Roadside sales activities in a South Pacific Island (Bora-Bora) reveal sustainable strategies for local food supply during a pandemic

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 18; no. 4; p. e0284276
• Main Authors: Minier, Lana, Fourrière, Manon, Gairin, Emma, Gourlaouen, Alannah, Krimou, Stéphanie, Berthe, Cécile, Maueau, Tehani, Doom, Milton, Sturny, Vincent, Mills, Suzanne C, Lecchini, David, Bertucci, Frédéric
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 27.04.2023; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Animals; Biodiversity and Ecology; Biology and Life Sciences; Bora; Commercial fishing; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; Earth Sciences; Environmental Sciences; Evaluation; Fish; Fisheries; Fishing; Food products; Food security; Food Supply; Global Changes; Hotels & motels; Humans; Impact analysis; Imports; Meals; Medicine and Health Sciences; Natural resources; Pacific Islands; Pandemics; People and places; Polynesia; Restrictions; Roadsides; Sales; Tourism; Pacific Islands; Polynesia; Bora-Bora; France; French Polynesia; Pandemics; Vegetables; Pacific Islands; Marine fish; COVID 19; Islands; Food; French Polynesia
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284276

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the reduced exports and imports as well as the lack of activity due to the interruption in the international tourism economy seriously impacted food security in many Pacific Islands. People often returned to natural resources to provide for themselves, their families, or to generate income. On Bora-Bora Island, the major tourist destination in French Polynesia, roadside sales are widespread. Our study analyses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on roadside sales activities through a census of roadside stalls on the five Bora-Bora districts conducted before (January and February 2020), during (from March 2020 to October 2021) and after (from November to December 2021) health-related activity and travel restrictions. Our results showed that the marketing system for local products (fruits, vegetables, cooked meals, and fish) increased in the form of roadside sales during the COVID-19 in two of the five districts of Bora-Bora. Roadside selling would be an alternative system for providing food to the population at Bora-Bora during a global crisis and that could reveal itself sustainable after this pandemic.