Addressing Food Insecurity Through Community Kitchens During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study from the Eastern Cape, South Africa
One of the most critical impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic was on food security. Food insecurity increased in many communities, with some showing signs of resilience through autonomously creating community kitchens that enhanced food security and built support networks. These initiatives filled gaps...
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MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| author | Joana Carlos Bezerra Thandiswa Nqowana Rene Oosthuizen Monica Canca Nosipho Nkwinti Sukhmani Kaur Mantel Mark New James Ford Carol Claudia Zavaleta-Cortijo Eranga K. Galappaththi Chrishma D. Perera Sithuni M. Jayasekara Hans Justus Amukugo Didacus B. Namanya Cecil Togarepi Martha M. Hangula Jonathan Nkalubo Francis A. Akugre Kerrie Pickering Adelina M. Mensah Guangqing Chi Lenworth Reckford Victoria Chicmana-Zapata Indunil P. Dharmasiri Ingrid Arotoma-Rojas |
| author_facet | Joana Carlos Bezerra Thandiswa Nqowana Rene Oosthuizen Monica Canca Nosipho Nkwinti Sukhmani Kaur Mantel Mark New James Ford Carol Claudia Zavaleta-Cortijo Eranga K. Galappaththi Chrishma D. Perera Sithuni M. Jayasekara Hans Justus Amukugo Didacus B. Namanya Cecil Togarepi Martha M. Hangula Jonathan Nkalubo Francis A. Akugre Kerrie Pickering Adelina M. Mensah Guangqing Chi Lenworth Reckford Victoria Chicmana-Zapata Indunil P. Dharmasiri Ingrid Arotoma-Rojas |
| author_sort | Joana Carlos Bezerra |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | One of the most critical impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic was on food security. Food insecurity increased in many communities, with some showing signs of resilience through autonomously creating community kitchens that enhanced food security and built support networks. These initiatives filled gaps left by government programmes and provided a critical lifeline for vulnerable communities during the pandemic, fostering community solidarity. This paper aims to investigate the experiences and perceptions of community kitchen managers in addressing food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic by using a town in South Africa in 2020–2022 as a case study. Using arts-based participatory approaches, researchers interviewed 11 community kitchen managers representing 10 community kitchens in four sessions between June and November 2021. The results showed that a lack of jobs and food insecurity were identified as the main threats, whereas COVID-19 was not even identified as a threat by all of the community kitchen managers. Lacking support from the local government, these initiatives depended on individuals and community-based organisations for backing. However, this support decreased in 2021 and 2022, raising concerns about the sustainability of these efforts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-88b377f217ea4e1f8417e802ff69d7b6 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2413-8851 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Urban Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-88b377f217ea4e1f8417e802ff69d7b62025-08-20T03:12:04ZengMDPI AGUrban Science2413-88512025-02-01923710.3390/urbansci9020037Addressing Food Insecurity Through Community Kitchens During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study from the Eastern Cape, South AfricaJoana Carlos Bezerra0Thandiswa Nqowana1Rene Oosthuizen2Monica Canca3Nosipho Nkwinti4Sukhmani Kaur Mantel5Mark New6James Ford7Carol Claudia Zavaleta-Cortijo8Eranga K. Galappaththi9Chrishma D. Perera10Sithuni M. Jayasekara11Hans Justus Amukugo12Didacus B. Namanya13Cecil Togarepi14Martha M. Hangula15Jonathan Nkalubo16Francis A. Akugre17Kerrie Pickering18Adelina M. Mensah19Guangqing Chi20Lenworth Reckford21Victoria Chicmana-Zapata22Indunil P. Dharmasiri23Ingrid Arotoma-Rojas24Community Engagement Division, Rhodes University, Prince Alfred Street, Grahamstown 6139, South AfricaCommunity Engagement Division, Rhodes University, Prince Alfred Street, Grahamstown 6139, South AfricaCommunity Engagement Division, Rhodes University, Prince Alfred Street, Grahamstown 6139, South AfricaCommunity University Partner, Rhodes University, 5 Prince Alfreed Street, Makhanda/Grahamstown 6140, South AfricaCommunity Engagement Division, Rhodes University, Prince Alfred Street, Grahamstown 6139, South AfricaInstitute for Water Research, Rhodes University, Makhanda/Grahamstown 6140, South AfricaAfrican Climate and Development Initiative and Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South AfricaPriestley Centre for Climate Futures, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UKUnidad de Ciudadanía Intercultural y Salud Indígena, Facultad de Salud Publica, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, San Martín de Porres 15102, PeruDepartment of Geography, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USADepartment of Geography, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USADepartment of Geography, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USASchool of Nursing and Public Health, University of Namibia, Windhoek 13301, NamibiaMinistry of Health, Environmental Health Department, Plot 6 Lourdel Road, P.O. Box 7272, Kampala, UgandaDepartment of Animal Production, Agribusiness and Economics, University of Namibia, Windhoek 13301, NamibiaDepartment of Animal Production, Agribusiness and Economics, University of Namibia, Windhoek 13301, NamibiaUganda National Health Research Organization, Kampala P.O. Box 10005, UgandaInstitute for Environment and Sanitation Studies, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box KB 52, GhanaEnvironmental Sustainability Research Centre, Brock University, Burlington, ON L7M 1V7, CanadaInstitute for Environment and Sanitation Studies, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box KB 52, GhanaDepartment of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USADepartment of Global and International Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, CanadaUnidad de Ciudadanía Intercultural y Salud Indígena, Facultad de Salud Publica, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, San Martín de Porres 15102, PeruDepartment of Geography, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USAUnidad de Ciudadanía Intercultural y Salud Indígena, Facultad de Salud Publica, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, San Martín de Porres 15102, PeruOne of the most critical impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic was on food security. Food insecurity increased in many communities, with some showing signs of resilience through autonomously creating community kitchens that enhanced food security and built support networks. These initiatives filled gaps left by government programmes and provided a critical lifeline for vulnerable communities during the pandemic, fostering community solidarity. This paper aims to investigate the experiences and perceptions of community kitchen managers in addressing food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic by using a town in South Africa in 2020–2022 as a case study. Using arts-based participatory approaches, researchers interviewed 11 community kitchen managers representing 10 community kitchens in four sessions between June and November 2021. The results showed that a lack of jobs and food insecurity were identified as the main threats, whereas COVID-19 was not even identified as a threat by all of the community kitchen managers. Lacking support from the local government, these initiatives depended on individuals and community-based organisations for backing. However, this support decreased in 2021 and 2022, raising concerns about the sustainability of these efforts.https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/9/2/37engaged researchcommunity kitchensfood securityhome gardenscommunity resilienceCOVID-19 |
| spellingShingle | Joana Carlos Bezerra Thandiswa Nqowana Rene Oosthuizen Monica Canca Nosipho Nkwinti Sukhmani Kaur Mantel Mark New James Ford Carol Claudia Zavaleta-Cortijo Eranga K. Galappaththi Chrishma D. Perera Sithuni M. Jayasekara Hans Justus Amukugo Didacus B. Namanya Cecil Togarepi Martha M. Hangula Jonathan Nkalubo Francis A. Akugre Kerrie Pickering Adelina M. Mensah Guangqing Chi Lenworth Reckford Victoria Chicmana-Zapata Indunil P. Dharmasiri Ingrid Arotoma-Rojas Addressing Food Insecurity Through Community Kitchens During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study from the Eastern Cape, South Africa Urban Science engaged research community kitchens food security home gardens community resilience COVID-19 |
| title | Addressing Food Insecurity Through Community Kitchens During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study from the Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| title_full | Addressing Food Insecurity Through Community Kitchens During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study from the Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Addressing Food Insecurity Through Community Kitchens During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study from the Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Addressing Food Insecurity Through Community Kitchens During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study from the Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| title_short | Addressing Food Insecurity Through Community Kitchens During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study from the Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| title_sort | addressing food insecurity through community kitchens during the covid 19 pandemic a case study from the eastern cape south africa |
| topic | engaged research community kitchens food security home gardens community resilience COVID-19 |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/9/2/37 |
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