Investigating the Connectivity Between Urban Foodscape and Migrant Women’s Household Food Security: A Case of Greenland Slum, Khulna, Bangladesh

Abstract

Rapid urbanization, population growth and climate-induced migration in the Global South, particularly in Bangladesh’s coastal cities, have led to the proliferation of informal settlements, thereby intensifying pressures on the urban landscape and exacerbating food insecurity. In this context, urban migrants, particularly women, are most vulnerable to food insecurity due to the lack of livelihood opportunities. To address these food-related vulnerabilities, women often utilize their dwelling and neighbourhood spaces for food production, often referred to as ‘foodscapes’, transforming housing environments—a phenomenon that remains understudied. Thus, this research attempts to examine how these foodscape practices contribute to migrant women’s household food security, using the Greenland slum in Khulna as a case study. This qualitative research employs a case study-based approach, utilizing interviews, focus group discussions and observation to collect both social and spatial data. The findings reveal that a wide variety of foodscapes prevalent in the Greenland slum are mainly home-based, establishing a deep spatial linkage with dwellings that contribute to household food availability and accessibility. The study also highlights socio-political, economic and physical factors associated with foodscapes and food security and provides recommendations for future research.