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Hunger and Food Insecurity in Nairobi's Slums: An assessment using IRT models'

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  • FAYE Ousmane
  • BASCHIERI Angela
  • FALKINGHAM Jane
  • MUINDI Kanyiva

Abstract

Although linked to poverty as conditions reflecting inadequate access to resources to obtain food, issues such as hunger and food insecurity have seldom been recognized as important in urban settings. Overall, little is known about the prevalence and magnitude of hunger and food insecurity in most cities. Yet, in sub-Saharan Africa where the majority of urban dwellers live on less than one dollar a day, it is obvious a large proportion of the urban population must be satisfied with just one meal a day. This paper suggests using the one- and two-parameter item response theory (IRT) models to infer a reliable and valid measure of hunger and food insecurity relevant to low income urban settings, drawing evidence from the Nairobi Urban Health and Demographic Surveillance System (NUHDSS). The reliability and accuracy of the items are tested using both the Mokken Scale Analysis and the Cronbach test. The validity of the inferred household food insecurity measure is assessed by examining how it is associated with households? economic status. Results show that food insecurity is pervasive amongst slum dwellers in Nairobi. Only one household in five is food secure, and nearly half of all households are categorized as „food insecure with both adult and child hunger?. Moreover, in line with what is known about household allocation of resources, evidence indicates that parents often forego food in order to prioritize their children. (229 words)

Suggested Citation

  • FAYE Ousmane & BASCHIERI Angela & FALKINGHAM Jane & MUINDI Kanyiva, 2010. "Hunger and Food Insecurity in Nairobi's Slums: An assessment using IRT models'," LISER Working Paper Series 2010-33, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER).
    • Handle: RePEc:irs:cepswp:2010-33
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    Cited by:

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    2. John Kamau Gathiaka & Moses Kinyanjui Muriithi, 2017. "An Empirical Analysis of Livelihood Strategies and Food Insecurity in Turkana County, Kenya," Working Papers 338, African Economic Research Consortium, Research Department.
    3. Mohammadreza Amiresmaeili & Vahid Yazdi‐Feyzabadi & Majid Heidarijamebozorgi, 2021. "Prevalence of food insecurity and related factors among slum households in Kerman, south of Iran," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(5), pages 1589-1599, September.
    4. Rosina Wanyama & Theda Gödecke & Matin Qaim, 2019. "Food Security and Dietary Quality in African Slums," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-17, October.
    5. Jonathan Crush & Ndeyapo Nickanor & Lawrence Kazembe, 2018. "Informal Food Deserts and Household Food Insecurity in Windhoek, Namibia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-15, December.
    6. Mahamadou Roufahi Tankari, 2020. "Rainfall variability and farm households’ food insecurity in Burkina Faso: nonfarm activities as a coping strategy," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 12(3), pages 567-578, June.
    7. Leonardo Becchetti & Pierluigi Conzo & Giacomo Degli Antoni, 2015. "Public disclosure of players’ conduct and common resources harvesting: experimental evidence from a Nairobi slum," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 45(1), pages 71-96, June.
    8. Djesika D Amendah & Steven Buigut & Shukri Mohamed, 2014. "Coping Strategies among Urban Poor: Evidence from Nairobi, Kenya," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(1), pages 1-8, January.
    9. Andrea Sales S. De A. Melo, 2018. "The ?Bolsa-Família? Program And The Food Insecurity In Brazilian Household Between 2009 And 2013," Anais do XLIV Encontro Nacional de Economia [Proceedings of the 44th Brazilian Economics Meeting] 72, ANPEC - Associação Nacional dos Centros de Pós-Graduação em Economia [Brazilian Association of Graduate Programs in Economics].
    10. FAYE Ousmane & ISLAM Nizamul & ZULU Eliya, 2011. "Poverty dynamics in Nairobi's slums: testing for true state dependence and heterogeneity effects," LISER Working Paper Series 2011-56, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER).
    11. Johnny Ogunji & Stanley Iheanacho & Chinwe Victoria Ogunji & Michael Olaolu & Vivian Oleforuh-Okoleh & Nuria Amaechi & Esther David & Onyekachi Ndukauba & Theophilus Maduabuchukwu Ikegwu & Cresantus B, 2021. "Counting the Cost: The Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown on Households in South East Nigeria," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-13, November.
    12. Akaichi, Faical & Ciera, Nichola & Revoredo-Giha, Cesar, 2021. "Urban Consumers’ Preferences and Willingness to Pay for Orphan Crop Products: Evidence from a Choice Experiment on Porridge in Kenya," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315371, International Association of Agricultural Economists.

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    Keywords

    Food insecurity; Hunger; Sub-Saharan Africa; Slum; Nairobi;
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