Changing Diets, Varying Food Consumption Patterns and Food Security Among Recent Zimbabwean Migrants in Windhoek, Namibia

• Published in: African human mobility review 2024, Vol.10 (3)
• Main Author: Tawodzera, Godfrey
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2410-7972; 2410-7972
• DOI: 10.14426/ahmr.v10i3.2554

Approximately 184 million people globally currently live outside their country of birth. Close to 70 percent of these movements occur within regions. In Africa, people move between countries due to socio-economic, political and governance issues. In Zimbabwe, decades of economic and political challenges have generated significant out-migration to neighbouring countries including in Namibia, where there is relative political stability and better economic opportunities. While there have been studies documenting these movements, few studies have interrogated the food security of these migrants in their host countries, where they are likely to face food security challenges due to their precarious low income and unemployment owing to their migrant status. This study thus sought to investigate the changing dietary and food consumption patterns of recent Zimbabwean migrants and the impacts of these changes on household food security. Data collected from in-depth interviews with 35 Zimbabwean migrant households in Windhoek indicated that migrants were facing many challenges ranging from inability to access appropriate foods, high costs of traditional foods, and many other challenges that impacted negatively on their household food security.