title: Agroecology and healthy food systems in semi-humid tropical Africa: Participatory research with vulnerable farming households in Malawi.
abstract: This paper assesses the relationship between agroecology, food security, and human health. Specifically, we ask if agroecology can lead to improved food security and human health among vulnerable smallholder farmers in semi-humid tropical Africa. The empirical evidence comes from a cross-sectional household survey (n=1000) in two districts in Malawi, a small country in semi-humid, tropical Africa. The survey consisted of 571 agroecology-adoption and 429 non-agroecology-adoption households. Ordered logistics regression and average treatment effects models were used to determine the effect of agroecology adoption on self-reported health. Our results show that agroecology-adoption households (OR=1.37, p=0.05) were more likely to report optimal health status, and the average treatment effect shows that adopters were 12% more likely to be in optimal health. Furthermore, being moderately food insecure (OR=0.59, p=0.05) and severely food insecure (OR=0.89, p=0.10) were associated with less likelihood of reporting optimal health status. The paper concludes that with the adoption of agroecology in the semi-humid tropics, it is possible for households to diversify their crops and diets, a condition that has strong implications for improved food security, good nutrition and human health.
authors.affiliation: The Integrative Agroecology Group, University of Toronto-Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada. Electronic address: hansonkojo@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Hanson
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nyantakyi-Frimpong
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography and Environment, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kangmennaang
authors.affiliation: Department of Development Sociology, Cornell University, Ithaca NY, United States.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bezner Kerr
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C2, Canada.
authors.forename: Isaac
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Luginaah
authors.affiliation: Malawi Farmer-to-Farmer Agroecology (MAFFA) Project, Ekwendeni Hospital, Malawi.
authors.forename: Laifolo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dakishoni
authors.affiliation: Malawi Farmer-to-Farmer Agroecology (MAFFA) Project, Ekwendeni Hospital, Malawi.
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lupafya
authors.affiliation: Malawi Farmer-to-Farmer Agroecology (MAFFA) Project, Ekwendeni Hospital, Malawi.
authors.forename: Lizzie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shumba
authors.affiliation: Chancellor College, University of Malawi, Zomba, Malawi.
authors.forename: Mangani
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Katundu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D002980:Climate; D018556:Crops, Agricultural; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply / Q000379:methods*; D006078:Government Programs; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008295:Malawi; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status
keywords: Agroecology; Crop diversity; Diversified diets; Food security; Human health; Malawi