Use of Formal and Informal Food Resources by Food Insecure Families in Lima, Peru: A Mixed-Methods Analysis

M P Santos,V A Paz-Soldan,J D Brewer,M P Chaparro,M A Lopez

doi:10.1007/s10900-021-00989-y

Abstract

The goal of this study was to measure food insecurity among families with children in a low-income district of Lima, Peru and to identify the formal and informal food resources available to them that may affect their food security status. In June-July 2019, we collected data from 329 randomly selected households in Villa El Salvador (Lima, Peru). Following a mixed methods approach, we found that the percentage of households using food assistance programs (FAPs) increased with increasing levels of food insecurity, but two FAPs were heavily used by households regardless of food (in)security. The main reasons for using FAPs included financial need, already being signed up in the program, and believing that the food was of nutritional value; the main reasons for non-use were finding the program unnecessary, dislike or poor perceived quality of the food, and not being able to sign up for the program. Similarly, informal food resources, such as buying food on credit or receiving food from someone outside the household, were incrementally used with increased levels of food insecurity. Our study clarifies the relationship between level of household food insecurity and FAP use – FAPs more commonly used by food insecure households were used because of financial need, whereas the FAPs most commonly used by food secure households were those with automatic enrollment. At a programmatic level, our research highlights the need for making nutritious and preferred foods available in FAPs and standardizing the application of enrollment criteria.

Highlights

Food security “exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences” [1]
Given that severe food insecurity in Peru is increasing among the urban poor [16] and that people living in urban poverty have unique experiences and challenges related to food insecurity [26], the goal of this study was to identify the formal and informal food resources available to, and used by, food insecure families living in an urban poor district of Lima, Peru
Our study aimed to identify the formal and informal food resources available to, and used by, food insecure families living in an urban poor district of Lima, Peru

Summary

Introduction

Food security “exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences” [1]. In 2019, 2000 million (over 25%) of people Both FAP use and use of informal food resources have a bi-directional relationship with food insecurity – these resources are more likely to be used by those who are food insecure, but their use can lead to decreased food insecurity. States has shown that participation in FAPs can lead to decreased household food insecurity [9, 10]. In terms of informal food resources, previous research has shown that greater social capital and being a member of an organization were associated with decreased risk for food insecurity, since families with these characteristics frequently participated in meal sharing [11,12,13]. Studies in rural parts of Ethiopia, Nigeria, and the United States found that food insecure households are more likely to borrow money than food secure households [13,14,15]

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