Browsing by Author "Girard, Amy Webb"

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Increased climate variability and sedentarization in Tanzania: health and nutrition implications on pastoral communities of Mvomero and Handeni districts, Tanzania
(Elsevier Ltd, 2021) Ripkey, Carrie; Little, Peter D.; Dominguez-Salas, Paula; Kinabo, Joyce; Mwanri, Akwilina; Girard, Amy Webb
African pastoralists are undergoing significant changes in livelihood strategies, from predominantly mobile pastoralism to agro-pastoralism in which both livestock raising and cultivation of crops are practiced, to agro- pastoralism combined with wage labor and petty trade. These changes often result in fixed settlements or a process known as sedentarization. Previous research indicates that sedentarization and increased climate vari ability are prominent forces shaping livelihood opportunities and constraints in East Africa, but the effects of these co-occurring processes have yet to be investigated. This paper develops theory, using qualitative data collected in Morogoro and Tanga Regions of Tanzania, explaining the relationships between climate variability, pastoral sedentarization, livelihood outcomes, and resulting nutritional status. We observed that the co-occurring processes of increased climate variability and sedentarization among pastoralists in these regions have dramatic impacts on communities’ economic prosperity, health status, and nutritional outcomes. Due to risks associated with climate and sedentarization, land tenure policies that allow continued practice of highly mobile livelihood strategies, namely, legal recognition of collective land rights, should be adopted.
Understanding the drivers of diet change and food choice among Tanzanian pastoralists to inform policy and practice
(Drivers of Food Choice, 2020) Girard, Amy Webb; Little, Peter; Yount, Kathryn; Dominguez-Salas, Paula; Kinabo, Joyce; Mwanri, Akwilina
Overall, diet patterns have changed dramatically for traditionally pastoral communities in rural Tanzania, with younger and more sedentary communities experiencing the most significant changes. While social and environmental changes underlie the altered food choice behaviors, proximal factors such as cost and availability of foods dictated decisions at the point of purchase and appeared to accelerate pattern shifts. For example, cereals, refined grains and processed foods were the most affordable and accessible food items in the markets while traditional fruits and vegetables have declined substantially in availability over the past several decades. Participants expressed concern regarding these dietary shifts and implications for both social identity and long-term health, with expressed concerns around childhood malnutrition due to reduced milk supply, pregnancy/postpartum complications due to declining blood consumption, and increased chronic diseases related to increased consumption of cereals, fats and oils, and soft drinks. Participants exhibited a strong desire for enhanced land tenure policies to ensure access to quality grazing lands and water sources. A high value on children’s health was expressed by participants who emphasized a need for more inclusive nutrition and health education pertaining to balanced diets.