Nutritional status among landslide victims in rural Uganda

We assessed food insecurity, diet diversity, and the right to adequate
food among households in communities in Eastern Uganda that were affected
by major landslides in 2010 and 2018. A prospective cohort study was
applied to select 422 households during May–August (the food-plenty
season) of 2019. In January–March (the food-poor season) of 2020, 388
households were re-assessed. Socio-demographic, food security, diet
diversity, and right to adequate food data were collected using structured
questionnaires. Four focus group discussions and key informant interviews
with 10 purposively sampled duty-bearers explored issues of food
insecurity, diet, and the right to adequate food. The affected households
had significantly higher mean (SE) food insecurity scores than controls,
both during the food plenty season: 15.3 (0.5) vs. 10.8 (0.5), and during
food-poor season: 15.9 (0.4) vs. 12.5 (0.0). The affected households had
significantly lower mean (SE) diet diversity scores than controls during
the food plenty season: 5.4 (0.2) vs. 7.5 (0.2) and during the food poor
season: 5.2 (0.2) vs. 7.3 (0.1). Multivariate analyses showed that the
disaster, education, and main source of livelihood, significantly
predicted household food security and diet diversity during the
food-plenty season whereas during the food-poor season, the disaster and
education were predictors. During both food seasons, the majority of
affected and control households consumed unsafe food. Cash-handout was the
most preferred for ensuring the right to adequate food. Comprehension and
awareness of human rights principles and state obligations were low. The
severity of food-insecurity and diet diversity differed significantly
between the affected and control households during both food seasons.
Moreover, the right to adequate food for landslide victims was not
sufficiently realized. There is a need to cater to seasonal variations,
disaster effects, and the right to adequate food in order to reduce
landslide victims’ vulnerability to food insecurity and poor diet
diversity.