Food Issues in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Abstract

Food issues have become more important in the context of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adopting the social survey and non-traditional security issue approaches, the study seeks to examine the precarity of people residing in Ho Chi Minh City, and is focused mainly on community food issues in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also aims to investigate the situation in Ho Chi Minh City during the coronavirus period and examine food security issues within urban settings as a feasible solution to food and nutrition concerns in Ho Chi Minh City during the 4th wave of SARS-CoV-2. Research shows that people in Ho Chi Minh City have faced many economic difficulties and limited food access during the pandemic, and witnessed changes in the procurement of food resources. The autonomic response pattern of people is to grow their own edibles at home. Indeed, policies and support from local authorities still need to play a more decisive role in ensuring food security for the city when there is a crisis similar to COVD-19 in the future.