Nourishing equality

Researching economic differences and food security in two neighbourhoods in Amsterdam

Food insecurity, "the inability to obtain adequate food in quantity and quality because of a lack of money or other resources," is a prevailing global issue (Frongillo, Nguyen, Smith & Coleman-Jensen, p.330, 2019). While (household) food insecurity has been historically prevalent in most developing countries (Grimaccia & Naccarato, 2019), it is now a significant public health concern in developed countries too, affecting 8-20% of the population. Besides being expensive, it also has far-reaching consequences that affect people beyond the most vulnerable in society (Richard, Kjærnes & Vik, 2016). Pollard & Booth (2019) state that a large number of countries are lacking the political will to thoroughly recognize the problem and adequately respond to this.

With developed countries enjoying economic wealth and the ability to cultivate food in abundance, the assumption is commonly made that residents of these countries don’t experience food security. Nevertheless, economic inequalities are soaring in economically developed countries (Richard et al., 2016; Jaumotte, Lall & Papageorgiou, 2013). It is asserted that growing social inequalities—especially poverty—result in food insecurity, being "primarily a matter of unequal distribution" (Richard et al., 2016, p.61; Burns, 2004; Carolan, 2013).

To date, the literature on food security focuses primarily on regions where poverty and hunger are acute, such as South America, Africa, and Asia (Richard et al., 2016). As such, this study seeks to contribute to this literature by focusing on food security in developed countries. To do so, the following research concentrates on two districts of Amsterdam—the prosperous capital of a wealthy country.