Migrant Remittances, Food Security and Inclusive Social Development in Jamaica
摘要
This chapter raises questions about the implications of migration for inclusive social development in Jamaica, based on an assessment of the relationship between remittances and food security at the household level. Emphasis is placed on whether remittances have made a difference in reducing the food insecurity associated with poverty and thus could contribute to inclusive social development. A city-wide survey of Kingston was conducted based on a sample of households in communities spanning different socioeconomic sectors to provide the data. Since there were the highest levels of food insecurity among the poorest households, the correlations between remittance receipt and poor household food security were measured. Although there was no evidence of a trend in migrant remittances that promote food security to the extent that they would contribute to inclusive social development, cash and food remittances were of considerable importance in mitigating the consequences of poverty by improving the levels of food security existing among the urban poor.