Food accessibility of different socioeconomic groups in sub-Saharan African cities: a mixed-method analysis in Kampala, Uganda

Lisa Marie Hemerijckx*, Katarzyna Janusz, Sam Van Emelen, Samuel Tumwesigye, Jac Davis, Shuaib Lwasa, Anton Van Rompaey

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Cities in sub-Saharan Africa are characterised by rapid urban sprawl, which has implications for urban food accessibility. Urban sprawl results in inefficient structures of cities, and is often related to patterns of socioeconomic segregation. An important research gap in food accessibility studies is that these local socioeconomic imbalances are not considered in broad-scale studies. This research analyses how the dimensions of food access (physical, social and economic) relate to the food insecurity and dietary diversity of inhabitants of different socioeconomic groups in the rapidly growing Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (Uganda). We use the Food Insecurity Experience Scale and Household Dietary Diversity Score to assess the overall state of food consumption. To measure physical accessibility, we geographically map the formal food system potential. A radar chart was used to visualise the vulnerability of different socioeconomic groups within the city food system. The results show that more established urban dwellers experience different access vulnerabilities than newly migrated residents, depending on their income. Lower income groups compensate their limited economic accessibility by participating in food sharing networks. Obtaining a better understanding of the dimensions of urban food accessibility can aid stakeholders in the urban food system in their policy making processes towards a more food secure and sustainable future.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)677-694
Number of pages18
JournalFood Security
Volume14
Issue number3
Early online date20 Jan 2022
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research fulfils the first work package in project 11C6120N titled ‘Spatial analysis of food systems transformations in rapidly growing African cities’, funded by Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (FWO) Vlaanderen (grant number 11C6120N). In addition, this work was supported by the Food4Cities research project, funded by the LEAP-Agri program of the European Union.

Funding Information:
The authors would like to express their gratitude to the colleagues and data collectors from the Urban Action Lab at Makerere University and KU Leuven: Teddy Kisembo, Judith Mbabazi, Gloria Nsangi, Hakimu Sseviiri, Disan Byarugaba and Desmond Khisa Situma. Moreover, we thank the local council leaders of the visited parishes in the GKMA for their guidance on the field.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, International Society for Plant Pathology and Springer Nature B.V.

Keywords

  • Food accessibility
  • Household surveys
  • Spatial analysis
  • Sub-Saharan Africa
  • Urban food insecurity

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