from the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
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In a new JAFSCD viewpoint commentary, Is food sharing a better measure of social capital in some contexts?, author Lilly Zeitler discusses the shortfalls of the World Bank’s tools for measuring social capital — and proposes food sharing as an alternative measure.
Doctoral candidate Zeitler shares her attempt (and failure) to pilot the World Bank’s core social capital questionnaire in Indigenous Pgaz K’Nyau communities in Northern Thailand. Responses to the World Bank’s core social capital questionnaire elicited too little variation, were too difficult to answer, or were not applicable to the context.
During participant observation, food sharing emerged as a cornerstone of social networks, relations, and capital. The author argues that, in some contexts, food sharing offers a viable alternative measure of social capital. The commentary argues for caution in adopting ready-made survey questionnaires and proposes tailoring context-specific, scale-sensitive, and culturally appropriate survey questions. SHARE ON YOUR SOCIALS:
A new viewpoint article published in @JAFSCD argues that #foodsharing is a better measure of #socialcapital in some contexts. Reflecting on her failed attempts to pilot the World Bank’s core social capital questionnaire in Indigenous Pgaz K’Nyau communities in #Thailand, @LillyZeitler argues for tailoring context-specific and culturally appropriate survey questions. Read the full @JAFSCD article for free: https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2025.144.002
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Photo above: Neighbors share a pot of sesame sticky rice at a Pgaz K’Nyau New Year’s celebration (December 30, 2024) in Northern Thailand. Photo by Lilly Zeitler. |
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JAFSCD peer-reviewed article by Milena Almeida Vaz (Federal U of Paraíba), Hemerson dos Santos Vitorino (State U of Piauí), Natacha Oliveira de Souza (Federal U of Paraíba), Jéssica Aretz Cunha Rodrigues da Silva (Federal U of Paraíba), and Denise Dias da Cruz (Federal U of Paraíba)
Family farmers in Brazil’s semi-arid region depend on ecosystem services to support their agricultural and livestock activities. Their understanding of and appreciation for nature’s benefits, both in provision and cultural aspects, highlight the role these services play in their livelihoods and community well-being. Recognizing this connection is important for developing policies and practices that support both environmental conservation and the ability of rural populations to face challenging climatic conditions.
In a new JAFSCD article, Family farmers' environmental perceptions of ecosystem services in the Brazilian semi-arid region, authors Milena Almeida Vaz, Hemerson dos Santos Vitorino, Natacha Oliveira de Souza, Jéssica Aretz Cunha Rodrigues da Silva, and Denise Dias da Cruz present the initial results of an exploratory study in partnership between the community and the university, which aimed to explore, document, and categorize family farmers’ perceptions and valuations of ecosystem services in northeastern Brazil. Corresponding author Milena Almeida Vaz can be contacted at myllenavaz@gmail.com.
KEY FINDINGS
To analyze farmers’ perceptions of ES, a word cloud and a semantic network were constructed. The word cloud is an analysis that lists the most important words in a category and where the size of the words highlights their citation frequency. A semantic network demonstrates the perceived connections between different elements. Of the four categories of ecosystem services: Provision: The main services cited by the farmers were directly related to agriculture, with the production of corn, beans, and cassava, and use of water being the most visible services.
Regulation: Farmers perceived the forest as regulating water maintenance in the environment and, less clearly, the soil.
Cultural: All the services seem to have the same degree of importance to farmers. They mentioned valuing moments of leisure in direct contact with nature.
Support: The support category received the fewest mentions, but the practice of saving seeds was perceived as very important. Two other elements in this category, soil fertilization and animal manure, also appeared with some prominence, demonstrating the significance of these practices for sustainability and agricultural productivity in the region.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICY, PRACTICE, AND RESEARCH
Implement effective public policies to improve farmers’ quality of life, based on provisioning and cultural services, as these were the services most perceived by them.
Farmers know little about regulation services, so it would be interesting to carry out research to understand in more detail how they deal with these services and what actions they use to cope with climate change.
Environmental education work is essential to help change perceptions and raise awareness of ecosystem services, whether projects are aimed at adults or children. It is necessary, for example, to work on questions about the relevance of insects for agriculture or the importance of forests for climate regulation and water availability.
SHARE ON YOUR SOCIALS In a new JAFSCD article, family farmers in Brazil’s semi-arid region recognize the role of nature in their livelihoods, valuing the ecosystem services that sustain both work and culture. The authors found that environmental education work is essential to help change perceptions and raise awareness of ecosystem services, whether projects are aimed at adults or children. |
Photo above: Family farmers at a flour house, peeling manioc to produce flour, an important local practice that integrates culture and way of life. Photo by Milena Almeida Vaz, with consent from all participants. |
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Books available for review
Like to review a book and share your thoughts with JAFSCD’s readers? Fill out the quick review query form linked on our home page (right margin, Engage with JAFSCD > Propose a Book Review). You can also use the form to suggest other books, films, or reports for review. The selected reviewer receives a free hard copy or e-book!
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Nourishing Resistance: Stories of Food, Protest, and Mutual Aid, edited by Wren Awry
From the publisher:
"From the cooks who have fed rebels and revolutionaries to the collective kitchens set up after ecological disasters, food has long played a crucial role in resistance, protest, and mutual aid. Nourishing Resistance centers these everyday acts of culinary solidarity. Twenty-three contributors—cooks, farmers, writers, organizers, academics, and dreamers—write on queer potlucks, rebel ancestors, disability justice, Indigenous food sovereignty, and the fight against toxic diet culture, among many other topics. . . . They look to the past . . . and the future, speculating on postcapitalist worlds that include both high-tech collective farms and herbs gathered beside highways."
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Junk Food Politics: How Beverage and Fast Food Industries Are Reshaping Emerging Economies, by Eduardo J. Gómez
From the publisher:
"Why do sugary beverage and fast food industries thrive in the emerging world? . . . Despite government commitment to eradicating noncommunicable diseases and innovative prevention programs aimed at reducing obesity and type 2 diabetes, sugary beverage and fast food industries are thriving. But political leaders in countries such as Mexico, Brazil, India, China, and Indonesia are reluctant to introduce policies regulating the marketing and sale of their products, particularly among vulnerable groups like children and the poor. Why?"
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How to Create a Sustainable Food Industry, by Melissa Barrett, Massimo Marino, Francesca Brkic, and Carlo Alberto Pratesi
From the publisher:
"This book presents a practical guide to help businesses navigate the complex topics of sustainability in the food industry. The book takes you on a journey along the food value chain, from farm to fork, exploring key opportunities to increase positive impacts and circularity at each step of the journey. Written by a team of authors with decades of experience in the food industry and academia, it provides guidance on how to analyze sustainability across the value chain and life cycle of a food product and how to design, implement and communicate strategies to customers. Furthermore, the book shows that there are not always straightforward solutions, but rather choices and trade-offs that require an understanding of what is best suited to the product, customers and business in question."
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Be part of a sustainable solution!
Our food system is not sustainable and must be transformed. Climate change, corporate control, resource depletion, and food insecurity threaten communities worldwide. Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Sustainable Food Systems & Security (SFSS) graduate certificate equips you with the knowledge and perspectives to make an impact as a sustainable food system leader.
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Explore KPU’s SFSS program | |
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