Dataset Information

Strengthening Vegetable Production and Consumption in a Kenyan Informal Settlement: A Feasibility and Preliminary Impact Assessment of a Sack Garden Intervention.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Over 85% of Kibera's population, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya, is food insecure. Nutrition-sensitive agriculture interventions, such as sack gardens, have the potential to diversify diets-in turn, improving household food security and diet quality. Furthermore, the sale of extra vegetables may provide an income for program participants.

Objectives

The aim of this paper was to conduct a feasibility assessment and preliminary impact assessment of a nutrition-sensitive urban agriculture intervention that used sack gardens for women in Kibera.

Methods

Women, from a women's empowerment program, in Kibera (n = 36; n = 21 full program participants, n = 11 withdrawn, n = 4 new members) were engaged in a sack garden intervention in June 2018. A mixed-method approach was used to assess the feasibility and preliminary impact of the program. Qualitative semi-structured interviews (n = 25; n = 18 full program participants, n = 5 withdrawn, n = 2 new members), administered at the end of the pilot phase (March 2019), identified barriers and facilitators (e.g., preferences, inputs, group dynamics) to the production, consumption, and sale of self-produced vegetables. Quantitative surveys (n = 21 full program participants), administered in June 2018 and March 2019, were conducted to evaluate preliminary intervention impact on food security and diet quality through analysis of the Household Hunger Scale (HHS) and Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W).

Results

Key barriers included insufficient inputs and group work difficulties, particularly around communication. Facilitators included positive intervention feedback, social bonds and teamwork, participants' self-sufficiency, and preference for sack garden vegetables over market vegetables. Post-intervention, participants reported reduced household food insecurity. Recommendations for program scale-up include investment in additional inputs, a water-collection/irrigation system, additional training, and placing sack gardens closer to women's homes to reduce time constraints.

Conclusions

This study suggests that sack gardens may provide partial solutions to improve diet quality; however, further research is needed to assess any impact on household income.

SUBMITTER: Zivkovic A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9071549 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Strengthening Vegetable Production and Consumption in a Kenyan Informal Settlement: A Feasibility and Preliminary Impact Assessment of a Sack Garden Intervention.

Zivkovic Alexandra A Merchant Emily V EV Nyawir Thomas T Hoffman Daniel J DJ Simon James E JE Downs Shauna S

Current developments in nutrition 20220329 5

<h4>Background</h4>Over 85% of Kibera's population, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya, is food insecure. Nutrition-sensitive agriculture interventions, such as sack gardens, have the potential to diversify diets-in turn, improving household food security and diet quality. Furthermore, the sale of extra vegetables may provide an income for program participants.<h4>Objectives</h4>The aim of this paper was to conduct a feasibility assessment and preliminary impact assessment of a nutrition-s ...[more]

PMID: 35542383

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Project description:BackgroundWomen who have experienced adolescent pregnancy and early motherhood are disproportionately affected in terms of their health and parenting capabilities, as well as their offspring's health. Guided by Stress Process and Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Frameworks, which posit that multiple sources of stressors and structural determinants of adolescent pregnancy influence adolescent mothers' subsequent health and quality of parenting (Xavier et al 2018, McLoyd 1998, Conger et al 2010, Gipson et al 2008). These dynamics then further impact offspring's outcomes. Using an Integrated Stress-SDH Process for Health Disparities model and we test on whether early motherhood is associated with and subsequent maternal and child health from two informal settlements in Nairobi.MethodsA cross-sectional design with 394 mothers of 2-16 years old children who sought maternal and child health services at Kariobangi and Kangemi public health centers between October 2015 to April 2016 were recruited. Participating mothers were asked questions related to their adolescent pregnancy history, their current health, wellbeing, and parenting practices, and their child's health. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to examine hypothesized mediational pathways that adolescent pregnancy history has negative influences on women's health and parenting during adulthood, which also influence their child's health and development.ResultsOur study supports that women with a history of adolescent motherhood have poor physical and mental health outcomes as adults after adjusting for demographic confounders. SEM results partially support the Stress-SDH Process model that history of adolescent pregnancy had negative consequences on women's adulthood health, which also negatively impacted offspring's physical and mental health.ConclusionConsistent with the Stress Process and SDH literature, we found consistent cross-cultural literature that adolescent pregnancy set the stage for, subsequent poor maternal health and child outcomes. Although history of adolescent pregnancy and motherhood was not necessarily associated with negative parenting, consistent with parenting literature, negative parenting was associated with poor child mental health. Findings suggest importance of providing integrated care that address health and parenting needs to optimize offspring's development in instances of early motherhood.

Project description:A high burden of Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) bacteremia has been reported from urban informal settlements in sub-Saharan Africa, yet little is known about the introduction of these strains to the region. Understanding regional differences in the predominant strains of S. Typhi can provide insight into the genomic epidemiology. We genetically characterized 310 S. Typhi isolates from typhoid fever surveillance conducted over a 12-year period (2007-2019) in Kibera, an urban informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya, to assess the circulating strains, their antimicrobial resistance attributes, and how they relate to global S. Typhi isolates. Whole genome multi-locus sequence typing (wgMLST) identified 4 clades, with up to 303 pairwise allelic differences. The identified genotypes correlated with wgMLST clades. The predominant clade contained 290 (93.5%) isolates with a median of 14 allele differences (range 0-52) and consisted entirely of genotypes 4.3.1.1 and 4.3.1.2. Resistance determinants were identified exclusively in the predominant clade. Determinants associated with resistance to aminoglycosides were observed in 245 isolates (79.0%), sulphonamide in 243 isolates (78.4%), trimethoprim in 247 isolates (79.7%), tetracycline in 224 isolates (72.3%), chloramphenicol in 247 isolates (79.6%), β-lactams in 239 isolates (77.1%) and quinolones in 62 isolates (20.0%). Multidrug resistance (MDR) determinants (defined as determinants conferring resistance to ampicillin, chloramphenicol and cotrimoxazole) were found in 235 (75.8%) isolates. The prevalence of MDR associated genes was similar throughout the study period (2007-2012: 203, 76.3% vs 2013-2019: 32, 72.7%; Fisher's Exact Test: P = 0.5478, while the proportion of isolates harboring quinolone resistance determinants increased (2007-2012: 42, 15.8% and 2013-2019: 20, 45.5%; Fisher's Exact Test: P<0.0001) following a decline in S. Typhi in Kibera. Some isolates (49, 15.8%) harbored both MDR and quinolone resistance determinants. There were no determinants associated with resistance to cephalosporins or azithromycin detected among the isolates sequenced in this study. Plasmid markers were only identified in the main clade including IncHI1A and IncHI1B(R27) in 226 (72.9%) isolates, and IncQ1 in 238 (76.8%) isolates. Molecular clock analysis of global typhoid isolates and isolates from Kibera suggests that genotype 4.3.1 has been introduced multiple times in Kibera. Several genomes from Kibera formed a clade with genomes from Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, and Tanzania. The most recent common ancestor (MRCA) for these isolates was from around 1997. Another isolate from Kibera grouped with several isolates from Uganda, sharing a common ancestor from around 2009. In summary, S. Typhi in Kibera belong to four wgMLST clades one of which is frequently associated with MDR genes and this poses a challenge in treatment and control.

Dataset Information

Strengthening Vegetable Production and Consumption in a Kenyan Informal Settlement: A Feasibility and Preliminary Impact Assessment of a Sack Garden Intervention.

Background

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Strengthening Vegetable Production and Consumption in a Kenyan Informal Settlement: A Feasibility and Preliminary Impact Assessment of a Sack Garden Intervention.

Similar Datasets

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