The emerging critique of alternative food networks (AFNs) points to several factors that could impede
the participation of low-income, minority communities in
the movement, namely, spatial and temporal constraints,
and the lack of economic, cultural, and human capital.
Based on a semi-experimental study that offers 6 weeks of
free produce to 31 low-income African American households located in a New Orleans food desert, this article
empirically examines the significance of the impeding
factors identified by previous scholarship, through participant surveys before, during, and after the program. Our
results suggest economic constraints are more influential in
determining where the participants shop for food than
spatial and temporal constraints, and the study participants
exhibit high levels of human and cultural capital regarding
the purchase and consumption of locally grown produce.
We also find them undeterred by the market’s predominantly White, middle-class cultural social space, which
leads us to question the extent to which cultural exclusivity
discourages their participation in AFNs. For all five factors
we find that the constraints posed to accessing the local
food market were not universal but varied among the
participants. Finally, the study reveals some localized
social constraints, fragmented social ties in particular, as a
possible structural hurdle to engaging these residents in the
alternative market in their neighborhood. Conclusions
point to the need for a multi-dimensional and dynamic
conceptualization of ‘‘food access.’’
The emerging critique of alternative food networks (AFNs) points to several factors that could impedethe participation of low-income, minority communities inthe movement, namely, spatial and temporal constraints,and the lack of economic, cultural, and human capital.Based on a semi-experimental study that offers 6 weeks offree produce to 31 low-income African American households located in a New Orleans food desert, this articleempirically examines the significance of the impedingfactors identified by previous scholarship, through participant surveys before, during, and after the program. Ourresults suggest economic constraints are more influential indetermining where the participants shop for food thanspatial and temporal constraints, and the study participantsexhibit high levels of human and cultural capital regardingthe purchase and consumption of locally grown produce.We also find them undeterred by the market’s predominantly White, middle-class cultural social space, whichleads us to question the extent to which cultural exclusivitydiscourages their participation in AFNs. For all five factorswe find that the constraints posed to accessing the localfood market were not universal but varied among theparticipants. Finally, the study reveals some localizedsocial constraints, fragmented social ties in particular, as apossible structural hurdle to engaging these residents in thealternative market in their neighborhood. Conclusionspoint to the need for a multi-dimensional and dynamicconceptualization of ‘‘food access.’’
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