Conference abstract

The development of an evidenced based street-food vending model within a socio-ecological framework

Pan African Medical Journal - Conference Proceedings. 2017:2(1).23 Aug 2017.
doi: 10.11604/pamj-cp.2017.2.1.40
Archived on: 23 Aug 2017
Contact the corresponding author
Keywords: Street foods, nutrition, hygiene, environment
Oral presentation

The development of an evidenced based street-food vending model within a socio-ecological framework

Jillian Hill1,&, Zandile Mchiza2, Nelia Steyn3

1Non Communicable Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa, 2Population Health, Health Systems and Innovation Research Programme Human Sciences Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa, 3Division of Human Nutrition, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

&Corresponding author
Jillian Hill, Non Communicable Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa

Abstract

Introduction: the overall aim of this research study was the development of a street food vending model (SFVM) that considers nutrition, hygiene/safety, business and operational aspects of street-food vending. An evidence-based approach, i.e. "systematically collected proof", was used to inform the development of this model.

Methods: street vendors and consumers were interviewed about preferences, selling and purchasing habits followed by observations of practices (phase 1). Interviews and focus groups were conducted with government officials and literature was reviewed to determine available regulations and policies for street food vending (phase 2). Participatory methods involving street food vendors were used to validate the findings and inform the development of the SFVM (Phase 3). The data from the previous phases were integrated within a sociological framework to develop the proposed SFVM (phase 3). The components of the proposed SFVM consists out of four parts i.e. a business component, a food and nutrition component, a hygiene component and a vending cart.

Results: the four components take into account various elements of the socio-ecological framework, namely intrapersonal/individual, interpersonal, the physical environment/community as well as the policy environment.

Conclusion: the proposed SFVM should be piloted, evaluated, adapted and rolled out on a big scale to test its effectiveness.