Food Availability and Distribution in Farmer Households; The Influence of Socio-Economic Aspects

Abstract

The availability and distribution of food for a family is a manifestation of the power relations within a household. The availability and distribution of food for a family is a reflection of power relations within a household. On a wider spectrum, this phenomenon represents relations between countries in the context of food sovereignty. This study aims to look at the socio-economic aspects that influence the availability and distribution of food in the pursuit of food security for farming households. This research was conducted in March - April 2023 in Gowa Regency using a mixed method with a sequential explanatory technique, where this technique begins with quantitative data then, followed by qualitative data. This study involved 53 women as informants selected by simple random sampling. The social aspects used are education, main income earner, and women's position in the household. Meanwhile, to discuss economic aspects, land area and production of agricultural products (rice) are used. The results of this study explain that women who are the backbone of the household economy and are highly educated are seen to be more equitable in food distribution, while women who do not contribute to household income and are positioned as daughters-in-law or other household members are seen to have difficulty distributing food fairly and proportionally. In general, farmer households are not yet at the food security level, which is indicated by the fact that food consumption is dominated by carbohydrates. While the other nutrients, such as protein and fat, needed by the body have not been taken care of.