Local Farmer Perspectives on Improving Produce Distribution Networks in Low-Income Urban Settings

Abstract

Abstract Objectives The Baltimore food system includes small hyper-local urban farms within city limits, larger local farms surrounding the city, and ubiquitous corner stores particularly in low-income neighborhoods of the city. In this system, farmers mainly reach consumers through farmer's markets that are only open for a limited number of hours per week, seasonally, and may not be adequate for meeting the needs of low-income households with low access to fresh produce. To address this gap, our team is working to develop a mobile application (app), called the Baltimore Urban food Distribution (BUD) app, that will provide a platform for farmers to sell their produce directly to corner stores for resale. Our present aims were to: (1) understand farmer's current interactions with corner stores; (2) explore perceived challenges that the BUD app may pose to farmers; and (3) pinpoint how the BUD app can sustainably expand farmers’ market base to include corner stores. Methods After designing a BUD app prototype based on formative research, 1-hour in-depth interviews were conducted with hyper-local and local farmers. Farmers were asked about their current distribution practices within Baltimore and perceived challenges in adopting the app. Farmers were then shown the prototype and asked to provide input on user-friendliness, and interest level in future use of the app. Results Local farmers currently have little to no interaction with corner stores. Interviews revealed that local farmers did not want the responsibility of delivering produce to corner stores due to long travel times. Choosing a central location for pickup by corner store owners, such as a farmer's market, could address this. Farmers liked app features such as product info pages and alerts for deals to support market expansion to corner stores. Social networking opportunities within the app can help foster sustainable relationships among local farmers and corner store owners. Conclusions A stronger distribution network is needed to facilitate increased access to fresh produce in low-income urban settings and strengthen connections between local farmers, corner stores, and consumers. Mobile technology offers a promising approach to improve food distribution between local farmers and corner stores and should be further explored. Funding Sources NHLBI, NIH, award number R34HL145368.