The contributions of civil society to food security in the context of COVID-19: a qualitative exploration in Uruguay

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the present work was to explore and analyze the actions implemented by civil society to contribute to food security in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak in Uruguay, a high-income country in South America. Design: An exploratory systematic approach was used to identify the contributions of civil society to food security through reports in news websites and Facebook posts. Data were analyzed based on content analysis following a deductive-inductive approach. Setting: Uruguay, Latin America. Results: A total of 1220 civil society organizations were identified, which developed two main actions to increase access to food among the Uruguayan population: food baskets and “community pots” (also known as “common pots”). Most of the initiatives targeted citizens under socioeconomic vulnerability in the face of COVID-19, without specifying any specific requirement or population segment. Actions were mainly led by spontaneously organized community groups, and, to a lesser extent, by consolidated organizations. Interactions between organizations were identified. The foods provided by the organizations were mostly aligned with national dietary guidelines. Social media posts evidenced that the main challenge faced by organizations was related to the lack of funds or supplies. Conclusions: Results from the present work suggest that the lack of funds or supplies poses challenges to the medium- and long-term contributions of civil society to food security and stresses the need for comprehensive governmental measures to guarantee food security among Uruguayan citizens.