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Production Activities, Food Supply and Nutritional Status in Malawi

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 November 2008

Lila E. Engberg
Affiliation:
Department of Family Studies, University of Guelph, Ontario1
Jean H. Sabry
Affiliation:
Department of Family Studies, University of Guelph, Ontario1
Susan A. Beckerson
Affiliation:
Department of Family Studies, University of Guelph, Ontario1

Extract

There is continuing concern throughout most of Africa about the supply of food, notably because of its impact on the nutritional status of so many millions.2 In 1984, John Mellor and Bruce Johnston reported on trends in production and indicated that Africa had the slowest food growth rates in comparison with other country groupings throughout the world. They also acknowledged the extent of malnutrition and the complex system of interactions which influence food production and consumption.3 Earlier reviews of the food-deficit problems called attention to environmental constraints and the variety of experimental strategies for agricultural development tried in Africa. Michael Lofchie and Stephen Commins concluded that fundamental changes in governmental policies are needed in order to facilitate peasant production and participation, and they suggested a balance between the retention of traditional agricultural systems and the introduction of modern agricultural practices.4 Carl Eicher emphasised the need for intensive investigation into production constraints in order to provide the knowledge base for better strategies and programmes, and among the research priorities identified were those related to food consumption and nutrition.5 However, although more national macro-level surveys are obviously needed, they alone will not help us to understand the relationships between household-based food production and consumption systems, nor the rôle of the family in allocating labour and food.

Type
Africana
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

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References

Page 139 note 1 Dr Lila Engberg was Senior Lecturer in Home Economics at Chancellor College, University of Malawi, on leave during 1982–5 from the Department of Family Studies, University of Guelph, where Dr Jean Sabry is Professor of Applied Human Nutrition, while Susan Beckerson was a graduate student during 1980–2 at Bunda College of Agriculture, University of Malawi.

Page 139 note 2 Leo, D. K., ‘Solving Africa's Food Crisis’, in Africa (London), 158, 10 1984, pp. 74–5;Google Scholar and Medani, A. I., ‘Food and Stabilization in Developing Africa’, in World Development (Washington, D.C.), 13, 06 1985, pp. 685–90.Google Scholar

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Page 140 note 1 Boserup, Ester, Woman's Role in Economic Development (New York, 1970);Google ScholarPala, Achola, ‘African Women in Rural Development: research trends and priorities’, Overseas, Liaison Committee, American Council on Education, Washington, D.C., 1976, p. 12;Google ScholarSeidman, Ann, ‘Women and the Development of “ Underdevelopment”: the African experience’, in Dauber, Roslyn and Cain, Melinda L. (eds.), Women and Technological Change in Developing Countries (Boulder, 1981), pp. 109–26; and Jennifer Dey, ‘Women in Rice Farming with a Focus on Africa’, F.A.O., Rome, 1984.Google Scholar

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Page 140 note 4 Wim Ettema and Louis Msukwa, ‘Food Production, and Malnutrition in Malawi’, Centre for Social Research, Zomba, University of Malawi, 1985, p. 49.

Page 140 note 5 Gershuny, J. I., ‘The Informal Economy’, in Futures (London), 2, 1, 02 1979, pp. 315;Google ScholarEvenson, Robert E., ‘Food Policy and the New Home Economics’, in Food Policy (Guildford), 08 1981, pp. 180–93;Google Scholar and Anker, Richard, ‘Female Labour Force Participation in Developing Countries: a critique of current definitions and data collection methods’, in International Labour Review (Geneva), 122, 1983, pp. 709–24.Google Scholar

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Page 141 note 4 Beutler and Owen, loc. cit.

Page 142 note 1 International Center for Research on Women, ‘The Productivity of Women in Developing Countries: measurement issues and recommendations’, Washington, D.C., 1980; and Goldschmidt-Clermont, Luisella, Unpaid Work in the Household: a review of economic evaluation methods (Geneva, 1982).Google Scholar

Page 142 note 2 Beckerson, Susan A., ‘Seasonal Labour Allocation, Food Supply, and Nutrition in Subsistence and Semi-Subsistence Farming Households in Malawi, Africa’, M.Sc. thesis, University of Guelph, Ontario, 1983.Google Scholar

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Page 142 note 4 Beckerson, op. cit. p. 86. There may or may not have been other wives living elsewhere.

Page 142 note 5 Ibid. p. 87.

Page 142 note 6 Ibid. p. 89.

Page 143 note 1 Ibid. p. 94.

Page 143 note 2 Ibid. pp. 96–7.

Page 144 note 1 Ibid. pp. 98–9.

Page 144 note 2 Ibid. p. 100.

Page 145 note 2 Ibid. pp. 109– 13, as well as p. 184 for a summary of statistical tests and results. The association between nutritional status and type of farming household was checked at the 5 per cent level of significance by using a chi-square, two-way test for independence. Two-tailed, non-paired, student t-tests were used to identify significant differences in adult weight changes between seasons in the two villages.

Page 146 note 1 Source: Ibid. p. 131.

Page 146 note 2 Source: Ibid. p. 136.

Page 146 note 3 Ibid. pp. 185–6.

Page 147 note 1 Source: Ibid. p. 162.