Exploring power dynamics in a food bank in Bolivia. A case study during the Covid-19 pandemic

Abstract

Hunger reduction, a universal goal, is often pursued through the concept of food security, which partially shifts the responsibility from national states to food banks. However, the active involvement of various stakeholders in food banks is frequently overlooked. The first waves of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee on World Food Security to acknowledge the necessity of stakeholders´ participation in achieving food security. Despite the significant influence of power relations on the operations of a food bank, there is a shortage of evidence on the role of power relations among stakeholders in food banks, particularly in developing countries. Therefore, this paper delves into the power dynamics among actors in a food bank in a metropolitan region in Bolivia (Plurinational State) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and their impact on the food sovereignty of the actors and the region. Our research was guided by an analytical framework based on Gaventa’s Power Cube and the definition of food sovereignty from the Declaration of Nyéléni. We employed rigorous qualitative research methods, including participatory observation and semi-structured in-depth interviews, over three months in an iterative process. Our findings reveal that power relations can enhance the food distributed by the food bank, but they can also limit the agency of actors, particularly the most vulnerable, such as women and children, leading to constraints in food access. These power relations were influenced by trust among actors, their motivations and needs, cultural and spiritual values, and their presence in social media.