Food Security Poster

Author: Abigail Burch | Majors: International Business Economics and German | Semester: Spring 2023

My name is Abigail Burch, and I am studying International Business Economics in the Walton College of Business with an additional major in German and a minor in International Economic Development. My mentor is Dr. Amy Farmer from the department of economics, and I have also worked with Dr. Nalley in the Agricultural Economics department on this project. The island country of Mauritius relies on imported food to sustain both its population and tourism industry, leaving them especially vulnerable to climate change, supply chain issues, and inflation. COVID-19 had a profound impact on the economy, shutting down their tourism industry and slowing down the supply of goods imported to the island. I conducted Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved surveys in Mauritius during the summer 2022 semester with the purpose of analyzing dairy consumption on the island as well as food security and how it was affected by the global pandemic. This fall I continued to work with the data we collected and used our analysis to create a poster that I presented at the Southern Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meeting in February.

I travelled to the SAEA conference in Oklahoma City, where my poster was on display for presentation. In the days before my presentation, I was able to sit in on research presentations relating to international economic development, willingness to pay, and economic modeling. It was incredible to see the scope of issues and questions that agricultural economics applies to. The presentations were made by both graduate students and professors, with only a few other undergraduates presenting. I hope to continue my education by completing a master’s degree in agricultural economics and rural development at the University of Arkansas, and this conference allowed me to explore the types of projects I will be working on for my master’s thesis. In discussions relating to data analysis and modelling, I was excited to see the practical application of models and concepts that I have already learned about in my undergrad education.

The event provided many opportunities for networking which I found extremely valuable. My team and I talked to important people from the U of A who are involved in the Bumpers College, as well as professionals from different states across the south. My group members and I are all female, and it was especially meaningful to have the opportunity to speak to other women in agricultural economics. Not only did we speak with professors and researchers, but we also spoke with many other graduate students. It was particularly interesting to talk to the international students, as they each had unique experiences and perspectives that led them to study in the United States and ultimately to presenting their research at the SAEA conference.

As we presented, we had the chance to talk about our research with people who really believed it mattered. Through discussions, we identified areas of improvement for the next team of students who will expand upon our initial surveys. It was extremely valuable to me to be able to engage in discussions about my work and be regarded as a competent researcher. I would encourage future students who go to this conference to be ready to talk and learn, and to sit in on as many presentations as possible!