Is the Magnitude of Agricultural Biodiversity in Rural Family Farm Plots Related to Dietary Diversity and Household Food Insecurity in the Ecuadorian Andes? (P10-041-19).

Abstract

Objectives\nIt is unclear if agricultural biodiversity (ABD) in family farm plots predicts dietary diversity (DD) and household food insecurity (HFI) in rural areas of Ecuador where individuals rely heavily on home-cultivated food crops/animals and less on commercially processed foods. The objective of this study was to examine the magnitude of the relationships among ABD, DD, and HFI in a semi-randomly selected sample of women residing in 12 different rural parishes of the Imbabura Province in the Andes highlands (elevation\xa0>2500 m).\n\n\nMethods\nUsing a cross-sectional design, maternal heads of households (n\xa0=\xa0576, x age\xa0=\xa044.1, SD\xa0=\xa016.5 y) were interviewed regarding the number of different agricultural food crops cultivated and domestic animals raised in their family farm plots, HFI based on the 8-item Spanish Household Global Food Insecurity Experience Scale (possible range: 0-8, with 0 being the lowest and 8 being the highest degree of FFI), and DD based on the 10-food group Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women Score (MDD-W FAO, possible range, 0-10, higher score\xa0=\xa0greater DD).\n\n\nResults\nThe women reported consuming average of 53% of their total food from what they cultivated or raised. There were wide ranges in the numbers of different food crops cultivated (x\xa0=\xa08.3, SD\xa0=\xa05.2), food animals raised (x\xa0=\xa015.8, SD\xa0=\xa020.6), HFI (x\xa0=\xa03.2, SD\xa0=\xa02.8), and in DD (x MDD-W\xa0=\xa05.7, SD\xa0=\xa01.5). Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that respondent age, number of cultivated food crops, per capita earned family income, and HFI were significant independent predictors of DD (multiple R\xa0=\xa00.42, P\xa0<\xa00.0001). Women with lower DD [MMD-W score\xa0<5 (21% of total sample)] were in families that cultivated fewer crops (x\xa0=\xa06.7 vs 8.7), raised fewer animals (x\xa0=\xa012.7 vs 17.9), engaged in less dairy animal husbandry, and reported significantly lower intakes of protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin A, the nutrient deficiencies most common in Ecuador.\n\n\nConclusions\nAmong families that rely heavily on their own agricultural cultivation for food consumption, greater diversity of crops grown in family farm plots is linked to less HFI and greater DD among the female heads of households. Future initiatives should explore ways to increase ABD in family farm plots to improve dietary diversity and reduce food insecurity in this region.\n\n\nFunding Sources\nColorado School of Public Health @ Colorado State University.