Agent-based modelling to assess community food security and sustainable livelihoods
Agent-based modelling to assess community food security and sustainable livelihoods
We present a methodological approach for constructing an agent-based model (ABM) to assess community food security and variation among livelihood trajectories, using rural Malawi as a case study. The approach integrates both quantitative and qualitative data to explore how interactions between households and the environment lead to the emergence of community food availability, access, utilisation and stability over time. Results suggest that livelihoods based upon either non-agricultural work or farming are most stable over time, but agricultural labourers, dependent upon the availability of casual work, demonstrate limited capacity to ‘step-up’ livelihood activities. The scenario results suggest that population growth and increased rainfall
variability are linked to significant declines in food utilisation and stability by 2050. Taking a systems approach may help to enhance the sustainability of livelihoods, target efforts and promote community food security. We
discuss transferability of the methodological approach to other case studies and scenarios.
Malawi, Food Security, : Social-Ecological Systems, Livelihood Trajectories, Nutrition
1-23
Dobbie, Samantha, Louise
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Schreckenberg, Kathrin
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Dyke, James
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Schaafsma, Marije
937ac629-0fa2-4a11-bdf7-c3688405467d
Balbi, Stefano
778ba230-6a03-4600-8ba0-41a39c43c068
Dobbie, Samantha, Louise
5fd9500a-c374-4588-a356-ae4e55b692b4
Schreckenberg, Kathrin
d3fa344b-bf0d-4358-b12a-5547968f8a77
Dyke, James
e2cc1b09-ae44-4525-88ed-87ee08baad2c
Schaafsma, Marije
937ac629-0fa2-4a11-bdf7-c3688405467d
Balbi, Stefano
778ba230-6a03-4600-8ba0-41a39c43c068
Dobbie, Samantha, Louise, Schreckenberg, Kathrin, Dyke, James, Schaafsma, Marije and Balbi, Stefano
(2018)
Agent-based modelling to assess community food security and sustainable livelihoods.
Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, 21(1) (1), .
(doi:10.18564/jasss.3639).
Abstract
We present a methodological approach for constructing an agent-based model (ABM) to assess community food security and variation among livelihood trajectories, using rural Malawi as a case study. The approach integrates both quantitative and qualitative data to explore how interactions between households and the environment lead to the emergence of community food availability, access, utilisation and stability over time. Results suggest that livelihoods based upon either non-agricultural work or farming are most stable over time, but agricultural labourers, dependent upon the availability of casual work, demonstrate limited capacity to ‘step-up’ livelihood activities. The scenario results suggest that population growth and increased rainfall
variability are linked to significant declines in food utilisation and stability by 2050. Taking a systems approach may help to enhance the sustainability of livelihoods, target efforts and promote community food security. We
discuss transferability of the methodological approach to other case studies and scenarios.
Text
Dobbie et al 2018 JASSS
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Accepted/In Press date: 28 November 2017
e-pub ahead of print date: 31 January 2018
Keywords:
Malawi, Food Security, : Social-Ecological Systems, Livelihood Trajectories, Nutrition
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 417641
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/417641
PURE UUID: 29c0a899-0506-49d6-b68c-4b7568023b85
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Date deposited: 08 Feb 2018 17:30
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 04:20
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Contributors
Author:
Samantha, Louise Dobbie
Author:
Kathrin Schreckenberg
Author:
Stefano Balbi
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