An assessment of food availability and access at household level in Busongora county north, Kasese district

Abstract

This study was about food availability and access at household level in Busongora County North, Kasese District; evaluating the relationship between household participation in agriculture and food availability and access; relationship between type of agriculture and food consumption and dietary diversity; and investigating the role of Lower Local Governments (LLG) in facilitating agriculture. Using a cross sectional survey design, the study reached to the population of 34,885 people which was spread out in two (02) lower local governments of Hima town council and Kitswamba sub County. It obtained data using survey questionnaires and interview guides; and analysed using SPSS and Microsoft Excel. This study found that, both men and women (46.0%) in Busongora County North practiced agriculture which influenced availability and access of food both at household level and in the market. The households that practiced subsistence farming were more food secured than commercial households (Chi-square = 6.023, p < 0.05) and the level of food production was associated with the number of meals (Chi-square = 14.469, p < 0.05). It was also found that whereas households practicing subsistence agriculture consumed sufficient food compared to commercial households, they did not consume diversity of foods like the commercial households. Finally, the LLG can play a significant role in influencing both household participation in agriculture and the type of agriculture but these roles were not adequately played in Busongora County North. The key recommendations for this study are that the community of Busongora County North should embrace commercial food security sensitive agriculture, appreciate the value of property ownership by women, pay attention to production of diverse nutrient rich agricultural products, and that LLG should expand their roles in an inclusive manner to cause impact on food security in the entire community