This study was set out to examine household food security in post- conflict Southern Sudan. Over
the past four years the Government of Southern Sudan and Development Partners have shown
increased interest in accelerating agricultural development and food security in the country.
This study provides insight into the key factors responsible for food insecurity, the challenges
faced and household coping strategies employed to reduce and manage risk, assure food supply,
improve dietary diversity and take advantage of economic opportunities for sustainable
livelihoods.
The problem addressed by this study was whether cereal (sorghum, millet, maize and wheat)
availability in three of the ten states of Southern Sudan improved in the five year post conflict
period (2004-2008). The study explored if cereal grain production increased and how
households coped with the unavailability of cereal grain. The researcher gathered data and
information from multiple sources, including 542 household questionnaires and nine focus group
discussion conducted between June and August 2009. Quantitative analysis supplemented the
extensive qualitative data sources.
The major challenges experienced by households with regard to food security were limited
access to extension services, production inputs, processing, credit/saving facilities, training,
market information and physical infrastructure. Evidence showed that food insecurity occurred
due to the lack or absence of feeder roads, communication and transport facilities, strategic
value chain alliances and partnerships; and limited exposure to communities for learning in
Southern Sudan.
The study concluded that the availability of cereals at the household level was generally low,
although cereal production increased by small increments across the study areas after the
conflict period. However, the increase in cereal production was inadequate to support the cereal
needs of households, leading to food insecurity. The study identified the major factors
responsible for food insecurity at the household level in the study areas as conflict, drought,
floods and erratic rains. Poor infrastructure, weak policies and lack of access to services to
improve farm production were among the key constraints reported by households. These factors
were perceived by all stakeholders as root causes of inadequate food production in the study
area. Household production provided 56.6 % of household food consumption, but this was inadequate
to provide year-round. Other food sources included purchases, food aid and gifts. Households
relied largely on consumption-based coping strategies when faced with food shortages
including: relying on less preferred food, limiting meal portion sizes, mothers reducing their
food to allow children to eat and reducing the number of meals eaten per day. These strategies
are detrimental to the nutritional status of household members; considering that proper nutrition
is critical for active and productive life. Therefore, food insecurity was high in the study areas
and detrimental coping strategies were widely practiced, raising concerns of hunger and
malnutrition. Food insecurity in Southern Sudan needs to be addressed urgently. Direct interventions to
support a significant scaling up of food production (beyond only cereal production) are needed
to alleviate hunger, prevent malnutrition and provide for future food security especially among
resettling refugees and demobilized soldiers. In many cases food aid and direct transfers of food
is urgently needed to address the situation, but this should be short-term and part of an
integrated plan to boost production of food at community level. Programmes should be
developed to assist households should establish food gardens, diversify cropping and undertake
non-farm activities in improving food production and productivity. The local communities should participate in community-based food security needs assessment with strong support provided by the county agriculture department and state Ministries of Agriculture. This must lead to the identification of implementation measures and development of food security plans and budgets that include both increased production and market access. An inter-sectoral Food Security Council (FSC) and a framework for action should be developed to include strategic management of cereal grain reserves, establishment of an effective and and
efficient public distribution system, harmonisation of relevant sector policies and development of a well coordinated food security information system. Longitudinal studies are recommended to monitor the food security situation in Southern Sudan and gain a deeper understanding of household coping strategies to inform policies and programmes. Further research is recommended to investigate how to increase the supply of food, promoting dietary diversification, improve access to economic opportunities and manage
risk to help vulnerable households become more resilient to absorb shocks, stresses and threats. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ukzn/oai:http://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za:10413/8456 |
| Date | January 2011 |
| Creators | Kenyi, Michael Roberto. |
| Contributors | Hendriks, Sheryl L., Shimelis, Hussein. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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