Guell Cornelia, Brown Catherine R, Navunicagi Otto W, Iese Viliamu, Badrie Neela, Wairiu Morgan, Saint Ville Arlette, Unwin Nigel
University of Exeter, European Centre for Environment & Human Health, Truro, UK.
The University of the West Indies, George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre, Bridgetown, Barbados.
Food Secur. 2022;14(5):1227-1240. doi: 10.1007/s12571-022-01281-0. Epub 2022 May 4.
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) share high burdens of nutrition-related conditions, including non-communicable diseases, associated with an increasing reliance on imported, processed foods. Improving health through increasing the production and consumption of local, nutritious foods is a policy objective of many SIDS governments. This study aimed to understand contemporary challenges and opportunities to strengthening local food systems in two case study settings, Fiji and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Fifty-two in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with key stakeholders involved in local food production. Interviews were analysed by both country teams using thematic analysis. Local food production networks in both settings included formal governance bodies as well as more informal connections through civil society and communities. Their main function was the sharing of resources and knowledge, but levels of trust and cooperation between the stakeholders varied in a market open to intense competition from imports. Local food production was hindered by few and slow investments by local governments, dated technology, and lack of knowledge. Stakeholders believed this marginalisation was occurring against a background of rising preferences for imported foods in the population, and increasing disinterest in employment in the sector. Despite the challenges, strong narratives of resilience and opportunity were highlighted such as national pride in local produce for commercialisation and local diets. Efforts to support local food production in SIDS should focus on strengthening governance structures to prioritise local produce over corporate and import markets, assist collaboration and co-learning, and support alternative agro-food practices.
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12571-022-01281-0.
小岛屿发展中国家（SIDS）面临与营养相关疾病的沉重负担，包括非传染性疾病，这与日益依赖进口加工食品有关。通过增加本地营养食品的生产和消费来改善健康是许多小岛屿发展中国家政府的政策目标。本研究旨在了解斐济以及圣文森特和格林纳丁斯这两个案例研究地区在加强本地粮食系统方面面临的当代挑战和机遇。对参与本地粮食生产的关键利益相关者进行了52次深入的半结构化访谈。两个国家的研究团队都采用主题分析法对访谈进行了分析。这两个地区的本地粮食生产网络包括正式治理机构以及通过民间社会和社区建立的更为非正式的联系。其主要功能是资源和知识共享，但在一个面临来自进口产品激烈竞争的开放市场中，利益相关者之间的信任与合作程度各不相同。本地粮食生产受到地方政府投资少且缓慢、技术陈旧以及缺乏知识的阻碍。利益相关者认为，这种边缘化现象是在民众对进口食品的偏好上升以及对该行业就业兴趣下降的背景下发生的。尽管存在挑战，但仍突出了韧性和机遇的有力叙述，例如对本地农产品商业化和本地饮食的民族自豪感。小岛屿发展中国家支持本地粮食生产的努力应侧重于加强治理结构，以便将本地农产品置于企业和进口市场之上的优先地位，促进合作与共同学习，并支持替代性农业食品实践。
在线版本包含可在10.1007/s12571-022-01281-0获取的补充材料。
