Understanding Relationships between Diversified Farming Systems and Food and Nutritional Security in Bolivia

Abstract

Small farms are vital to global food systems and supply the majority of nutrients consumed in low- and middle-income countries. Family farms in the Global South vary widely in their management characteristics and socioeconomic conditions, which affect the sustainability of their livelihoods. Managing high levels of crop and livestock diversity sustains key ecosystem functions that can improve farm productivity, and, in turn, shape household livelihoods through multiple pathways. For instance, diversified farming systems can contribute directly to food security and dietary diversity through consumption of foods produced on the farm, and indirectly through factors such as increasing income. However, there are critical gaps in our understanding of the complex relationships through which farm diversity, and its associated ecosystem functions, shape livelihoods. To address this gap, we conducted an analysis of data from an in-depth survey on farm management and household food consumption conducted with households across two ruralurban continuums in El Alto and Montero, Bolivia. Using these data, we created a diversified farming systems index based on indicators including crop and livestock diversity, soil management practices, and use of external agricultural inputs at the household level. We then tested for relationships between the index and crop yield, food security, and dietary diversity (as an indicator of the nutritional quality of diets), while controlling for key covariates such as wealth quintile and educational attainment. Results of this analysis indicate unique differences in outcomes for our two regions of interest, which highlights the significance of diversified farming practices on shaping food security and diet diversity across regions with differing environmental and socio-political contexts. Diversified farming systems were significantly associated with higher dietary diversity and lower food insecurity in El Alto, a region with relatively greater household farm production, which supports the importance of farm-scale diversity in populations more reliant on agriculture. These findings advance our understanding of the relationships between agrobiodiversity, agricultural management practices, and household livelihoods, which can inform improved policies to promote more sustainable and multifunctional agricultural systems.