Resilience, Islandness and Food Systems in Small Island Developing States: A Study of the Maldives

Abstract

Islands have long been depicted as vulnerable, and lacking in resources, power, and adaptive capacity. Despite recent shifts away from these perspectives, in the context of food systems in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), such assumptions persist and continue to obscure understandings of their ability to adapt and recover from socio-economic and environmental changes. In addressing this gap, this thesis assesses the opportunities and challenges to achieving a resilient food system in the Maldives. It challenges conventional discourses of SIDS as especially vulnerable to socio-economic and environmental changes and lacking agency and power. The thesis illustrates the ways in which islanders in the Maldives – an interesting and distinctive case - build and maintain resilience in the face of everyday and sudden disruptions to their food system. Specifically, this thesis examines the organization of the food system in the islands, people’s perceptions of the risks and challenges to the food system, and the ways in which the government, local councils and communities respond to those risks and challenges to build and maintain resilience. This thesis is theoretically grounded in the Socio-Ecological Systems (SES) resilience framework and theories of islandness. It takes a place-based, human-centric approach to studying resilience, based on qualitative analysis of people’s perceptions, lived experiences and responses to challenges to their food security. It draws on ethnographic material gathered from two case study islands in the Maldives - Felidhoo and Magoodhoo Island - and is based on semi-structured interviews and observations of everyday life in those islands. This thesis contributes to the growing body of literature that foregrounds the resilience of islands, illustrating that islandness does not make SIDS ‘inherently’ vulnerable, but can also present opportunities to build and maintain resilience. With a focus on the Maldives, this thesis highlights resilience to food system shocks and disruptions in SIDS, based on three factors; multi-scalar connectivity, social and cultural norms that enhance everyday agency within island communities, and multi-level, adaptive governance in response to risks and sudden shocks.

Date of Award	17 Oct 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Uma Kothari (Main Supervisor)