Browsing by Author "Kaaya, Archileo"

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    Contribution of forest foods to dietary intake and their association with household food insecurity: a cross-sectional study in women from rural Cameroon
    (Public health nutrition, 2016) Fungo, Robert; Muyonga, John; Kabahenda, Margaret; Kaaya, Archileo; Okia, Clement A.; Donn, Pauline; Mathurin, Tchatat; Tchingsabe, Obadia; Tiegehungo, Julius C.; Loo, Judy; Snook, Laura
    Objective: To determine the contribution of forest foods to dietary intake and estimate their association with household food insecurity. Design: Cross-sectional survey conducted among 279 households. Using a 7 d recall questionnaire, information on household food consumption was collected from women and used to determine the household dietary diversity score, food variety score and forest food consumption score (FFCS). Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) score was determined and Spearman rank correlation was used to establish the relationship between consumption of forest foods and HFIAS score. Women’s dietary intake was estimated from two 24 h recalls. The contribution of forest foods to women’s nutrient intakes was calculated and women’s nutrient intakes were compared with estimated average nutrient requirements. Setting: Rural forest-dependent households in twelve villages in eastern and southern Cameroon. Subjects: Household heads and their non-pregnant, non-lactating spouses. Results: Forty-seven unique forest foods were identified; of these, seventeen were consumed by 98% of respondents over the course of one week and by 17% of women during the two 24 h recall periods. Although forest foods contributed approximately half of women’s total daily energy intake, considerably greater contributions were made to vitamin A (93 %), Na (100 %), Fe (85 %), Zn (88 %) and Ca (89 %) intakes. Despite a highly biodiverse pool of foods, most households (83 %) suffered from high food insecurity based on the HFIAS. A significant inverse correlation was observed between the HFIAS score and the FFCS (r 2=−0·169,P=0·0006), demonstrating that forest foods play an important role in ensuring food security in these forest-dependent communities.
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    Food insecurity, dietary diversity and the right to adequate food among households in landslide-prone communities in Eastern Uganda: A cohort study
    (Plos one, 2023) Nahalomo, Aziiza; Iversen, Per Ole; Andreassen, Bård Anders; Kaaya, Archileo; Byaruhanga Rukooko, Archangel; Rukundo, Peter Milton
    We assessed food insecurity, dietary diversity and the right to adequate food among households in communities in Eastern Uganda that were affected by major landslides in 2010 and 2018. A prospective cohort study was applied to select 422 households during May-August (the food-plenty season) of 2019. In January-March (the food-poor season) of 2020, 388 households were re-assessed. Socio-demographic, food security, dietary diversity and right to adequate food data were collected using structured questionnaires. Four focus groups discussions and key informant interviews with 10 purposively sampled duty-bearers explored issues of food insecurity, dietary and the right to adequate food. The affected households had significantly higher mean (SE) food insecurity scores than controls, both during the food plenty season: 15.3 (0.5) vs. 10.8 (0.5), and during food-poor season: 15.9 (0.4) vs. 12.5 (0.0). The affected households had significantly lower mean (SE) dietary diversity scores than controls during the food plenty season: 5.4 (0.2) vs. 7.5 (0.2) and during the food poor season: 5.2 (0.2) vs. 7.3 (0.1). Multivariate analyses showed that the disaster event, education and main source of livelihood, were significantly associated with household food security and dietary diversity during the food-plenty season whereas during the foodpoor season, the disaster event and education were associated with household food security and dietary diversity. During both food seasons, the majority of affected and control households reported to have consumed unsafe food. Cash-handout was the most preferred for ensuring the right to adequate food. Comprehension and awareness of human rights principles and state obligations were low. The severity of food-insecurity and dietary diversity differed significantly between the affected and control households during both food seasons. Moreover, the right to adequate food of landslide victims faced challenges to its realization. There is need for policy and planning frameworks that cater for seasonal variations, disaster effects and right to adequate food in order to reduce landslide victims’ vulnerability to food insecurity and poor dietary diversity. In the long-term, education and income diversification program interventions need to be integrated into disaster recovery programs since they are central in enhancing the resilience of rural livelihoods to shocks and stressors on the food system.
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    Nutrients and bioactive compounds content of Baillonella toxisperma, Trichoscypha abut and Pentaclethra macrophylla from Cameroon
    (Food Science & Nutrition, 2015) Fungo, Robert; Muyonga, John H.; Kaaya, Archileo; Okia, Clement A.; Tieguhong, Juius C.; Baidu-Forson, Jojo J.
    Baillonella toxisperma , Pentaclethra macrophylla and Trichoscypha abut are important foods for communities living around forests in Cameroon. Information on the nutritional value and bioactive content of these foods is required to establish their contribution to the nutrition and health of the communities. Samples of the three foods were obtained from four villages in east and three villages in south Cameroon. The foods were analyzed for proximate composition, minerals and bioactive content using standard chemical analysis methods. T. abut was found to be an excellent source of bioactive compounds; fl avonoids (306 mg/100 g), polyphenols (947 mg/100 g), proanthocyanins (61.2 mg/100 g), vitamin C (80.05 mg/100 g), and total oxalates (0.6 mg/100 g). P. macrophylla was found to be a rich source of total fat (38.71%), protein (15.82%) and total fi ber (17.10%) and some bioactive compounds; vitamin E (19.4 mg/100 g) and proanthocyanins (65.0 mg/100 g). B. toxisperma, was found to have high content of carbohydrates (89.6%), potassium (27.5 mg/100 g) and calcium (37.5 mg/100 g). Flavonoids, polyphenols, vitamins C and E are the main bioactive compounds in these forest foods. The daily consumption of some of these fruits may coffer protection against some ailments and oxidative stress. Approximately 200 g of either B. toxisperma or P. macrophylla, can supply 100% iron and zinc RDA s for children aged 1–3 years, while 300 g of the two forest foods can supply about 85% iron and zinc RDA s for non- pregnant nonlactating women. The three foods provide 100% daily vitamins C and E requirements for both adults and children. The results of this study show that Baillonella toxisperma , Pentaclethra macrophylla and Trichoscypha abut can considerably contribute towards the human nutrient requirements. These forest foods also contain substantial levels of health promoting phytochemicals notably fl avonoids, polyphenols, vitamins C and E. These foods therefore have potential to promote nutrition and health, especially among forest dependent communities who consume them in substantial amounts.
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    Realization of the right to adequate food and the nutritional status of land evictees: a case for mothers/caregivers and their children in rural Central Uganda
    (BMC international health and human rights, 2018) Nahalomo, Aziiza; Iversen, Per Ole; Rukundo, Peter Milton; Kaaya, Archileo; Kikafunda, Joyce; Barth Eide, Wenche; Marais, Maritha; Wamala, Edward; Kabahenda, Margaret
    In developing countries like Uganda, the human right to adequate food (RtAF) is inextricably linked to access to land for households to feed themselves directly through production or means for its procurement. Whether RtAF is enjoyed among Ugandan land evictees, is unknown. We therefore explored this among land evictees (rights-holders) in Wakiso and Mpigi districts in rural Central Uganda. We assessed food accessibility and related coping strategies, diet quality and nutritional status of children 6–59 months old, and their caregivers. Effectiveness of the complaint and redress mechanisms in addressing RtAF violations was also explored. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, quantitative data was collected using a structured questionnaire, with food security and nutritional assessment methods from a total of 215 land evictees including 187 children aged 6–59 months. Qualitative data was collected by reviewing selected national and international documents on the RtAF and key informant interviews with 15 purposively sampled duty-bearers. These included individuals or representatives of the Uganda Human Rights Commission, Resident District Commissioner, Sub-county Chiefs, and local Council leaders. Results: We found that 78% of land evictees had insufficient access to food while 69.4% had consumed a less diversified diet. A majority of evictees (85.2%) relied on borrowing food or help from others to cope with food shortages. Of the 187 children assessed, 9.6% were wasted, 18.2% were underweight and 34.2% were stunted. Small, but significant associations, were found between food accessibility, diet quality, food insecurity coping strategies; and the nutritional status of evictees. We observed that administrative, quasi-judicial and judicial mechanisms to provide adequate legal remedies regarding violations of the RtAF among evictees in Uganda are in place, but not effective in doing so. Conclusion: Land eviction without adequate legal remedies is a contributor to food insecurity and undernutrition in rural Central Uganda. It is essential that the Government strengthens and enforces the policy and legal environment to ensure adequate and timely compensation of evictees in order to reduce their vulnerability to food insecurity.
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    The Spirit Project: Strengthening the Capacities for Fostering Innovation Along Potato Value Chains in East Africa
    (Open Agriculture, 2017) Ritter, Enrique; Barrandalla, Leire; Malley, Zacharia; Ongol, Martin Patrick; Kaaya, Archileo; Ooko, George; Mínguez, María del Rosario; de Galarreta, Jose Ignacio Ruiz
    The project SPIRIT was conducted in Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya from 2012 to 2016 with the aim of increasing the contribution of agricultural science, technology and innovation to social development in East Africa. The project involved literature research, on-site visits and meetings with farmers, research institutions and stakeholders, information compilation, database establishment and a project webpage. A strategy with three main objectives and associated actions was implemented. The first objective focused on the improvement of scientific and technological knowledge of East African research organizations. For this, state-of-the-art research on innovative technologies and practices for enhanced product quality was assessed; a web-based knowledge-sharing platform was created; the “East Africa Potato Research and Knowledge Exchange Forum” was constituted and six meetings with visits were realized. The second objective focused on private and civil society actors and governmental services and aimed at reinforcing their capacities for generating and adopting innovative technologies and practices. Sixteen innovation sessions were conducted. Guidelines for enhancing product Open Agriculture. 2017; 2: 425–430quality along the potato value chain in East Africa were elaborated and disseminated. The third objective targeted governmental bodies with competences in policy-making for promoting changes in policies. Proposals for policy-makers were developed and transferred to relevant authorities.