Unhealthy Aid: Food Security Programming and Disaster Responses to Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu

ABSTRACT

In this paper, I examine the disconnect between government and NGO responses to Cyclone Pam, and previous healthy food initiatives in Port Vila, Vanuatu. Decades of nutrition education programs across Vanuatu have urged families to limit their consumption of tinned meat and imported food in favour of locally grown fruits and vegetables. These dietary guidelines call on families to watch their food consumption in order to raise healthy children and avoid serious non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. In spite of these guidelines, the food aid offered after Cyclone Pam, on which many ni-Vanuatu depended, consisted primarily of imported white rice, tinned meat, and instant noodles – foods previously labelled unhealthy in nutrition education campaigns. Humanitarian agencies often envision disaster relief as a short-term intervention. However, the cyclone exacerbated inequality across Port Vila, magnifying socioeconomic disparities and associated food insecurity that existed before the cyclone, forcing many families to rely reluctantly on unhealthy food aid. Drawing on research conducted over several fieldwork trips from 2010 to 2016, I discuss food security and nutrition programs in Vanuatu and how ni-Vanuatu families interpreted disaster relief efforts in the context of existing nutrition programming. I argue that disaster preparedness has not accounted for the values promoted in nutrition education programs, the health needs of the community, or food preferences. I conclude with a call for the creation of culturally appropriate responses to natural disaster relief efforts so as to promote sustainable food security measures.

KEYWORDS:

• Food security
• disaster relief
• food aid
• Cyclone Pam
• Vanuatu

Acknowledgements

Profound thanks to my ni-Vanuatu friends and colleagues, without their generosity and support this work would not be possible. Thank you to Christopher Ballard, Siobhan McDonnell, Maëlle Calandra and the participants at the 2017 European Society for Oceanists conference, where this work was first presented, and to the anonymous comments of two helpful reviewers.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 I carefully considered the ethics of travelling to Vanuatu to complete this fieldwork so close to the date of cyclone Pam, as I did not want to add to the challenges the ni-Vanuatu community was facing. After talking with friends in Vanuatu, and with advice from the Vanuatu Cultural Centre who granted my research permit, I was assured that sufficient time had passed that my presence would not cause harm. This might have been different had I proposed to conduct research within two to four weeks of the cyclone. I did budget for additional food expenses to address rising costs, and like the ni-Vanuatu I worked with, I had extremely limited access to any fresh fruits and vegetables while conducting this research.

2 Participants included parents and grandparents who served as the primary caregiver for at least one child under the age of five. Participants lived in neighbourhoods across Port Vila, and the peri-urban villages of Pango and Mele, revealing perspectives of people with varying access to garden land, and from a variety of income and employment backgrounds. For comparison purposes, I reached out to interlocutors who previously contributed to my research, interviewing them about their experiences in the cyclone and changes in food security (total interviews N = 29). I also interviewed several aid workers, and three ni-Vanuatu women working in international aid offices. Finally, I conducted participant observation at aid distribution centres, community events, the Port Vila Central Hospital paediatric ward, and well-baby clinics.

Additional information

Funding

Funding from the Hewlett Foundation supported my 2015 fieldwork, and comparative data was collected with funding from High Point University, the University of Pittsburgh, and the IIE Fulbright Program.