Changes in food access by mestizo communities associated with deforestation and agrobiodiversity loss in Ucayali, Peruvian Amazon

Genowefa Blundo-Canto (), Gisella S. Cruz-Garcia (), Elise F. Talsma (), Wendy Francesconi (), Ricardo Labarta, Jose Sanchez-Choy (), Lisset Perez-Marulanda (), Paula Paz-Garcia () and Marcela Quintero ()
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Genowefa Blundo-Canto: International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
Gisella S. Cruz-Garcia: International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
Elise F. Talsma: Headquarters and Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Office
Wendy Francesconi: International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Lima Office
Jose Sanchez-Choy: Universidad Nacional Intercultural de la Amazonia
Lisset Perez-Marulanda: International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
Paula Paz-Garcia: International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
Marcela Quintero: International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)

Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, 2020, vol. 12, issue 3, No 13, 637-658

Abstract: Abstract Few longitudinal studies link agricultural biodiversity, land use and food access in rural landscapes. In this paper, we test the hypothesis that, in a context of economic change, cash crop expansion is associated with deforestation, reduced agrobiodiversity and changes in food access. For this purpose, we analysed data collected from the same 53 upland and floodplain mestizo households in Ucayali, Peru, in 2000 and 2015. We found an emerging transition towards less diversified food access coupled with loss of forest cover and reduced agricultural biodiversity. In 2015, diets appeared to rely on fewer food groups, fewer food items, and on products increasingly purchased in the market compared to 2000. Wild fruits and plants were mentioned, but rarely consumed. Agricultural production systems became more specialised with a shift towards commercial crops. Peak deforestation years in the 15-year period appeared linked with incentives for agricultural expansion. Our results suggest an overall trend from diversified productive and “extractive” systems and more diverse food access, towards specialized productive systems, with less diverse food access and stronger market orientation (both in production and consumption). The assumption in the food and agricultural sciences that increased income and market-orientation is linked to improved food security, is challenged by our integrated analyses of food access, agrobiodiversity, land use and forest cover. Our results highlight the importance of longitudinal, multidimensional, systemic analyses, with major implications for land use, food and health policies. The potential risks of parallel homogenisation of diets and agricultural production systems require interdisciplinary research and policies that promote integrated landscape approaches for sustainable and inclusive food systems.

Keywords: Food security; Household dietary diversity score; Agrobiodiversity; Ecosystem services; Land use change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1007/s12571-020-01022-1

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