Dr. May Myat Cho2nd International Conference and Exhibition on

Nutrition Science and Therapy.

What is food security?

• Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to enough safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy lifestyle (World Food Summit, 1996).

2

Factors influencing food security

3

Food Availability

Access to food

Buffering Mechanisms

Psychological feeling for food

-worry about running out of food

-worry about income- Worry that the child wont have

enough food

Food Security

4

What are the buffering mechanisms?

Buffering Mechanisms

Background on Thailand’s agriculture and it’s food security 1• Thailand- an

agricultural country• Effect of rapid

urbanization and industrialization reduced the farming area in Thailand with rapid deforestation

• Changing pattern of farming in Thailand

5

Background on Thailand’s agriculture and it’s food security 2Land degradation and changing pattern of

farming led to decrease crop yield for household food which cause the household food insecure (Viboon, 2009).

reduced in income had a decrease in access to health service and food provision

Household food security in urban poor in Thailand - only 44.2 percent had food security (Piaseu N and Mitchell P, 2004)

6

Study contextNongloo sub-district, Sangkla Buri

390 Km from Bangkokmountainous areaone of the three sub-districts in Sangkla Burithe town location - the main route of illegal

migration to larger cities in Thailand as well as major route for deporting migrants back

7

Study PurposeThe purpose of the study is to demonstrate

the prevalence of food insecurity and the association between food insecurity and buffering mechanisms

8

MethodologyResearch Design

cross-sectional study of household food security and the impact of buffering mechanisms on household food security

Sampling ProcedureVillages were selected by Probability

Proportional to Size methodHouseholds are selected randomly

Site of Studyin Nongloo sub-district, Sangkhla Buri, Thailand

9

Methodology• Instruments

– Main instrument for the research was structured interview (quantitative data collection)• Section I • Raedimer-Cornell food insecurity items• Section II• 2nd section of the interview dealt with awareness of

state and local buffering mechanism

– Qualitative data collection by interviewing with key informants (semi-structured open ended qualitative questionnaire)

10

Methodology• Data Analysis

– Data were coded and entered accurately in the computer and cleaned, verified in the field day by day after collecting data by using SPSS (16.0 version)

– Descriptive statistics using frequencies and percentages

– Analytic statistics using Chi-square and logistic regression for analyzing prevalence and correlations

– Qualitative Data– analysis of qualitative data by coding responses and

using a manual analysis method11

Results Prevalence of food insecurity

the prevalence of household food insecurity in Nongloo sub-district was 75.8 percent (p<0.001)

individual food insecurity was 75.35 percent (p<0.001) and the prevalence of child food insecurity was 75.28 percent (p<0.001)

HH food insecurity -60.8 percent for Thai and 95.6 percent for non-Thai population

12

Knowledge of presence of buffering mechanisms

% of people

who have

knowledge

80

67

32

13

Percent of Thai and non-Thai citizens who have access to the programs

Thai Non-Thai

No access (%) Access (%) No access (%) Access (%)

Access to community kitchen 100 0 100 0

Access to food aid 90 10 87.9 12.1

Access to specific food

subsidies

96.7 3.3 100 0

Access to Loan program 94.2 5.8 94.5 5.5

Access to food stamp/voucher 100 0 100 0

Access to food for work 95.8 4.2 96.7 3.3

Access to saving program 92.5 7.5 94.5 5.5

Access to community shop 95 5 98.9 1.1

Access to 30 Baht health care 45.8 54.2 63.7 36.3

14

Correlates of household food insecurity

OR P value 95%CI

Lack of access to food aid 0.487 0.342 0.111-2.149

Lack of access to specific food subsidies 0.160 0.250 0.007-3.620

Lack of access to Loan program 0.505 0.557 0.052-4.944

Lack of access to food for work 1.433 0.801 0.088-23.380

Lack of access to saving program 2.044 0.461 0.306-13.641

Lack of access to community shop 0 0.999 0.000-.

Lack of access to 30 Baht health care 0.547 0.207 0.214-1.396

Nationality 22.67 0.000 7.010-73.307

Knowledge of food related programs 2.332 0.103 0.842-6.462

Knowledge of health care program 0.922 0.877 0.331-2.568

15

Perception on food security status and food and health care programs by key informants

Food security – an important issue, non-Thai are more vulnerable

Landownership Food programs – Pattanarak, TBBC, ARC,

Food donation Education on agricultural skillsEnhance food production by demonstration

No food and agriculture policy targeted for non-Thai population

16

Perception on food security status and food and health care programs by key informants

Health care programs by different organizations such as ARC, Pattanarak, small NGOs

Access is determined by presence of Thai card

17

Discussion and Conclusion• High prevalence of food insecurity overall and

non-Thai population has a higher prevalence than Thai population

food insecurity in non-Thai (96%) was higher because of lack of access to land, protection of forest area mobility of migrant population (60% of migrants)Agricultural skills (attitude of non-Thai)

No statistical association between household food insecurity and buffering mechanisms could be the following reasons:

18

Discussion and ConclusionFactors influencing Food insecurity

according to the key informants

19

Poor Knowledge on Food/Health

Care Program

Land Ownership

Household Food

Insecurity

Language barrier

between the provider and

the beneficiary

Nationality/

Migrant Status

Shortage of human resource

in informatio

n circulatio

n

NGOs

Thank You