food on credit, gathering wild food, consumption of seed stock and reduction of portion size. The study reveals that they are a low socio-economic community that employ food coping strategies on a regular basis through all seasons to cope with poor food availability. Their staple rich monotonous diet cannot provide sufficient micronutrient intake on a daily basis. To create an efficient and effective impact on the nutritional status of the community, more use of food coping strategies can be achieved by encouraging the households to: <ul> <li>Practice food bartering,</li> <li>Learn various methods of preserving fruits and vegetables when they are in abundance,</li> <li>Gather the leftovers from the fields after harvesting,</li> <li>Hunt for edible insects that are culturally acceptable to improve their protein intake,</li> <li>Purchase non-perishables, such as tinned fish and powdered milk, for those who are without cold storage facilities, and</li> <li>Create a fishing opportunity by filling the dam with water during dry seasons.</li> </ul> Copyright