The role of household-level dairy preservation ( mouneh production) in the food, protein, and nutrition security, and in the food sovereignty of Jordanian households.

Abstract

Background: Malnutrition is a global issue that reaches the MENA region. The literature reveals food-based strategies and indigenous knowledge as relevant and having potential for addressing the triple burden of malnutrition, and supports addressing malnutrition and food insecurity at the household level. Dairy mouneh are one example of traditional foods with key nutritional benefits widely produced in Jordan at the household level. There is a gap in the literature on the role of traditional foods in the food security of Jordanians, and this research attempts to shed light on this. Objectives: This research examined the role of traditional dairy products produced at the household level, or dairy mouneh, in the food security, nutrition security, protein security, and food sovereignty of producing Jordanian households. The role of these products was investigated with regard to consumption and therefore nutrition, production and therefore nutrition and sales, and sales and profit with regard to livelihoods and food sovereignty. Methods: The study was conducted in the spring of 2019 in several areas of Jordan. Snowball sampling and interlocutors were used to recruit participants, who were Jordanian producers who participated in markets. Surveys were conducted covering the specific products produced, amounts produced, amounts consumed by the household, amounts sold, and profit made on sales. Participants were also asked adapted Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) questions, and their level of access to markets was noted. Results: The results of this study showed that dairy mouneh was produced, consumed, sold, and profited from more by food insecure households than food secure households. Additionally, households with indirect access to markets showed higher production, consumption, sales, and profit than households with direct access to markets of varying activity. Significance was observed in the relationships between market access and production, consumption, sales, and profit. It was also observed that t