The role of social capital in coping with household food insecurity in urban areas of Tanzania: the case of Dar es Salaam and Morogoro municipality
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Date
2003
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Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate the role played by social capital in coping
with household food insecurity in urban areas of Tanzania. The study entailed
surveys conducted in Dar es salaam city and Morogoro municipality. Specifically the
study had four objectives namely (a) to identify the various coping options related to
social capital that are commonly adopted by households in the study area to contend
with food insecurity (b) to determine the characteristics of social capital
arrangements which are relevant to household food security (c) to determine the
extent to which social capital reduces household food insecurity vulnerability and (d)
to determine the effects of household stock of social capital on household income.
The study is based on a survey of 180 households. Proportionate stratified random
sampling technique was used to select respondents across all income levels in the
study area. The data were coded and analysed with the aid of the Statistical Package
for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer programme. Data analysis entailed a number of
descriptive statistics including frequencies, cross tabulations and chi-square tests.
However, regression analysis was the major parametric test employed. The
regression analysis made use of, first, a multiple linear regression model aimed at
testing the effect of social capital on household income and, second, a logistic
regression model which tested the effect of social capital on household food
vulnerability. Results revealed that the major food insecurity coping strategies based
on social capital commonly adopted by urban households were food purchase on
credit, borrowing of money, food offers, reliance on informal credit, money offers,
labour sales and exchange of assets for food. The study has also revealed that social
capital significantly increases household income in the study area (p<0.05) but did
not significantly reduce household food insecurity vulnerability (p>0.05). In
addition, some characteristics of the identified social capital based coping strategies
were uncovered. Whereas food purchase on credit was a characteristic of the poor
and food vulnerable households, borrowing of money was practised by both low and
medium income households. On the other hand, lack of social capital was not a
major factor restricting low income households from accessing food on credit or
getting money offers. Borrowing of money was common among close friends and
neighbours while, food and money offers mainly took place between non-blood and
blood relatives, respectively. In view of the findings from this study, a number of
policy implications are recommended. Development policies ought to advance and
nurture social capital strategies commonly used by society in coping with food
insecurity. It is also clearly apparent that there is a need for prioritising and clearly
targeting beneficiaries of food assistance aimed at reducing food insecurity
vulnerability in urban areas. Overall the study strongly alerts on the fact that incomes
of urban households are significantly low rendering food items unaffordable.
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Keywords
Household food insecurity, Tanzania - Urban areas, Dar es Salaam, Morogoro municipality