Author : Eng Chheanghong

Summary : This study determined the food and nutrition security situation of farming households with children 2–5 years old, as influenced by governance factors (structure and process) in the upland area of Chet Borei District, Kratie Province, Cambodia. A total of 126 households were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements were conducted on 137 children. Respondents were selected from nine villages using two-stage stratified random sampling method (village and household levels). Data were analyzed using descriptive and correlation tests, particularly Spearman’s Correlation and Cramer’s V Coefficient based on Chi- square. Immunization and Vitamin A supplement were available in the community, with higher than 95 percent of the children receiving those services. Despite this, 74.5 percent of the children were reported having health problems in the past two months, particularly fever, malaria, and diarrhea, among others. Only 35.7 percent reported bringing the sick children to the government health center, while the rest went to private clinics. Results revealed that 9.5 percent of households and 7.3 percent of children had low Dietary Diversity Score (DDS). Also, 36.5 percent of the children were underweight, 51.8 percent were stunted, and 12.4 percent were wasted. Governance structure and process of the Sub-National Administration (SNA) were comprehensive, characterized by good governance in both decision-making and implementations. However, there was a lack of potential with regard to responding to people’s needs due to limited resource allocation and unclear decentralization policy from the national government. Governance factors were found to have significant relationships with nutritional status, sociodemographic and economic characteristics, health, and household food security. Food and nutrition security, and sociodemographic and economic characteristics were also likely to have significant relationships with nutritional status. Hence, food and nutrition security among farming households with 2- to 5-year-old children in the study area was influenced by selected governance factors (structure and process).