Browsing by Author "Assenga, Emiliana A."

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Gendered determinants of vulnerability to food insecurity in Chamwino District, Tanzania
(Tanzania Journal of Development Studies, 2021) Assenga, Emiliana A.; Kayunze, Kim A.
Chamwino District is vulnerable to food insecurity, but the extent of such vulnerability differs with household headship. However, gendered determinants of vulnerability to food insecurity remain to be explored. This paper is based on a study which was conducted in Chamwino District using a cross-sectional research design involving 400 households. Using multiple linear regression, amount of food stored and reducing meal size significantly influenced (p < 0.05) FHHs’ vulnerability to food insecurity, while amount of food stored, total annual income per adult equivalent, distance to the nearest market place, reducing size of the meal and income generating activities significantly influenced (p < 0.05) MHHs’ vulnerability to food insecurity. The findings suggest that factors which determine vulnerability to food insecurity vary across gender. Therefore, interventions to reduce vulnerability to food insecurity in Chamwino District should focus on gender issues and markets within reach of farm households, among other things. Radical transformation of rural areas in order to create off-farm employments is recommended, and use of food storage structures in rural areas would help reduce vulnerability to food insecurity.
Socio-economic and demographic determinants of food security in Chamwino District, Tanzania
(TJPSD.UDSM, 2020) Assenga, Emiliana A.; Kayunze, Kim A.
The general causes of food insecurity in Tanzania include use of a low level of technology, dependency on rainfall and lack of proper inputs. While these factors are fairly well known, the socio-economic and demographic determinants of food security status in Chamwino District are not known empirically. In this paper: (1) socio-economic and demographic characteristics of surveyed households are analysed and (2) the impact of socio-economic and demographic characteristics on food security is determined. A cross-sectional research design was used to collect data from 400 households which were randomly selected. Based on multiple linear regression, four socio-economic and demographic variables (household size, land size cultivated, total annual household income per adult equivalent and age of household head) significantly (p < 0.05) positively influenced food security. It is concluded that socio- economic and demographic factors greatly affect food security in the study area and that addressing these factors could improve food security. It is recommended that public and private institutions should be more involved in addressing the food insecurity problem in Chamwino District by focusing on the demographic and socio-economic factors which reduce food security.
Vulnerability to and coping strategies against food insecurity in Chamwino district, Tanzania
(2018) Assenga, Emiliana A.; Kayunze, Kim A.
Vulnerability to food insecurity persists in Chamwino District in spite of presence of various strategies to fight against it. The research on which this paper is based aimed at determining vulnerability to and coping strategies against food insecurity in the district. Specifically, the paper assesses the extent of vulnerability to food insecurity, determines coping strategies against vulnerability to food insecurity, analyses determinants of vulnerability to food insecurity and compares vulnerability to food insecurity among households with different coping strategies. A cross- sectional research design was used to collect data from 400 households which were randomly selected. A household food insecurity access scale was used to measure vulnerability to food insecurity. Using multiple linear regression total annual household income per adult equivalent, non-farm income generating activities, reducing meal size and food stored significantly influenced (p < 0.05) surveyed households’ vulner- ability to food insecurity. Most households relied on less preferred foods as a food insecurity coping strategy. Households were vulnerable to food insecurity with 75% of households experiencing mildly to severe vulnerability to food insecurity. One-way ANOVA showed that vulnerability to food insecurity differed significantly (p < 0.001) among households with different coping strategies. The paper concludes that coping strategies used against vulnerability to food insecurity had short-term effects, and vulnerability to food insecurity differed significantly based on coping strategies. Improving non-farm income generating activities, total house- hold income and increasing food stored in the household can help more reduce vulnerability to food insecurity than any other factors can do. Ac- cordingly, these factors should be given high importance, among others.