What are we measuring? Comparison of household food security indicators in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

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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.

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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.