The impact of HIV/AIDS on rural children's reliance on natural resources within the Eastern Cape, South Africa

McGarry, Dylan Kenneth

Title: The impact of HIV/AIDS on rural children's reliance on natural resources within the Eastern Cape, South Africa
Creator: McGarry, Dylan Kenneth
ThesisAdvisor: Shackleton, Charlie
ThesisAdvisor: Calvo-Ugaterburu, Gugu
ThesisAdvisor: Gambiza, James
Subject: Natural resources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: AIDS (Disease) in children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: HIV infections -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: AIDS (Disease) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: Children of AIDS patients -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: Rural children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: Wild foods -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: Food supply -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: Children -- Social conditions -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Date: 2008
Type: Thesis
Type: Masters
Type: MSc
Identifier: vital:4759
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007149
Identifier: Natural resources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: AIDS (Disease) in children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: HIV infections -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: AIDS (Disease) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: Children of AIDS patients -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: Rural children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: Wild foods -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: Food supply -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: Children -- Social conditions -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Description: The role of natural resources in the lives of rural children impacted by HIV/AIDS remains unexplored. This study highlights wild food use by rural children vulnerable to the impacts of HIV/AIDS as an important and regular activity that supplements their domestic diets. This work found that with an increase in vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, children rely more on wild foods. Through an 18 month project in the Eastern Cape, using a broad quantitative and qualitative school and non-school survey, individual interviews, food diaries, participant observation, interactive photography, and other participatory techniques, a total of 850 children's coping strategies and livelihoods were examined. The quality of children’s domestic diets was, on average, 60% lower than the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) guidelines. However, 62% of the children interviewed were supplementing their diets with wild foods, 30% having over half their diet supplemented with wild foods. Dietary diversity showed a 13% increase when wild food supplementation occurred. While traditionally rural children rely on reciprocal networks during times of crisis, we found that these networks were eroding from the pressures of HIV/AIDS. Begging, for some children, was replaced by wild food collection and a significantly larger proportion of children more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS relied on wild foods more than did less vulnerable children. Considering the heightened nutritional and energy needs of children, combined with the impact of HIV/AIDS on household food access, wild foods represent the last freely attainable food sources available to them. Hunting and collection of wild food is a group activity, which was found to have valuable psychosocial benefits. Commercialisation of wild foods was observed among 38% of the children, with significantly more vulnerable children selling wild foods. The use of wild foods by rural children also had positive influences on the preservation of indigenous ecological knowledge.
Format: 139, 37 pages, pdf
Publisher: Rhodes University, Faculty of Science, Environmental Science
Language: English
Rights: McGarry, Dylan Kenneth

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