AMPLIFY SPOTLIGHT: DR. SONYA SHARIFIFARD
The global food system is complex and involves multiple actors and processes. The local food environment impacts food security and accessibility through:
The emergence of public and private food banks and food pantries.
Food waste and food policy.
Food system activities related to food services and distribution; and
their relationship to food and nutrient security
These factors differentiate the food environment and include the importance of the design of cities and neighborhoods, specifically, the benefits of structurally, economically, and geographically diverse food systems. Food products needed for sustainable food banks, food pantries, and food services have been limited and impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Food banks and food pantries play a specific role in reducing the impact of food insecurity. Food donations can frequently affect the types of food items needed or preferred by the respective community. Some essential foods necessary for a household can become challenging to acquire as the supply of adequate, nutritious, and multiethnic foods become less accessible and less affordable across neighborhoods and communities consisting of food deserts.
Food deserts also contribute to the lack of food in areas of limited macronutrient content. In that same respect, the implications of the values portrayed by food programs, institutes of public higher education, and agricultural organizations can help bridge public-private sector partnerships as well as the convergence of public health concerns. While it is challenging to determine how diverse populations in urban, suburban, and rural areas would benefit from various food stores and food products, a lack of multiethnic food products in select food banks would limit improving the food environment overall. Food providers also vary across states and municipalities concerning the global food system. Prolonged dietary intake consistent with nutritional recommendations affects the relationship between the environment and dietary patterns (Tom et al., 2016).
Recurring disparities in food environments further contribute to the lack of healthful, nutritious, and specialized foods. The lack of grocery stores and specialized food stores contribute to the problems of food and nutrient security differently. On average, the variety of convenience stores, easy-to-prepare, and ready-to-go snacks has increased, while the time spent on food preparation has decreased. Social influences and food behaviors of a community affect the purchasing behaviors of individuals in one area and their nutritional decisions (Leonard et al., 2014).
Food banks could help develop culturally relevant partnerships with their communities. The immediate or direct changes in the retail food environment, the supply chain, and the global food system can also assist policymakers, educators, and researchers in exploring immediate risks associated with social disparities and help with identifying areas that can become food deserts.
It is further essential to consider the best needs and outcomes for patrons. How individuals with specific nutritional needs or dietary restrictions continue to alter or improve some aspects of their regular diets without risking the quality of the foods they consume could help public health outcomes and agricultural policies. Individuals can also learn more about the global food system and its impact on their local communities.
Dr. Sonya Sharififard is a 2022 AMPLIFY Fellow.
Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Dr. Sonya Sharififard (she/her) is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Pepperdine University. Her research focuses on international policy and food systems. Dr. Sharififard has co-authored book chapters in New Horizons in Positive Leadership and Change (Springer 2020) and Workplace Spirituality and Fulfillment (Palgrave 2018). She has presented at major international conferences and has served on the review panel of global institutions in North America, Europe, and Asia, including the American Educational Research Association (AERA), the Academy of Management (AOM), and the International Leadership Association (ILA).
Dr. Sharififard holds a Ph.D. in Global Leadership and Change from Pepperdine University, and a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Woodbury University. Her dissertation explored the role of food pantries at public colleges and universities.
The Pacific Council on International Policy launched AMPLIFY in February 2022 as a leadership development program that provides learning and networking opportunities to early to mid-career professionals who have traditionally been underrepresented in foreign affairs. Through AMPLIFY, the Pacific Council aims to cultivate local-to-global leaders, strengthen diversity in foreign policy, and be an accelerator for local-to-global initiatives from the western United States.
UPDATED: AUGUST 2022