Adapting the Coping Strategies Index to measure food insecurity in the rural district of iLembe, South Africa

ABSTRACT

Food insecurity is a global phenomenon that has seen an increase since 2015, thought to be a result of growing conflict- and climate-related shocks. While there are a number of different tools to measure household food security, there is no agreed global standard. This situation is reflected in South Africa where there is no nationally accepted tool to measure or evaluate food insecurity, even though quantitative food and nutrition variables are collected through household surveys. The Coping Strategies Index (CSI) is one tool that uses behaviors to measure food insecurity. The aim of this study is to adapt the CSI for implementation in the district of iLembe, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Focus-group discussions were employed with community members to discuss and rank twelve different coping strategies. The two coping strategies implemented earliest with the lowest severity scores were buying less preferred foods and purchasing food on credit. The coping strategies with highest severity score included going an entire day without eating, consuming seed stock, sending a child to eat elsewhere, and restricting food for working household members. Participants highlighted the need for improved water access and local seed programs to improve food security within their community and households.

KEYWORDS:

• Food security
• food insecurity
• hunger
• South Africa
• coping strategies
• behaviors

Acronyms

CSI	=	Coping Strategies Index
FAO	=	Food and Agriculture Organization
FGD	=	Focus-group discussion
HFSSM	=	Household Food Security Survey Module
GFSI	=	Global Food Security Index
GHI	=	Global Hunger Index
SSA	=	sub-Saharan Africa
WFP	=	World Food Programme

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Roisin E. Drysdale

Roisin E. Drysdale is a research assistant within the Department of Rural Health at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She is currently a registered PhD student within the University at the School of Nursing and Public Health. She has a research background in Geography, Development Studies, and Public Health. [email protected]

Mosa Moshabela

Mosa Moshabela is the Dean and Head of School for the School of Nursing and Public Health at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and is a Wellcome Trust Fellow at the Africa Health Research Institute. He is a medical doctor (MBChB), specializing in Family Medicine and Primary Health Care (MFamMed) and holds a doctoral degree (PhD) in Public Health in the area of health systems and policy research with particular relevance to rural and resource-poor settings. He also has a Diploma in HIV/AIDS management (Dip HIV [SA]). He is a clinician researcher, recognized and rated by the National Research Foundation (NRF) in South Africa. He is the recipient of a current Wellcome Trust Fellowship in Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and works in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. [email protected]

Urmilla Bob

Urmilla Bob is a Professor in the School of Geography at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, acting DVC Research, Dean of Research and Chair of the UZKN Research Committee. She conducts research on a range of developmental and environmental issues, including socioeconomic impact assessments of developmental projects relating to conservation, ecotourism, and sustainable livelihoods in both rural and urban contexts. She has published in these fields in both nationally and internationally recognized academic books and journals. [email protected]