Gender and food security in Honduras
Based on:
Preprint (2020)
In a sample of rural households in three departments in Honduras, women were found to have low dietary diversity and food security. Women’s empowerment is hindered by work responsibilities and limited decision-making power regarding accessing credit and productive activities.
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Content
This study obtained information on a range of topics associated with food security and nutrition, gender, and water access in selected villages of Honduras that were of interest to local civil society organisations in terms of understanding the constraints and planning their programs.
Key findings
The data collection, done in 2018, covered 647 households across the departments of Choluteca, Lempira, and Ocotepeque.
Most households surveyed faced high levels of food insecurity and inadequate nutrition. The majority of households had experienced food insecurity within the past 30 days.
Of the households sampled, 71% have changed their diets due to a lack of resources, and 65% have worried that they will not have enough food in the last 30 days.
Only 26% of the women between 12 and 49 years received the minimum dietary diversity.
Access to water and sanitation is also limited, with 30% of the households sourcing their water from a well or river and 51% not treating the water before drinking.
Finally, the results of the Abbreviated Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index (A-WEAI) found that 66% of women are disempowered (which is very similar to the results reported from two large studies in Western Honduras).
Proposed action
Given the constraints on women's decision-making power, women should be explicitly included in outreach and planning for agricultural programs, and constraints to their participation should be evaluated and considered in project planning
Given the inadequate dietary diversity seen for a majority of women in these rural communities, it is important to understand the factors driving limited diet diversity and provide the necessary resources to improve diet diversity for women
Agricultural programs need to directly account for time constraints already faced by women in rural areas
These findings could help inform the development of agricultural development programs in rural areas of Central America where women's responsibilities are high but their decision-making power is constrained
These findings could help inform planning for food-security focused programs in Honduras such as USAID's Feed the Future program and WFP activities
These findings could help support the need for targeted nutrition education and support programs for women (and children) in rural areas to increase diet diversity
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Acknowledgements
Thank you to iDE Global
These insights were made available thanks to the support of iDE Global, who are committed to the dissemination of knowledge for all.
Special thanks to Jasmyn Spanswick for preparation assistance
We would like to extend a special thank you to Jasmyn Spanswick, for their invaluable contribution in assisting the preparation of this research summary.
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Gender and food security in Honduras
Cite this brief: Allen, Summer. 'Gender and food security in Honduras'. Acume. https://www.acume.org/r/gender-and-food-security-in-honduras/
Brief created by: Dr Summer Allen | Year brief made: 2022
Original research:
- L. D., & Allen, S., Gender and food security in Honduras https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.133808. – https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.133808
Research brief:
In a sample of rural households in three departments in Honduras, women were found to have low dietary diversity and food security. Women’s empowerment is hindered by work responsibilities and limited decision-making power regarding accessing credit and productive activities.
This study obtained information on a range of topics associated with food security and nutrition, gender, and water access in selected villages of Honduras that were of interest to local civil society organisations in terms of understanding the constraints and planning their programs.
Findings:
The data collection, done in 2018, covered 647 households across the departments of Choluteca, Lempira, and Ocotepeque.
Most households surveyed faced high levels of food insecurity and inadequate nutrition. The majority of households had experienced food insecurity within the past 30 days.
Of the households sampled, 71% have changed their diets due to a lack of resources, and 65% have worried that they will not have enough food in the last 30 days.
Only 26% of the women between 12 and 49 years received the minimum dietary diversity.
Access to water and sanitation is also limited, with 30% of the households sourcing their water from a well or river and 51% not treating the water before drinking.
Finally, the results of the Abbreviated Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (A-WEAI) found that 66% of women are disempowered (which is very similar to the results reported from two large studies in Western Honduras).
Advice:
Given the constraints on women’s decision-making power, women should be explicitly included in outreach and planning for agricultural programs, and constraints to their participation should be evaluated and considered in project planning
Given the inadequate dietary diversity seen for a majority of women in these rural communities, it is important to understand the factors driving limited diet diversity and provide the necessary resources to improve diet diversity for women
Agricultural programs need to directly account for time constraints already faced by women in rural areas
These findings could help inform the development of agricultural development programs in rural areas of Central America where women’s responsibilities are high but their decision-making power is constrained
These findings could help inform planning for food-security focused programs in Honduras such as USAID’s Feed the Future program and WFP activities
These findings could help support the need for targeted nutrition education and support programs for women (and children) in rural areas to increase diet diversity