What are we measuring? Comparison of household food security indicators in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
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Date
Authors
Hendriks, Sheryl L.
Van der Merwe, Corne
Ngidi, Mjabuliseni S.
Manyamba, Christopher
Mbele, Mondli
McIntyre, Angela Margret
Mkandawire, Elizabeth
Molefe, Queeneth N.
Mphephu, Mulalo Q.
Ngwane, Lithle
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Routledge
Abstract
The development of national food security information systems is constrained by a
lack of guidance on which indicators to use. This paper compares food security
indicators across two seasons (summer and winter) in one of the most deprived areas of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The results show that only
anthropometric indicators are sensitive enough to differentiate levels of food
insecurity. The lack of consistent classification across indicators means that surveys
must use a combination of food consumption and experience of hunger measures
backed up by anthropometric measures. Targeting interventions is difficult if the
measures cannot be relied on. Further investigation is needed to identify a suite of
appropriate indicators for a national information and surveillance system.
Description
Keywords
Food insecurity, Hunger, Indicators, Food security information system, Anthropometric indicators
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Sheryl L. Hendriks, Corné van der Merwe, Mjabuliseni S. Ngidi, Christopher Manyamba, Mondli Mbele, Angela M. McIntyre, Elizabeth Mkandawire, Queeneth N. Molefe Mulalo Q. Mphephu & Lithle Ngwane (2016) What are we measuring? Comparison of household food security indicators in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, Ecology of Food and Nutrition, 55:2, 141-162, DOI: 10.1080/03670244.2015.1094063.