Food Studies Commons^™

No. 32: Narratives Of Food Consumption And Food Insecurity: Zimbabwean Migrants In Windhoek, Namibia, Godfrey Tawodzera

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

Decades of interlocking economic and political crisis have generated significant out-migration from Zimbabwe to other countries. Neighbouring countries with relative political stability and better livelihood opportunities, such as Namibia, have witnessed increased inflows of Zimbabweans. While there are studies documenting these movements, far less attention has been paid to the food security of Zimbabwean migrants in other countries. This paper investigates the changing dietary and food consumption patterns of recent Zimbabwean migrants in Windhoek, Namibia, and the impacts of these changes on household food security. The narratives of 35 Zimbabwean migrant households in Windhoek show that they face numerous food …

No. 31: Precarity, Food Insecurity, And Migration: The Kerala-Gulf Nexus And Women Domestic Workers, Anand Panamthottam Cherian

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

Low-skilled Malayali women migrants employed as domestic laborers in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)1 countries navigate a transnational labor system that entrenches gendered hierarchies and structural inequalities. Ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Kerala and the United Arab Emirates utilizing biographical methods such as life history and oral history reveals that migration, often envisioned as a pathway to economic security, intensifies vulnerabilities through layers of exclusion, exploitation, and deprivation. These women’s lived experiences underscore the precarious conditions that define their labor trajectories, shaped by systemic governance failures and socio-cultural dynamics.

Food security, positioned at the nexus of material survival and symbolic significance, emerges …

Obesity: Influencing Behavioral Consumption Through Meal Kit Distribution, Alejandro Hernandez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Founded in 2002, Everyone’s Harvest is a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to providing access to healthy, affordable fruits and vegetables through certified farmers markets and community food programs. Its key initiatives—Fresh Rx, Market Match, Edible Education and Farms Together —focus on alleviating nutrition insecurity and combating diet-related health conditions by providing vulnerable populations the resources to purchase, or receive, fresh produce and gain nutritional knowledge. This study explores a new intervention: the distribution of farmers' market meal kits as a complementary strategy to the current Edible Education program. These meal kits, which feature seasonally available produce and pre-measured ingredients, aim to …

The Meatpacking Industry Needs Stronger Worker Protections And Enhanced Oversight, India Luxton, Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern

Center for Policy Research

Meatpacking plants are hazardous workplaces with high injury rates and poor working conditions, negatively impacting the health of the industry’s predominately immigrant and refugee workforce. The COVID-19 pandemic illuminated ongoing concerns in the industry, including the problems associated with consolidation and concentration, worker safety, and poor public health outcomes. This brief summarizes findings from a study that used data from 39 interviews with local, state, and federal officials and bureaucrats, worker advocates, and workers to analyze meatpacking policymaking and oversight during COVID-19. The authors find that a lack of industry oversight and decreased regulation contribute to unsafe environments, and injustices …

Beyond Direct Education And Facilitation: Revisiting The Role Of Extension In Community & Regional Food Systems Development, Catie M. Demets, Lindsey Day Farnsworth

Journal of Extension

The fundamental issues that community and regional food systems aim to address are inherently systems problems, yet many Extension programs continue to focus food system development efforts on activities and actors that directly support the food value chain. While important, the impact of these interventions is limited. Drawing from interviews with directors of four of the nation’s leading Community and Regional Food Systems Extension programs, this article makes a case for rethinking Extension’s role in community and regional food systems development in relationship to key leverage points through a typology of Extension roles and corresponding examples.

Health Outcomes Reported By Healthcare Providers And Clients Of A Community-Based Medically Tailored Meal Program, Jessica M Sautter, Jule Anne Henstenburg, Adrian Glass Crafford, Ian Rowe-Nicholls, Victor S Diaz, Kaitlyn Ann Bartholomew, Julia S Evans, Maria R Johnson, Jeffrey Zhou, Deeksha Ajeya

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Medically tailored meal (MTM) programs provide home-delivered meals to people living with serious illness and poor nutritional status. Client outcome studies have found evidence of decreased healthcare utilization and cost savings associated with MTM program participation, and inconclusive evidence of change in health measures. The purpose of this study was to use a novel observational framework to describe the client profile and change in health outcomes using routinely collected health and program data from a community-based MTM program at MANNA (Philadelphia, PA).

METHODS: Clients reported their self-rated health and experiences of food insecurity and malnutrition. Healthcare providers reported clients' …

No. 03: Covid-19 Impacts On Food Security Of Refugees And Other Vulnerable Populations In Canada, Sujata Ramachandran, Zhenzhong Si, Danny Ning Dai

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

This policy audit explores the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security in Canada, with a focus on immigrants, refugees, and other marginalized communities, particularly in Ontario and the Waterloo Region. COVID-19 significantly exacerbated food insecurity in the country, adding to existing vulnerabilities especially in historically disadvantaged communities, who already faced barriers such as low-income employment, poor housing, and limited healthcare access. COVID-19 responses, including lockdowns and travel restrictions, disrupted food production, processing, and retail services. The supply chain disruptions, along with inflation, drove food prices to their highest levels in decades. Economic access to food became a pressing …

On-The-Go Dining In America: Comparing Convenience, Service Quality, And Satisfaction In Qsr Versus Gas Station Food, Shiva Jahani, Mohammed Lefrid, Lorie A. Tuma

Journal of Tourism Insights

Purpose

The objective of this multi-group study is to examine the influence of service quality and convenience on customer satisfaction in quick service restaurants (QSRs) versus gas stations.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected online from 552 participants in the USA and analyzed using partial least square structure equation modeling (SmartPLS).

Findings

Service quality and convenience are strong predictors of customer satisfaction in both QSR restaurants and gas station food outlets. In addition, this study concluded significant differences between QSRs and gas stations in terms of these relations.

Research limitations/implications

This study makes a significant contribution to the foodservice and consumer behavior …

No. 30: Pandemic Shocks And The Food Security Of Somali Migrants And Refugees In Nairobi, Kenya, Zack Ahmed, Jonathan Crush, Samuel Owuor

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered severe shocks to food security for marginalized populations in urban areas. Somali migrants and refugees in Nairobi’s Eastleigh neighbourhood faced disproportionate impacts due to strict containment measures, disrupted food supply chains, and the shutdown of informal markets. These disruptions exacerbated existing socio-economic inequities, leading to heightened food insecurity. This paper examines the multi-dimensional effects of the pandemic on the food security of Somali migrants and refugees, focusing on their access to informal food networks and the broader socio-economic factors influencing their livelihoods. Utilizing a household survey and in-depth interviews conducted in August 2022, the study reveals …

No. 11: Food Insecurity And South Sudanese Urban Refugees In Kenya, Cherie Enns, Samuel Owuor, Abbey Lin, Jacqueline Fanta, Cobby Achieng, William Kolong, Kristin Swardh

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the already precarious situation of urban South Sudanese refugees living in Nairobi and Nakuru, Kenya. The pandemic not only increased food insecurity but also disrupted livelihoods and exacerbated socio-economic vulnerabilities that were already significant. These refugees faced limited access to support mechanisms typically available in refugee camps, with inadequate government response and interruptions to remittance flows. Urban refugees were hit especially hard due to the absence of organized support frameworks, leaving them more exposed to the pandemic’s impacts.

This policy brief examines the critical challenges faced by urban South Sudanese refugees in terms of food security …

No. 10: Digital Technologies And Food Remitting By Zimbabwean Migrants In South Africa, Sean Sithole, Daniel Tevera, Mulugeta F. Dinbabo

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted traditional remittance channels, particularly for Zimbabwean migrants in South Africa who relied on informal networks to send food and other essential goods back home. The closure of borders, lockdowns, and mobility restrictions disrupted these informal networks, accelerating the adoption of digital platforms for food remittances. This policy brief explores the role of emerging digital technologies such as mobile money apps and food remittance platforms in facilitating cross-border food transfers between Zimbabwean migrants in Cape Town and their families in Zimbabwe during the early stages of the pandemic. The brief examines how platforms like Mukuru and …

No. 09: Connecting Migrant Remittances And Food Security In Jamaica, Elizabeth Thomas-Hope

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

Migrant remittances play a crucial role in supporting households in Kingston, Jamaica, particularly in mitigating the effects of poverty and food insecurity. However, while remittances improve household food security, their impact on reducing inequality and contributing to inclusive social development is more complex. Wealthier households are more likely to receive remittances, and the overall impact of remittances on broader economic growth and food security at the national level remains limited. This brief explores the relationship between remittances and food security in Jamaica within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a focus on SDG 10. It …

No. 07: Pandemic Impacts On Migrant Food Security In Nanjing, China, Fei Xu, Taiyang Zhong, Jonathan Crush

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant disparities in food security, particularly among migrant populations in urban settings. Migrant workers, often occupying precarious, low-paying jobs, experienced disruptions to their food access due to job losses, mobility restrictions, and social exclusion during the pandemic. This policy brief highlights key findings from MiFOOD research conducted in Nanjing during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, which revealed heightened levels of food insecurity among migrant households. Migrants were less likely to access online food systems due to technological barriers and exclusion from government aid programs. This brief provides recommendations to enhance food security resilience, including …

No. 08: Addressing Food Insecurity Among Central American Migrants In Mexico, Tiana Bakić Hayden

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

Central American migrants living in Mexico City face unique challenges that contribute to heightened food insecurity, with issues stemming from incomplete documentation, social isolation, and precarious legal status. This brief examines these barriers and how they exacerbate food insecurity among migrant populations who reside in Mexico’s urban areas, particularly those from the Northern Triangle (Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador). Migrants face bureaucratic, social, and economic obstacles that limit their access to food, housing, and employment. The brief recommends policy changes aimed at improving documentation processes, enhancing social support networks, and addressing migrants’ specific food security needs.

No. 06: Enhancing Rural-Urban Linkages Through Food Remittances, Elizabeth Opiyo Onyango, Jonathan Crush, Samuel Owuor

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

In many rapidly urbanizing African countries, food remittances from rural to urban areas play a vital role in maintaining rural-urban linkages. In Nairobi, Kenya, half of all households, regardless of migration status, receive food remittances from rural areas. Contrary to conventional beliefs, these food transfers are not solely linked to migration or poverty. Instead, they appear to be a long-standing, integral part of urban household resilience, especially for better-off households. As urbanization intensifies, policymakers should recognize the role of food remittances in ensuring food security for both migrants and non-migrant households. This brief explores key challenges such as economic inequality, …

No. 29: Translocal Households, Rural-Urban Links And Migrant Food Security In South Africa, Jonathan Crush, Godfrey Tawodzera, Maria Salamone

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

This paper revisits the issue of rural-urban links in post-apartheid South Africa, challenging the assumption that the end of apartheid would lead to rapid urbanization and the dissolution of circular migration. Despite the abolition of influx controls and the significant increase in the urban population from 33% in 1980 to 55% in 2011 among black South Africans, rural-urban ties and flows have proven resilient. The persistence of circular migration is evident in the continuous flow of people, goods, and remittances between urban and rural areas. This paper draws on a survey of over 800 Eastern Cape migrants in Cape Town, …

No. 28: Male Circular Migration, Rural-Urban And Gender Dynamics, And Food Security In India, Chetan Choithani

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

This paper examines the ways in which male circular migration as a household livelihood strategy affects food access among rural households in India. Circular male labor migration is the dominant form of labor mobility in many parts of India. This migration pattern creates important rural-urban linkages through income transfers and alters the gender power relations within the migrant-sending households. Drawing on empirical research in Siwan district in the eastern state of Bihar, this paper analyzes the influence of these dynamics of migration on household food security, with the larger objective of bridging the divide that currently exists between migration and …

Coloniality In Farming: Disempowerment In The Margins And The Path To Decoloniality, Jehu Laniog

Sociology & Anthropology Department Faculty Publications

Coloniality, as defined by Walter Mignolo, is the complex matrix of power dominated by Western hegemony that holds places beyond the West within its grip. The state of coloniality, established through decades of colonial rule, introduced Western forms of political and economic systems exogenous to colonized spaces, heavily influencing the current trajectory of development in various nations across the globe. This presentation gazes into the role of the state in disempowering the margins through agricultural policies and how this magnifies coloniality in farming communities. In an archipelago, the call for decoloniality is an action towards multifaceted empowerment through a pluriversal …

Devices And Dining: A Cross-Cultural Analysis Of Mobile Device Use In Italian And American Restaurants, O'Malley Jenkins

Senior Theses

The field of technology ethics has seen increasing growth and interest over the years. Many have begun to consider the impacts of technology’s use and whether it is being employed in a healthy manner by users. However, there has been limited investigation into whether the ways in which technology use varies across cultures. This study begins to address this gap by researching Italian and American device usage in fast food settings. Non-participant naturalistic observations were used to record data for 89 Italian and 88 American customers of fast food restaurants. Analysis of the collected data indicates that Americans use their …

No. 02: Impacts Of Covid-19 Policy Measures On Migration And Food Security In Ecuador, Mercedes Eguiguren, Cheryl Martens

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

The COVID-19 pandemic had profound effects on Ecuador, exacerbated by pre-existing weaknesses in the public health system, economic austerity policies, and social inequalities. The reliance on containment measures, combined with insufficient social support, resulted in severe economic and social decline. Migrants, already a vulnerable group, were further marginalized during the pandemic, facing exclusion from social protection programs and increased food insecurity. This report examines the impacts of COVID-19 policy measures on migration and food security in Ecuador, focusing on urban contexts, particularly the capital city of Quito. The findings underscore the need for more integrated research and policy approaches that …

No. 05: Pandemic Precarity And Food Insecurity Among Zimbabwean Migrants In South Africa, Godfrey Tawodzera, Jonathan Crush

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

This policy brief highlights the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Zimbabwean migrants living in South Africa, with a particular focus on food insecurity and economic precarity. The pandemic exacerbated existing vulnerabilities within the migrant community, many of whom rely on informal, low-wage labour sectors for their livelihoods. The survey conducted in 2021 among Zimbabwean migrants revealed widespread unemployment, drastic income reductions, and severe food insecurity, primarily driven by pandemic-related restrictions and the resultant economic contraction. Zimbabwean migrants, a significant proportion of whom work in South Africa’s informal economy, were disproportionately affected by the lockdowns and mobility restrictions. The …

No. 04: Canadian Support For Women In The Informal Food Sector In The Global South, Heba Hamzeh, Laeba Khan, Adwoa Konadu-Yiadom

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the vulnerabilities faced by women in the informal food sector in the Global South, deepening existing gender inequalities and economic inequities. Women informal food vendors play a critical role in ensuring food security in urban areas, yet their contributions are often undervalued and unsupported by formal policy frameworks. This policy brief presents two case studies from Mexico City and Maputo, Mozambique, highlighting the challenges women face in this sector, including lack of legal security, financial instability, and limited access to social protection. In response to these challenges, there is a pressing need for targeted interventions …

No. 27: Invisible Work, Visible Impacts: Gender, Migrants, And Informal Food Trade Amid The Covid-19 Pandemic In The Global South, Laeba Khan

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

This paper examines the abrupt and far-reaching consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on women engaged in the informal food sector within the Global South. It highlights the deepening effects of the pandemic on food insecurity, gender inequality, and economic disparities. Based on a case study of three groups of women – internal migrants, international migrants, and cross-border traders – engaged in informal food work within and across countries and regions of the Global South, the paper investigates the compounded challenges they face, as well as their exacerbated risks and vulnerabilities. The analysis exposes the complex interplay between gender, migration, and …

No. 03: Addressing Urban Food Security Challenges For South-South Migrants, Abel Chikanda, Jonathan Crush, Godfrey Tawodzera

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

This policy brief examines the growing phenomenon of South-South migration, with a focus on the challenges of urban food security faced by migrants moving from one Global South country to urban areas in another. South-South migration has become increasingly significant, yet it remains under-researched, especially regarding the food insecurity that many migrants face in their host cities. The brief highlights the unique vulnerabilities of these migrants, who often find themselves in precarious employment, facing xenophobia, and excluded from formal social protection mechanisms, all of which exacerbate their food insecurity. The case study of Cape Town, South Africa, underscores the severity …

No. 02: Leveraging Food Remittances For Enhanced Food Security In Urban Africa, Jonathan Crush

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

This policy brief highlights the critical yet underexplored role of food remittances in enhancing food security across Africa. While global attention has predominantly focused on cash remittances and their economic impacts, food remittances – defined as the transfer of foodstuffs by migrants to their home regions – play a vital role in ensuring the availability, accessibility, and stability of food supplies for both rural and urban households. These remittances help bridge the food security gap between urban and rural areas, with food produced in rural regions supporting the nutritional needs of family members in cities. The reciprocal flow of resources, …

No. 01: Mitigating The Impacts Of Covid-19 On Migrants And Food Security In The Global South, Sujata Ramachandran, Jonathan Crush

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated pre-existing vulnerabilities among migrants, particularly those involved in South-South migration, leading to heightened risks of poverty, food insecurity, and marginalization. The pandemic disrupted global migration patterns, hindered access to essential services, and severely impacted the livelihoods of millions of migrants. Governments in the Global South faced the dual challenge of mitigating these impacts while fostering inclusive recovery strategies. This policy brief provides recommendations for governments to address the immediate and long-term challenges posed by the pandemic on migration and food security, as well as planning for future pandemics. Key areas include enhancing social protection, ensuring healthcare …

No. 01: South Africa At War: Food Insecurity, Migrant Exclusion And Covid-19 Policies, Jonathan Crush, Sean Sithole

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

The policy audit critically examines the South African government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly focusing on the militaristic enforcement of lockdowns and the resulting food insecurity and exclusion of migrant populations. The report aims to inform policy-makers about the impacts of these policies and provide recommendations for crisis management.

On 27 March 2020, South Africa imposed a nationwide lockdown to combat the spread of COVID-19. This lockdown, enforced by the police and the military, was characterized by stringent measures including curfews, bans on inter-provincial travel, and the closure of non-essential businesses. These measures, while necessary to control the pandemic, …

Coffee In Brasil: Sustainability And The Role Of Intermediaries, Livia Petzinger

Capstone Collection

ABSTRACT

Coffee is traded in a highly complex global value chain where countless sustainability initiatives have emerged to address social, economic, and environmental issues, challenges which persist due to dominance of the market structure by largescale traders and roasters. Specialty coffee and direct trade have emerged as alternative trade arrangements that promote high-quality coffee through the use of sustainable practices, transparency, and a shortened supply chain. This research analyzes the role that intermediaries in the Brazilian specialty coffee supply chain play in the implementation of sustainability initiatives asking what kinds of sustainability practices they implement and why, and how this …

No. 25: Responses To Covid-19 By Internal Migrants In South African Cities, Jonathan Crush, Godfrey Tawodzera, Maria Salamone, Zack Ahmed

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

This paper explores the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on internal migrants in the urban centres of Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa. Focusing on the socio-economic and livelihood challenges faced by this population, the research utilizes a survey conducted in 2023 to investigate how the pandemic exacerbated existing vulnerabilities. Results highlight significant disruptions in employment, increased economic hardship, and heightened health risks among migrants, particularly those living in low-income neighbourhoods. Despite the hardships, very few migrants intended to permanently return to their rural origins, indicating a complex interplay between economic necessity and pandemic-induced constraints. The findings underscore the unique challenges …

No. 24: Food And Health Security Among Burmese Migrant Domestic Workers In Singapore Amid Myanmar’S ‘Triple Crisis’, Brenda Yeoh, Franchesca Morais, Theodora Lam, Kristel Acedera, Bittiandra Chand Somaiah

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

Migrating overseas to work as domestic workers is an increasingly important livelihood strategy for capital-poor women in Southeast Asian countries such as Myanmar. However, the recent COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest in Myanmar has highlighted the entrenched precarities and uncertainties attached to this migration strategy. The health crisis has further heightened the importance of remittances and food security for migrants and their sending households. Food production, food systems and access to food supplies in the country have been especially hit by political instability, the energy crisis and inflation. This paper explores issues concerning the food and health security of female …