from the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
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Food insecurity is a growing concern in higher education. As universities adapt to meet the growing need of college students to access healthy food, food pantries are among the most widely implemented food insecurity support. Despite the fact there has been growth in on-campus food pantries nationally, little has been done to measure if this resource is meeting the needs of students.
In a new JAFSCD article, Are we meeting student needs? Developing a measure for college food pantry satisfaction, authors Dr. Kelsey Gardiner and Dr. Susan Harvey present initial findings on their development of a novel satisfaction scale measuring the overall satisfaction, use of resources, and additional support needs of students utilizing an on-campus food pantry.
KEY FINDINGS The survey consisted of a 10-item, investigator-designed satisfaction scale that demonstrated a high measure of reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.849). A convenience sample of 100 student on-campus pantry users participated. Based on a five-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree), overall student satisfaction was high (mean = 3.8). Students reported lowest overall satisfaction with the selection of fresh fruits (mean = 3.18) and fresh vegetables (mean = 3.21), and the selection of dairy products (mean = 3.59).
Most indicated a need for additional support provided by the pantry site, including school supplies (n = 48), hygiene and toiletry supplies (n = 47), and cooking utensils (n = 47).
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICY, PRACTICE, AND RESEARCH
Results of the study highlight the establishment of a reliable 10-item overall satisfaction scale that can be used by other institutions to measure overall student satisfaction with the on-campus food pantry services received. The lowest satisfaction among students was associated with the selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, which may be particularly important considering the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption, diet quality, and chronic disease. Students’ reporting of additional support needs that could be offered at the pantry may point to the important role on-campus food pantries can play in meeting other needs.
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Are we meeting college student food pantry needs? A new measurement of student satisfaction with their campus food pantry has been developed that can be used by other colleges and universities. #foodinsecurity #college #highereducation #foodpantry #satisfaction #evaluation Read for free! https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2024.133.027
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Photo above: Students at the University of San Francisco food pantry in December 2023. Photo by Flickr user David Silver; used via CC license. |
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The COVID-19 pandemic tested the resilience of food systems, especially in vulnerable communities in the developing world where the livelihoods of many household heads were negatively affected, resulting in economic hardship. In a new JAFSCD commentary, Assessment of households’ food consumption strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ilorin-South LGA, Kwara State, Nigeria, the authors examined the effects of the global crisis on existing household food dynamics in a metropolitan area of Nigeria. The study on which the commentary is based was conducted in 2022 and focused on assessing the food consumption strategies adopted by households in Ilorin-South Local Government Area, Kwara State, Nigeria, during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
The questionnaires for the study were administered to heads of households and explored information about their occupations, family size, and the specific economic situation of the households during the pandemic. Food behavior information was also sought to help deduce how COVID-19 affected households in the target population in terms of food availability, accessibility, and utilization. Those among the respondents who reported that the COVID-19 pandemic caused changes in the food consumption patterns in their households were asked to give further information about this in terms of changes in size and frequency of food consumption. In addition to the impact on food security of large family size or high number of dependents in a household, some other factors observed to have contributed to changes in food utilization and consumption patterns include drops in market arrivals of food items, increase in food prices, and changes in the frequency of purchases due to the lock-down directives restricting movements.
The occurrences of food reduction and meal-skipping as shown by the study reveals the urgent need to strengthen food systems at community level in order to build resilience and forestall hunger crises due to problems of availability and affordability of food, as was the case during the pandemic. To this end, a number of recommendations were made in the commentary.
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Valuable insights into the challenges faced by households during the COVID-19 pandemic emphasize the importance of proactive measures to strengthen food security and build resilience at the community level. There is especially a need for targeted interventions to enhance food security in vulnerable communities, such as those in rural Nigeria. A recent commentary by authors O. P. Babafemi and A. L. Kehinde sheds some light on how to build a more resilient and sustainable food supply chain as well as prevent widespread hunger during crises. Read the @JAFSCD commentary for free: https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2024.133.024
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Photo above: A Vitamin A cassava, Nigeria. Vitamin A cassava is yellow in color compared to the less nutritious varieties, which are white. Photo by HarvestPlus and used under CC license.
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| A shout-out for JAFSCD's own social media amplifier! |
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Since April 2023, Elizabeth Dean has been serving as JAFSCD's Associate Editor of Outreach & Engagement. She has taken the lead on producing the JAFSCD News Flash, has increased our communication with authors and our social media activity, and has developed an outreach and engagement plan. We greatly appreciate her contributions to promoting the important work of JAFSCD authors!
Elizabeth is a voraciously curious and compassionate advocate who believes that equity and advocacy are fundamental for long-term change, and that in order for us to build a just and meaningful food system we must first confront the systemic oppression, exclusion, and exploitation of our modern neoliberal paradigm. Elizabeth received her master's in food policy from the University of London, has worked in food systems in Portland, Oregon, and is now farming on her family's land in Ohio as well as consulting to JAFSCD and the World Food Programme.
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News from JAFSCD's Partners |
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The Carolina Hunger Initiative of JAFSCD Partner University of North Carolina Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention is supporting innovations that help schools and community organizations put food directly in the hands of North Carolinians who need it. It uses programming, applied research, and compelling communications to support policy, systems, and environmental changes that more readily connect people with the food they need.
Learn more about the Carolina Hunger Initiative's research and programming here. |
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A project of JAFSCD Partner Center for Environmental Farming Systems, EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems (EMFS) launched in 2019 to focus on expanded opportunities and capacity for food and farm businesses across western North Carolina. In 2024, a new program phase was launched in 12 regional counties and with the Qualla Boundary of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. A regional supply chain assessment led by Appalachian State University provides the structure to enhance the regional food supply chain, focusing on food hubs, farmers markets, commercial kitchens, and commissaries. The assessment will inform infrastructure and training programs for stakeholders throughout the region. Learn more about this project and CEFS here.
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JAFSCD is seeking additional partners to support our open-access publishing of evidence-based food systems research through an annual contribution. Contact Editor-in-Chief Duncan Hilchey for details!
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