Addressing food insecurity in Mississippi through urban and semi-urban agriculture
Introduction:
Food insecurity in the United States' urban regions is a developing issue that has
impacted millions of residents across the country. However, when it comes to treating poverty
and malnutrition in the United States, many urban counties are frequently overlooked and do not
receive adequate funding to feed residents (USDA.gov 2018). As a result, many families lack the
resources to fend for themselves and their families. Holmes County, Mississippi, for example, is
one of America's most impoverished counties.
Food security is becoming increasingly of concern for Holmes County citizens. According to the
Department of Agriculture in the United States of America, roughly 6,500
people in Holmes County, Mississippi, are food insecure (USDA.gov, 2018).
While there is a lack of public awareness about issues surrounding urban and semi-urban
agriculture, expanding urban agriculture for low-income and food-insecure communities can
improve their health and nutrition conditions, food insecurity in the United States' urban areas is
a growing problem that has impacted millions of citizens nationwide. Urban agriculture could
provide a solution by providing nutritious food, creating jobs, improving the environment, and
making good use of unoccupied lands in urban settings.
Research Methodology: Qualitative research methodology
Qualitative research methods are primarily exploratory and are used to understand the underlying
motivations, attitudes, and behaviors of a particular group of people. This research will employ
qualitative methodologies to ascertain people's perspectives on urban farming and the elements
that contribute to poor nutrition.
I would conduct exploratory research to understand the feasibility of urban and semi-urban
agriculture for low-income and food-insecure communities. The study will explore the
following.

Urban situation: What kind of city/building structure is in the proposed project’s
neighborhood?

What is the social situation of the population in the proposed project’s neighborhood?

How are the Agro-ecological (“technical”) conditions for the project activity (e.g.,
climate, soil, water, irrigation possibilities….)?

Which vegetables/plants could be produced?

Is it vital to use unique or innovative technology in your production process?

What kind of specific needs/requirements/necessities do the potential project participants
have, e.g., the population in the project's neighborhood (especially those that the project
takes into account)?

What kind of expectations or wishes would have potential project participants, e.g., the
population in the neighborhood towards the project?
Results and implementation:
The research focus area is Holmes County, Mississippi. We are targeting this area as it is
amongst the most vulnerable areas in the country characterized by extreme poverty and prevalent
food insecurity. Holmes County has the second highest unemployment rate in the Mississippi,
the state which ranks the seventh in terms of unemployment rate amongst the whole United
States. Also, Mississippi had the lowest median annual household income of any state over the
five years through 2013, at just $39,031 — no other state had a median income of less than
$40,000. A typical household in Mississippi's poorest county, Holmes, earned just $22,325
annually over that period. Area residents also suffered from high poverty rates. More than 43%
of Holmes residents and 62.4% of children lived in poverty between 2009 and 2013, both among
the highest rates reviewed.
Moreover, the community of Holmes County, Mississippi is affected by unemployment, crime,
discrimination, lack of opportunities, police violence and insecurity. Once our project is
successful in Holmes County, Mississippi; we aim to expand to other areas of the country based
on the need.
In Holmes County, Mississippi the practice of urban and semi-urban agriculture is nonexistent, and this remains one of our greatest challenges. Therefore, there is a need to expose and
attract communities to urban and semi-urban agriculture and its
value addition for health and well-being, income generation and poverty alleviation within the
Holmes County, Mississippi. We will generate this exposure and attraction to the industry
through public awareness, education and participatory community gatherings that includes the
following:

Launch a public awareness campaign about issues that surround urban and semi-urban

Agriculture.

Launch an effort to disseminate information about urban and semi-urban agriculture
through the community radio, television, and the written online and offline media.

An extensive effort in the areas of education and training, both formal and informal.
The Urban and Semi-Urban Agriculture to Redress Food Insecurity is innovative
program which opens new horizons to the food and agriculture industry. By implementing this
program the local and state governments in partnership with Nonprofit organizations could tackle
the problem of malnourishment and hidden hunger in the Holmes County, Mississippi.
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