This document summarizes a study evaluating food security in South Caicos, Turks and Caicos Islands. The study used interviews to investigate how socioeconomic factors like poverty, employment, and food prices relate to food insecurity. Results found that food insecurity correlated with high poverty levels, unstable employment, and reliance on expensive imported food due to a lack of local agriculture. To improve food security, the study recommends reducing poverty, increasing nutrition education, and strengthening local food production.

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Evaluating Food Security in South Caicos: Exploring Levels of Poverty Through a Socio-
Economic Lens
The School for Field Studies
Center for Marine Resource Studies
South Caicos, Turks and Caicos Islands
Macey Rafter
University of California, San Diego
August 5th
, 2016

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Abstract
With global population numbers exponentially increasing every century many nations have
recognized that food security is emerging as an important worldwide issue. Today many nations
face levels of impoverishment that prohibits people from living a healthy and active lifestyle. In
Caribbean nations, food insecurity is developing as a result of low national incomes, increasing
poverty levels, and lack of safe and adequate access to nutritious food. The Turks and Caicos
Islands, located in the West Indies, currently face major problems with food insecurity due to
changes in the economy and lack of a stable food regime. South Caicos is a region that primarily
relies on international and domestic imports as their source of food to provide for local shops and
restaurants. This study used a variety of interviews as data to investigate the socio-economic
problems that contribute to food insecurity in South Caicos. Information gathered from the local
interviews was compared and contrasted to current literature about food security and poverty that
exists in Turks and Caicos and other Caribbean nations. The results of the study found that food
insecurity is closely correlated with levels of impoverishment, prices of food, and lack of
employment. Alternative solutions should ultimately be developed to allow for a more productive
and nutritious food regime in South Caicos and contribute overall to a globally inclusive system
of food security.
Key Words: Caribbean, Food Security, Nutrition, Poverty, Social Class, South Caicos, Turks and
Caicos Islands

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Introduction
Stable food security persists among nations when people have physical, social, and
economic access to food that allows them to live a healthy and productive lifestyle (Schmidhuber
and Tubiello 2007: 19703). Many Caribbean nations are facing problems with food security due
to several major factors: decline in crop exports, poor land productivity, dependence on imported
foods, increasing pockets of poverty, and low nutrition in daily diets (Beckford 2012: 26). The
Turks and Caicos Islands, part of the British West Indies, over the last few centuries have faced
significant shifts economically and agriculturally that have affected the food regime across the
islands. Exploitation of natural resources such as salt and marine protein prohibited an
establishment of stable food regime leading to dependence on international markets and physical
trade (Smith In Review: 3). The island of South Caicos currently lacks a stable food system and
relies heavily on international imports as their source of food for local households, markets, and
restaurants. Evidently, increased levels of poverty and lack of nutrition proved to have a correlation
with the consumption of large amount of international imports that are low in nourishment.
This study aims to investigate the socio-economic factors that affect food security in South
Caicos, specifically looking at levels of poverty in correlation to different occupations. To evaluate
the levels of food insecurity and poverty, interviews with twenty-two local citizens and people
who reside in South Caicos were conducted with a variety of questions. The questions were
designed to examine how food security was effected of local imports, occupations, poverty, and
different levels of income. The data and responses were compared and linked with existing
literature to determine how food security is influenced by socio-economic factors. Overall, the
interviewees reported that most of the struggles they experienced came from the high prices of
food locally and the process of acquiring food on the island from outside sources and other

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surrounding islands. My own analysis of the socio-economic factors led me to conclude that most
of the food insecurity on the island is evident in households that lack sufficient incomes and
experience unstable employment. Food insecurity evidently was also created by the lack of a strong
food regime in South Caicos. Opportunities to decrease levels of poverty, implement nutritional
education, and strengthen agriculture and farming were concluded as possibilities to take action
on for the future of South Caicos and surrounding Caribbean nations.
This paper begins with a literature review that outlines a background of food security on
global and national level then focuses deeper on the Turks and Caicos Islands. Next the
methodology describes in detail the methods used to investigate food security through a socio-
economic lens. The data analysis presents the information gathered from the twenty-two interviews
of local citizens and compares it to literature and statistics that evaluate levels of poverty and food
insecurity in South Caicos. Finally, the paper is concluded with a section that refocuses the purpose
of the research projects and suggests recommendations and solutions to improve the food regime
of South Caicos and create an even distribution of food across the world.
Literature Review
Food security is defined as the ability to access safe and adequate foods that meet
nutritional requirements and allow for a healthy and productive lifestyle (Gilliford, Nunes, and
Rocke 2006: 2). However, it has long been established that the state of food security is not evenly
shared by the world’s population in the way that the definition requires. Global food security within
the last century has become a prime issue in the developing world that has caused about 800 million
people insufficient access to food (Pinstrup-Andersen et al. 2001: 7). The Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations (FAO) projected that by 2030 the amount of people facing
food insecurity worldwide will be half of what it is today (Pinstrup-Anderson et al. 2011: 7). To

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achieve this, it is suggested that countries begin to adopt policies and interventions that keep up
with the rapid urbanization and growing world population (Pinstrup-Anderson et al. 2011: 10).
Population growth is expected to increase by 24%, reaching 7.5 billion in 2020 (Pinstrup-Anderson
et al. 2011: 10). As a result, there will be an even greater demand for increased productivity and
technology to allow for increased global food security and keep up with the growing population.
Currently the majority of people facing food insecurity are impoverished, concentrated in rural
areas, and rely on farming as their primary incomes and nutrition (Pinstrup-Andersen et al. 2011:
9).
While there is concern of food security on the continental mainland, there has been
particular focus on developing countries, and in particular small developing islands archipelagos;
as their characteristics increase the possibility of food insecurity (Pingali and Stringer 2003). Many
nations in the Caribbean, for example, are facing food insecurity due to declines in land
productivity and soil erosion, which effects the amount of food that can be provided locally
(Beckford 2012: 28). These nations also face dependence on imported foods and rising levels of
poverty resulting from falling incomes in traditional export sectors (Beckford 2012: 28). Some
Caribbean nations, such as Jamaica, have had land capable of producing food for local
consumption, creating incomes, and supplying nutrition (Beckford 2012: 26). Jamaican food
security in the past has not been dependent solely on international imports however, currently
Jamaica and almost every other country in the Caribbean Community and Common Market
(CARICOM) have faced urgent food security challenges (Beckford 2012: 27). In Trinidad and
Tobago, a short household food security survey done by Gulliford, Mahabir and Rocke (2004)
revealed that 25% of the subjects were classified as food insecure. This food insecurity was
associated heavily with low incomes and poverty. Countries like Trinidad and Tobago, import

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most of their food from America: a situation which was led to changes in dietary habits and
dismantled restrictions on trading (Gulliford, Mahabir and Rocke 2004: 2). Relying on imports can
also have negative economic consequences and relying on one nation for food makes it hard to
negotiate around price increases as there is a lack of competition among suppliers (Jones and
Walters 2012: 13). This becomes a particular problem for people who are facing poverty and low
incomes who cannot afford price variations. Depending heavily on imported food increases the
negative impact of any fluctuations within the global economy: particularly those that increase
food prices or reduce income earned from exports (Beckford 2012: 29).
The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) in the West Indies have long relied on international
imports as their main source of food security (Smith In Review). Historically, the geography of
the islands allowed for exploitation of natural resources – salt and marine protein – that did not
allow for an establishment of stable food production (Smith In Review: 3). The high levels of
salinity led to less vegetation with very few animals, forcing them to disregard agriculture or
farming as a source of food (Paddock and Smith 2016: 7). The Turks and Caicos Islands
Development Strategy reported that over 90% of the food currently consumed in the TCI by value
is imported from the United States, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic (Turks and Caicos
Development Strategy 2013: 24-25). This becomes a large issue regarding food security because
of the heavy reliance on other nations to provide food at prices that are affordable for residents in
TCI. As production and interest in farming on the land becomes less popular, alternative resources
must be found to create a stable foundation for food security in TCI. The TCI economy is more
focused on tourism and financial service sectors as the country’s main source of income (Halcrow
Group Limited 2012: ES4). In 2011, tourism and financial service sectors in TCI accounted for
over 70% of the gross value added (GVA) which represents the income from the area based on

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goods and services (Halcrow Group Limited 2012: ES4). This is an example of uneven distribution
of food security worldwide where certain nations have economies based on different services that
may not contribute directly to the productivity of its citizens.
The TCI Poverty Assessment highlights the Minimum Cost Food Basket (MCFB) which
is the cost required to provide an adult male with a balanced diet of around 2,400 calories a day.
The government of the Turks and Caicos Islands and Caribbean Development Bank derived two
main poverty lines based on household incomes (Halcrow Group Limited 2012: ES8). The first
line is severe poverty defined by purely the minimum food requirements and averages at about US
$5.50 per day and $2000 per annum. The second line is defined by general poverty levels that
allows some non-food expenditures such as utilities or housing which averages at about $18.20
per day and $6,650 per annum (Halcrow Group Limited 2012: ES8). Most of the poverty in TCI
comes from factors that the government cannot often controls but also comes from poor
governance. The poverty stems from high rates of unemployment and / or reduced working hours
and wages (Halcrow Group Limited 2012: ES15). According to studies done by the poverty
assessment, “60% of households are currently having problems paying for at least one essential
household expense: utilities (46%), food (29%), housing (26%), and transportation (23%)”
(Halcrow Group Limited 2012: ES8). The Turks and Caicos poverty profiles reveal that about 87%
of poor households are facing poverty because their households are too large or contain children
(Halcrow Group Limited 2012: 71). Food security becomes a problem for families that are too
large to support nutritional and balanced meals that are affordable while still providing non-
expenditures. Households are struggling to find an adequate diet that allows for them to live a
productive and healthy lifestyle.

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Of the different islands of TCI, in South Caicos – along with North and Middle Caicos –
approximately 40% of the total population is facing poverty, while 31% of the households are
facing poverty (Halcrow Group Limited 2012: 60). Specifically, in South Caicos, vegetables can
be very expensive, which is problematic because it is high in nutritional value (Halcrow Group
Limited 2012: 130). The Senior Citizens Association (SCA) proposed planting small gardens in
order to start improving the diets and health while also reducing the costs (Halcrow Group Limited
2012: 60). By taking small steps to improve the health and diets, it can also reduce the costs that
can allow for allocations for other non-expenditures. In order to find a solution to the food security
in South Caicos and the remaining Caribbean islands it must be taken into consideration what
economic, environmental, and political actions can be taken place to allow for people to be able to
afford the minimum basic requirements for a productive lifestyle. By examining and understanding
the different social classes among South Caicos and understanding the breakdown of daily
expenses, strategies can be put into place to find solutions to achieve stable food security and
reduce the percentages of people that struggle to provide for their households. This study will
investigate how food security varies by socio-economic categories and determine what steps can
be taken to lower the amounts of food insecurity and overall poverty for South Caicos.
Methodology
The goal of this study was to evaluate if there is a relationship between levels of food security
in South Caicos and socio-economic parameters. The main objectives were to:
1. Analyze to what extent food security in South Caicos is effected by people’s socio-
economic status and how does their social class limit the availability of food and the
amount of nutrition they receive?

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2. Examine how the different levels of income contribute how much allocation is given
toward food expenses.
3. Develop alternative ways to make food more available and less expensive for the people
of South Caicos.
Living in South Caicos for four weeks allowed my fellow researchers and I to experience the
different levels of food security on the island through direct observation. Our experiences also
allowed us to draw conclusions on the way that food was sold and processed on the island. Visiting
local shops and restaurants allowed us to observe variations in food, prices, and accessibility.
Personal interactions in each of the markets and restaurants allowed us to develop knowledge on
the types of foods that were sold and how the prices may vary from our normal expectations.
The data generated for this study was constructed through twenty-two interviews with local
citizens of South Caicos with a variety of different stakeholders, food consumers, and food
growers. Some examples of occupations included local shop keepers, sports facilitator, local public
school vice principal, employees of School for the Field Studies, and the public health nurse.
Interviews were arranged for students from School for the Field Studies based on a community
contact list that allowed us to meet with them locally. As the research began, we also used
snowballing as a technique in order to find other contacts who had interest in our study.
The questions for the interviewees were created from student research assistants and co-
investigators from School for the Field Studies based on specific research questions regarding food
security in South Caicos. Questions were developed from three teams of approximately nine to ten
researchers who each spent three days generating data. Each of the students read articles regarding
the food regime in South Caicos and discussed relevant topics that could be asked in order to gain
knowledge to help answer the co-investigators specific research questions. As researchers, we

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developed questions at two levels: the questions asked of the case as a whole (level 2) and the
questions directed specifically to the interviewees (level 1) [Yin 2009: 87]. Once the level one and
level two questions were developed, they were sent to the principle investigator in order to be
checked.
The questions in the interviews focused primarily on food security drawing from the personal
experiences of each of the interviewees. The interviews were semi-structured: open ended but
followed an “interview schedule” covering a list of various topics (Bernard 210). Semi-structured
interviews allowed for control over the questions being asked but also allowed for the respondents
to go in a different direction if it was applicable to the research. Examples of some the questions
included: “Is fresh food available on the island?” and “Is a health a priority for people living in
South Caicos?”. Some of the questions also targeted how food security is relevant in each of the
interviewees’ occupations and daily lives. The questions were meant to assess and draw knowledge
from the experiences of the interviewees in order to develop conclusions on the overall food
security in South Caicos. As researchers, we had to take into account the ethical practice of
interviewing by making sure to be completely open with how we are using the information and to
not remain unclear or deceptive. Interviewees were asked if the data could be recorded for analysis,
but if denied detailed notes would replace the audio data. The information being gathered from the
interviews was presented to the interviewees as being anonymous for the study. Data would be
strictly used to analyze the overall food security for the island in order to find alternative solutions.
Initial limitations to the interviews being conducted would be my position visiting as a student
and non-belonger of South Caicos. Disadvantages of semi-structured interviews can result from
the interviewer effect, or the way that people respond differently depending on how they perceive
the interviewer (Denscombe 2007: 178). In particular, the sex, age, and ethnic origins of the

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interviewer can have a bearing on the amount of information the interviewee is willing to reveal
(Denscombe 2007: 184). Another limitation could have been an overall bias to the questions being
answered, altering the validity of the responses. Most of the interviewees came from a collective
contact list from the School for the Field Studies, making the interviews limited to a specific
network. This becomes a limitation because the study isn’t accessing a pool of other possible
interviewees who may not be local contacts from SFS. Interviews can also often be time-intensive,
taking time to conduct the interviews, transcribe them, and analyze to develop overall conclusions
(Boyce and Neal 2006: 3-4).
The data processing consisted of manually hand written notes, quotes, digital audio recordings,
and manually typed scripts. All of the data collected was organized by the name of the interviewee
and was available for all of my fellow researchers and I to access for our specific research
questions. Some of the scripts contained questions that followed similar themes while others went
into more specific questions based off of our different research topics. After reading each of the
interviews, distinct patterns and themes were evident based on the responses and then were
categorized by each of the interviewees occupations. Establishing linkage between the topics lead
to themes such as how food security effected their daily lives and occupations, if they have faced
any problems based on their social standing, and if there is any struggle to access certain foods on
the islands.
In order to draw overall conclusions, the next step was to use inductive analysis comparing the
data to relevant statistics, literature, and previous research on food security in Turks and Caicos
and other Caribbean nations. The summarized information gathered from the interviews was
compared to statistics of food security from the government of the Turks and Caicos Islands and
how it affects the levels of poverty on South Caicos. By developing the different levels of food

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security based on the data from the interviews, conclusions could be made to connect food security
with the amount of poverty that South Caicos faces. Using the existing literature and input from
the different interviewees, overall goals could be developed to create strategies and new
alternatives to improve the food security on South Caicos and reduce the levels of poverty.
Data Analysis
Numerous themes emerged from the study based on evidence that was provided by the
interviews from local citizens of South Caicos. Many of the interviewees provided responses that
were similar in terms of problems with the local food that is imported internationally and the lack
of farming and agriculture. Comparing the data to the existing statistics and literature concerning
poverty and agriculture of the Turks and Caicos Islands it was evident that South Caicos is less
productive in agricultural development compared to the other islands and surrounding nations in
the Caribbean. Although South Caicos is one of two islands in TCI that has fish processing plants
(Turks and Caicos Development Strategy 2013: 26), fish was not reported to have been purchased
as much because of its price compared to other poultry. The low amount of agriculture directly
impacts the amount of imports that are ordered to the island in order to support the food regime on
the island.
The clearest and most prominent issues in food security in South Caicos is from lack of
resources and the extensive process of obtaining food on the island. Seven of the interviewees
reported that they have had numerous problems with the shipments of food to South Caicos and
are concerned with the process because of the expenses and length of time the shipments take to
get to the island. One of the local shop owners outlined the process of importing foods, highlighting
that most of the food is primarily shipped to Providenciales but never directly to South Caicos.
The food comes in “every two weeks” and sometimes there have been instances where the

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“shipments arrive late”. Most of the imports to the island are dictated by the orders made from The
School for the Field Studies. One of the employees for SFS reported that since their order is the
largest, it dictates when the rest of the imported food is going to be brought to South Caicos. More
problems that arise come from the costs of transportation internationally from outside countries,
to Provo, then to South Caicos. Another shop owner reported that there is a “customs duty on about
on every item that comes into the country” along with paying shipment costs. The Turks and
Caicos Islands Development Strategy (2013) reported that import duties are generally levied
between 25% and 45%. The overall process of bringing imported food creates many difficulties
where some locals have experienced “food pallet mix ups” and food that “has arrived significantly
late”. A majority of the interviewees reported that in order to avoid the shipment costs and hassle
of ordering food they would travel into Providenciales and “stock up on food for a few months at
a time”. International imports are evident in controlling the food regime in South Caicos providing
an inconvenient system for the local people.
The process of ordering food to South Caicos also produces problems with the prices that
are available in the local shops. After direct observation, my fellow researchers and I experienced
firsthand the price variations in local snacks, vegetables, and drinks. Many of the interviewees
complained that any food that is sold in the shops is too expensive to buy daily, forcing them to
visit Providenciales or pay the extra costs for food because they are unable to afford weekly
transportation across islands. As a result, local citizens are forced to allocate a large majority of
their income for food, making it difficult to pay for other expenses such as electricity and water.
One of the interviewees reported that the elderly on the island “have problems purchasing food
because of their age” because they rely on insurance checks monthly. To help with the elderly,
some of the local churches started “creating food baskets” to help contribute to the elderly

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struggling to purchase food. The elderly population also struggles with lack of transportation
around the islands and have other expenses that are necessary to be paid such as health care and
medicine (Halcrow Group Limited 2012: ES14). It is evident that the elderly in South Caicos have
one of the largest difficulty paying for expenses on their own, making their levels of poverty just
as significant as the younger generation of 15-24 years (Halcrow Group Limited 2012: ES11).
Most of the elderly expressed in the interviews how the changes in food have varied within
their lifetime, expressing how the food was natural; vegetables and poultry was readily available.
Compared to North and Middle Caicos, there is hardly any agricultural development on the island
due to “saltiness and the climate”. Five of the interviewees reported they or someone they knew
attempted to grow food such as bananas, tomatoes, and melons but overall they haven’t been
successful. A majority of the interviewees reported that if it was possible they “would like to grow
their own food on the island”, but because of the circumstances they are forced to find alternative
solutions. The government of TCI reported that there are only 15 full-time farmers and 80-part
time farmers in Turks and Caicos as a whole, making agriculture scarce across all the islands
(Turks and Caicos Development Strategy 2013: 24). Several shopkeepers noted that the
“government needs to step in” and help start building a foundation for farming on South Caicos.
As a result of less agriculture, many of the younger citizens of South Caicos have grown
accustomed to eating food on the island that is either imported or cooked locally. Some of the
elderly interviewees expressed concerns with the amount of sugar and fat content in the food sold
in the local stores and restaurants that contributes to the poor health of younger children and adults
in South Caicos. A few girls in a local shop were interviewed and reported that “almost every
weekend they eat out the local restaurants” that sell jerk chicken, fried food, and conch fritters.
One of the employees of the local public school expressed that when the children bring their own

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lunch to school “very few of them bring healthy foods” and often what they bring is either “chips
or capri sun”. She expressed that the main concern in schools are the children who are
underprivileged who “don’t bring any food to school”. Lack of nutrition in the present population
becomes a large social issue that could reflect on future generations not only in South Caicos but
also on a global level. In Turks and Caicos as a whole, approximately 30% of 10-14 year olds
transitioning from elementary to high school were overweight or at risk for being overweight
(Halcrow Group Limited 2012: 37). Obesity was also reported as one of the most critical medical
issues growing across the Caribbean, concentrated greatest in women and the poor (Halcrow
Group Limited 2012: 242). In order to combat obesity among the poor and younger generation,
exercise and nutrition was stated to start to emerge in the local public schools in South Caicos.
One of the local sports facilitators explained afterschool programs “play a big role in health of the
kids on South Caicos”. He proposed that even “before sports games we try to start with something
that impact the kids” and “we even tell the teachers to keep them hydrated and give them a balance
diet”. The social development officer also reported that there is a great concern for “more
nutritional awareness” on the island necessary to avoid friend foods being consumed daily by
islanders. Additionally, he claimed that he remembers people in the past being healthier when they
“ate more locally grown foods” allowing them to live longer lives. Education on nutrition is
necessary for all social classes present on South Caicos in order to create healthier ways of life and
reduce levels of obesity among the community.
The trends in food insecurity from the data was evident within the groups of individuals
who had seasonal jobs or struggled to pay expenses. One interviewee reported that food often was
not the problem, but they “faced problems having enough water and paying electricity bills”. Most
of the local shopkeepers and restaurants owners reported that they never experienced any really

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struggles in obtaining food however the food they often ate was not rich in nutritional value. One
interviewee reported that sometimes they only ate “one meal per day” in order to lose more weight
because they felt unhealthy. A local public school teacher stated that some of the children whose
fathers are fisherman “often struggle during times when fishing season is closed” and they need
the extra expenses to fix their boats. As a result, the public schools try and provide extra meals and
help those children whose families are facing food insecurity due to other expenses.
In comparison, wealthier individuals with more stable occupations expressed having the
capability to travel to different islands frequently, allowing them more access to food with more
nutritional value. Often interviewees also implied that they had many family members and friends
on different islands that would help them import foods to South Caicos. Often food purchased
from Providenciales was “lower in prices had more variety” then the food available on South
Caicos. Working as a collective effort they would be able to access the fruits and vegetables that
were grown on North and Middle Caicos, allowing them to avoid the expensive prices of the local
shops.
In many of the interviews, the concept of fisheries came up as a solution to solving food
insecurity and the economy for South Caicos. One of the interviewees building a fish processing
plant expressed that fishing plays “an important role in the islands” and expressed that the
“employment rate is very low” on South Caicos. He stated that his intention of building the
processing plant was to “give more power back to the fisherman” and allow for more occupations
in the fishing industry. In the Turks and Caicos Islands Development Strategy created by the
government, one of the proposals created was to “stimulate the economy of South Caicos” using
commercial fishing and create jobs and incomes (Turks and Caicos Development Strategy 2013:
26). Creating more occupations in the fishing industry would allow for more stability in the

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households who struggle with food security. Households struggling with food would be able to
easily obtain a job that can bring them a stable income.
There was specific linkage between the levels of poverty compared to the occupations and
incomes of the interviewees of the study. Most of the people who acquired stable jobs in South
Caicos and surrounding islands were able to provide a variety of food for their households because
they had the capability to travel and had access to cheaper vegetables and nutritional food staples.
The majority of the poverty found in the young and elder generations comes from unstable
households and incomes, leading to lack of nutrition and poor health. Overall, there is a great
demand for health and education and distribution of food and other social assistance to those facing
poverty in Turks and Caicos (Turks and Caicos Development Plan 2012: 29). One goal of this
research will be to provide alternative solutions to the food insecurity on the island of South Caicos
that can improve the health and well-being of its citizens.
Conclusions and Recommendations
South Caicos is currently facing food insecurity due to lack of agriculture and dependency
on imports from international markets. The purpose of this study was to study the personal
experiences of local citizens on South Caicos to gather alternative solutions to food insecurity and
poverty in South Caicos and Turks and Caicos. The study drew data from twenty-two interviews
with the local citizens of a variety of different occupations age categories. Using the data and
themes found from the interviews, conclusions were developed based on the in depth responses of
the interviewees and their suggestions to improve the food regime and overall well-being of the
island. Direct observations and interactions with the local citizens were also used to evaluate the
overall food security and levels of poverty of the island. The data was compared with a variety of
existing literature centered around food security world-wide, in the Caribbean, and in the Turks

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and Caicos Islands. Using the collected data and literature, improvements to food security on South
Caicos were developed to create alternative solutions of how it can be improved in the future.
Trends found in the interviews were separated by several different topics that revealed
common themes as well as problems that interviewees face regarding food on the island. The study
revealed that many people in South Caicos are involved in lengthy and unreliable processes to
receive their food that often has low nutritional value for such expensive prices. The difficulty to
obtain food has forced people to buy from other islands in Turks and Caicos because they aren’t
forced to pay an alternative fee to get the food shipped from Providenciales to South Caicos.
Evidently, the data concluded that the most expensive food item to purchase locally was
vegetables, which also plays an important role in a healthy diet. Based on linkages between the
different interviews, there was a high correlation between food insecurity relating to people facing
financial difficulties leading to poor nutrition among those who are classified as poor or
impoverished. Ultimately, citizens are not able to obtain proper amounts of food often because of
their income which can be effected by a variety of factors such as availability of jobs, age, and
social class.
Throughout many of the interviews, there were several suggestions that the government of
the Turks and Caicos should begin to implement policies and programs to help provide access to
more secure food on the island. Agriculture was the main concern of the citizens who felt as if
government wasn’t helping develop farming specifically in South Caicos. Although the conditions
of the land have created difficulties, suggestions to import fertilizers and soil nourishments were
made to start implementing agriculture in the economy. Increasing the number of farmers in South
Caicos and Turks and Caicos as a whole would ultimately lead to reducing the amount of imports
needed for food groups such as fruits and vegetables. I believe that developing agriculture would

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not only reduce the amount of money spent on food but can alternatively improve the nutrition of
South Caicos as a whole, lowering levels of obesity among the population.
Another way to alternatively build the economy in South Caicos would be to expand the
fishing industry which would allow for more occupations and more exports, but also allow for the
community to be able to consume fish as a source of protein. Throughout several of the interviews,
there were concerns that some of the fishers working in processing plants and had to purchase
more adequate equipment which took away from the amount of money they could allocate towards
food. Building a strong foundation for the fisheries in South Caicos creates a large amount of jobs
for individuals who may not need as much skill to be qualified but are still able to bring in a steady
and reliable income.
The two age groups reported that face the most amount of poverty and food insecurity
across the Turks and Caicos Islands were the elderly and the younger generations. Elderly who are
reliant on insurance checks or retirement should be able to still have access to nutritional foods
without having to travel far. Developing local food banks through social services or churches is
one solution to decrease the amount of elderly facing food insecurity because of alternative
expenses. Having a wider variety of nutritional food available locally can allow for not only
stability for the elderly population but can also benefit the entire population. After analyzing data
regarding local public schools and nutrition, it was evident that programs should be implemented
to provide schools with education on nutrition and the benefits of eating healthy. Also encouraging
exercise and activity outside of school can help improve the well-being of the younger generations
and decrease rates of childhood obesity in Turks and Caicos. Focusing on the younger generations
is important to establish a healthy and nutritional food regime that can be passed down in order to
continue harvesting the culture of food.

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While the study focused primarily on South Caicos, the programs and recommendations
made by local citizens would likewise benefit the island and surrounding Caribbean nations. The
food industry as a whole can create jobs for people and allow for a successful and healthy lifestyle.
Reducing levels of poverty can be achieved primarily by allowing greater access to food and
keeping levels of food availability consistent throughout the world. Food security as a global issue
can be addressed by understanding and examining socially how people’s occupations, households,
and lifestyles all contribute to the amount of access they receive to obtain nutritional and
inexpensive food.

21. 21
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