Perspectives on strengthening local food systems in Small Island Developing States

Abstract

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.

Food trade among Pacific Island countries and territories: implications for food security and nutrition

“…The COVID-19 pandemic and associated policy measures has disrupted the production, availability and international trade of food [15,57]. The pandemic has highlighted the long-term lack of investment by Pacific Island Governments in local food production [58] which is also reflected in the very limited trade in local traditional foods seen in this study. For the foreseeable future, many PICs will continue to rely on own domestic agricultural production.…”

“…In line with the challenges outlined above, specific domestic policy opportunities relevant to enhancing healthy food availability -including through intraregional trade -relate to investment in supply chains, as well as in resilient and affordable access to transport and internet connectivity [58]. Such policy initiatives would enhance knowledge on upcoming market opportunities and risks, while enabling affordable inter-country transportation of healthy imported foods.…”

Interventions in Small Island Developing States to improve diet, with a focus on the consumption of local, nutritious foods: a systematic review

“…Such approaches have the potential to reshape perceptions, at individual level, around food preferences which are largely driven by strong sociocultural factors, and therefore should be encouraged as part of future interventions to increase demand for local, healthy foods. However, higher level government intervention is also required, and research into how local governance structures can be strengthened to prioritise local produce over corporate and import markets has been identified as important in SIDS settings 30. One example of these higher level infrastructural changes is realised in ‘farm to fork’ programmes that enable nutrition-sensitive value chains to improve local production capacity, and increase availability of healthy, local foods; an approach which may be appropriate in SIDS settings 1…”

“…However, higher level government intervention is also required, and research into how local governance structures can be strengthened to prioritise local produce over corporate and import markets has been identified as important in SIDS settings. 30 One example of these BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health higher level infrastructural changes is realised in 'farm to fork' programmes that enable nutrition-sensitive value chains to improve local production capacity, and increase availability of healthy, local foods; an approach which may be appropriate in SIDS settings. 1 For SIDS and similar settings, cross-sectional data suggest that the way food is sourced may impact the diversity of diets 12 and that own production of a range of crops may contribute to greater dietary diversity.…”

Multimorbidity patterns and health-related quality of life in Jamaican adults: a cross sectional study exploring potential pathways

“…At the time of writing, these data represented the latest available populationlevel collection, since results of the JHLS-III were not yet available, and the technical report not finalized. Given that NCDs continue to dominate the health and economic burden for Jamaica (37), and the wider Caribbean region (38,39), findings from this study remain relevant by providing insights for public health planning, policy, and clinical intervention. The cross-sectional study design challenges the temporal ordering assumptions needed for mediation analysis, which require that the exposure (i.e., multimorbidity) preceded the mediator (i.e., health system factors) which, in turn, preceded the outcome (i.e., scores on the HRQoL subscales).…”