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Compounding crises of economic recession and food insecurity: a comparative study of three low-income communities in Santa Barbara County

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  • Megan Carney

Abstract

Santa Barbara County exhibits some of the highest rates of food insecurity in California, as well as in the United States. Through ethnographic research of three low-income, predominantly Latino communities in Santa Barbara County, this study examined the degree to which households had been experiencing heightened levels of food insecurity since the economic recession and ensuing coping strategies, including gender-specific repercussions and coping strategies. Methods included administering a survey with 150 households and conducting observation and unstructured interviews at various local food-centered venues. Results indicated that households from the three communities were experiencing heightened levels of food insecurity and that all three communities were employing diversification of procurement, adjustments to a reduced or limited food budget, reliance on food assistance, and revitalization of the home as a site of domestic food production and preparation as coping strategies. The results also suggested that women suffered disproportionately higher psychological and physical costs associated with compounding crises. In conclusion, the experiences narrated by low-income households reflect a form of citizenship that appears compromised by a host of variables perceived to exist outside the realm of local control. Shifting toward an operational framework of food sovereignty may allow these communities to become more resilient in the face of future political, environmental, social, and economic stressors. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012

Suggested Citation

  • Megan Carney, 2012. "Compounding crises of economic recession and food insecurity: a comparative study of three low-income communities in Santa Barbara County," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 29(2), pages 185-201, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:agrhuv:v:29:y:2012:i:2:p:185-201
    DOI: 10.1007/s10460-011-9333-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Xiaoxing Qi & Laiyuan Zhong & Liming Liu, 2015. "A framework for a regional integrated food security early warning system: a case study of the Dongting Lake area in China," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 32(2), pages 315-329, June.
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    4. Olga De Marco Larrauri & David Pérez Neira & Marta Soler Montiel, 2016. "Indicators for the Analysis of Peasant Women’s Equity and Empowerment Situations in a Sustainability Framework: A Case Study of Cacao Production in Ecuador," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-18, November.

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