Migration, Small Farming and Food Security in the Caribbean: Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Thomas‐Hope, Elizabeth

doi:10.1111/imig.12298

Cited by 17 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Much of this research examines food purchase and not necessarily food production, begging the question of whether migrant remittances and savings contribute to semi‐subsistence production, and therefore food security for poorer, rural residents. One recent study comparing migrant‐sending families in Jamaica and St Vincent (Thomas‐Hope, ) found that migrant families in Jamaica have been able to increase small‐scale food production, but that they replaced production with food purchase in St Vincent. Understanding the dynamic between migration earnings and semi‐subsistence farming remains a clear gap in the migration–food security literature.…”

Section: Bringing South–south Migration To the Fore In Central Americmentioning

confidence: 99%

Subsistence migration: Smallholder food security and the maintenance of agriculture through mobility in Nicaragua

Carte

Radel

Schmook

2018

Geographical Journal

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Research on Central American migration has revealed the importance of journeys to the global North for rural sending communities. The outcomes of south–south journeys to nearby countries are less explored, although they are commonplace. We examine Nicaraguan rural residents’ migration to other Central American countries, especially El Salvador, to understand this migration's impacts on agricultural systems and food security. Based on mixed‐methods fieldwork in north‐western Nicaragua, we find that rather than produce remittance landscapes, or an abandonment of agriculture, south–south migration is linked to the maintenance of small‐scale agricultural systems and thus food production. “Subsistence migration,” or mobility to maintain small‐scale agriculture as a food security strategy, draws attention to how these less explored forms of migration in Central America help families to persist in agriculture in a context of worsening environmental and structural conditions.

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Section: Bringing South–south Migration To the Fore In Central Americmentioning

confidence: 99%

Subsistence migration: Smallholder food security and the maintenance of agriculture through mobility in Nicaragua

Carte

Radel

Schmook

2018

Geographical Journal

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“…In order to be able to influence development dynamics, it seems appropriate to look upon islands as complex socio-ecological systems. In island studies, this perspective is not so common [12][13][14]: Rather, there is a focus on particular problems such as food security [15], migration [16], or overgrazing [17]. Guiding local sustainable development means to understand the conditions under which socio-economic activities can support the quality of life and the income of the islanders while sustaining (or even improving) the quality and resilience of the natural environment.…”

Section: Heuristics and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Samothraki in Transition: A Report on a Real-World Lab to Promote the Sustainability of a Greek Island

et al. 2020

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This is a case study on a small mountainous island in the Aegean Sea with the policy goal of preparing it to become member of UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves. While the local community opted for such an identity very early on, there are a number of obstacles to be overcome. The multidisciplinary research is based upon a sociometabolic approach and focuses on two issues: The transformation of agriculture, mainly herding of sheep and goats, and the shift to tourism. The degradation of the landscape caused by extensive roaming of goats and sheep constitute one of the major sustainability challenges of the island. We analyze farmers' opportunities and describe new initiatives to get out of this deadlock. The impacts of the transition to tourism are addressed from an infrastructural perspective: A shift from traditional stone buildings to bricks and concrete, the establishment of new roads and ports, and the challenges to water supply and wastewater removal, also with reference to the quality and amounts of wastes generated that need to be dealt with. The island has so far escaped mass tourism and attracts mainly eco-tourists who value its remoteness and wilderness. We discuss how to serve this clientele best in the future, and increase local job opportunities and income while maintaining environmental quality. Finally, we reflect upon emerging new forms of local collaboration and the impact of our research efforts on a sustainability transition that might be on its way.

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“…Studies have shown that Caribbean farmers with land tenure, access to diverse markets and sources of income and support, see less negative effects on their food security and thus, cope better with extreme weather events [19,36,[60][61][62][63]]. Yet, studies in the Caribbean have mainly focused on Cuba, and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)-to which Puerto Rico is not a part of [19,60,61,64,65]. It is important to note that the Caribbean is compose of islands of diverse landmasses, many of which are not sovereign and that are embedded in neocolonial relationships with former metropolis [21,22,27].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social-ecological interactions in a disaster context: Puerto Rican farmer households’ food security after Hurricane Maria

Rodríguez-Cruz

Álvarez-Berríos

Niles

2022

Environ. Res. Lett.

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Islands are uniquely vulnerable to extreme weather events and food insecurities, and have additional response challenges due to their limited territories and economies, isolation, colonial legacies, and high dependence of food imports. Domestic farmers have a key role in producing food for island communities like Puerto Rico, which can safeguard food security when food importation may be challenging. Nevertheless, in the context of disaster, farmers themselves may be vulnerable to food insecurity and unable to contribute to domestic markets. This paper examines Puerto Rican farmers households’ food security in the aftermath of 2017’s Hurricane Maria using a social-ecological lens. Survey data from 405 farmers gathered eight months after Maria, coupled with biophysical data from the hurricane’s impacts (winds, rains, and landslides), was analyzed. Overall, 69% of farmers experienced at least one month of food insecurity in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, and 38% reported persistent food insecurity (three months or more). A multinomial logistic regression suggests that biophysical impacts, but especially social factors, such as age and constraint access to external sources of support, are linked with persistent food insecurity. This suggests that the biophysical impacts of the hurricane interact with existing infrastructure and social resources to affect farmer vulnerability and the food environment in different ways. Thus, strengthening adaptive capacity in multiple domains can help farmers and vulnerable populations better navigate the disruptions faced during disasters to alleviate food insecurity.

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Migration, Small Farming and Food Security in the Caribbean: Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Cited by 17 publications

References 3 publications

Subsistence migration: Smallholder food security and the maintenance of agriculture through mobility in Nicaragua

Subsistence migration: Smallholder food security and the maintenance of agriculture through mobility in Nicaragua

Samothraki in Transition: A Report on a Real-World Lab to Promote the Sustainability of a Greek Island

Social-ecological interactions in a disaster context: Puerto Rican farmer households’ food security after Hurricane Maria

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