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Urban Amazonians use Fishing as a Strategy for Coping with Food Insecurity

Author

Listed:
  • Sergio L. M. Rivero
  • Oriana Trindade de Almeida
  • Patricia Carignano Torres
  • Andre de Moraes
  • Erick Chacón-Montalván
  • Luke Parry

Abstract

Fishing provides livelihoods and food for millions of people in the Global South yet inland fisheries are under-researched and neglected in food and nutrition policy. This paper goes beyond the rural focus of existing research and examines how urban households may use fishing as a livelihood strategy for coping with food insecurity. Our study in Brazilian Amazonia is based on a random sample of households (n = 798) in four remote riverine towns. We quantitatively examine the inter-connections between fishing and food insecurity, and find that fishing is a widespread coping strategy among disadvantaged, food insecure households. Fisher households tend to be highly dependent on eating fish, and for these households, consuming fish more often is associated with a modest reduction in food insecurity risks. Fishing provides monthly non-monetary income worth ≤ USD54 (equivalent to ∼12% of mean monetary income), potentially reducing food insecurity risks almost as much as the conditional cash transfer Bolsa Família. We estimate that nearly half a million inhabitants of the region’s remote, riverine urban centres are directly dependent on a household member catching fish, a nutritious and culturally preferred food. Consequently, small-scale urban fishers must be recognised in policy debates around food and nutrition security and management of natural resources.

Suggested Citation

  • Sergio L. M. Rivero & Oriana Trindade de Almeida & Patricia Carignano Torres & Andre de Moraes & Erick Chacón-Montalván & Luke Parry, 2022. "Urban Amazonians use Fishing as a Strategy for Coping with Food Insecurity," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(12), pages 2544-2565, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:jdevst:v:58:y:2022:i:12:p:2544-2565
    DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2022.2113063
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