Philippine E-Journals

FOOD AVAILABILITY AND ACCESS THROUGH PARTICIPATORY INTERVENTION: DESCRIPTIVE QUANTITATIVE EVIDENCE FROM METRO MANILA

Mariel M Gagarin

Discipline: Food Security

 

Abstract:

Food availability and access is one of the pillars of food security. By evaluating the performance of the National Food Authority in Metro Manila, the study argues that participatory intervention is the key toward an improved food security program. Quantitative data were gathered from poor communities, particularly from 400 respondents living below the poverty line as determined by Department of Social Welfare and Development. Results showed that there is a low level of implementation of the NFA food security program. In particular, the evaluation results of the effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability of the program are low, which respectively revealed the mean results of 1.95, 1.87, 1.94 and 1.91. Tis evaluation discloses several components of participatory intervention: treatment of poor communities as equal partners; having a flexible policy or program of action for targeting and services; mixing of evaluation, intervention and participation components; and support linkages. The initial findings about participatory intervention critically delineate the fusion between govern mentality and state regulation approaches to promote a more effective food security program.