Impact of Community-Supported Agriculture on Rural Household Food Security and Welfare

Thesis Abstract

Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) initiatives are increasingly promoted as pathways to enhance rural household food security and welfare by strengthening local food systems, improving income diversification, and fostering resilient agricultural practices. The study addresses the persistent gaps in understanding how CSA participation translates into measurable improvements in dietary adequacy, food access, and non-market welfare outcomes among rural households in a representative agriculture-dependent region. The aim is to quantify the impact of CSA involvement on household food security status, income stability, and subjective welfare, while unpacking the mechanisms through which these effects operate. Specific objectives are (i) to estimate the average treatment effect of CSA participation on household food security indicators using a propensity score matching framework; (ii) to assess the impact of CSA on household dietary diversity, expenditures on food, and per capita protein intake; (iii) to examine changes in household resilience and risk management, including asset accumulation, savings behavior, and coping strategies; (iv) to identify mediating factors such as access to fresh produce, membership duration, and program quality; and (v) to explore potential heterogeneous effects by household characteristics (land size, farmer type, and gender of household head). The methodology adopts a mixed-methods design anchored in realist and human capital theoretical perspectives. A cross-sectional survey will be conducted with 600 rural household heads drawn from 40 CSA-affiliated farms and 600 matched non-CSA households within the same agro-ecological zone. Sampling will employ stratified random sampling for CSA participants and nearest-neighbor matching for controls, ensuring balance on baseline covariates including farm size, education, and prior income. Data collection will utilize a structured questionnaire to capture food security status (using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale), dietary diversity (Household Dietary Diversity Score), expenditure patterns, income sources, asset ownership, and perceptions of welfare. In-depth interviews with 40 key informants (CSA coordinators, extension agents, and participant households) will provide qualitative insights into program design, governance, and perceived impacts. Instrument validity and reliability will be ensured through pre-testing, expert review, and pilot studies, with Cronbach’s alpha and inter-item reliability assessed for composite scales. For data analysis, descriptive statistics and chi-square tests will describe sample characteristics. Propensity score matching (nearest-neighbor and caliper matching) will estimate the average treatment effect on the treated (ATT) for primary outcomes. Multivariate regression models (linear and logistic) will quantify relationships between CSA participation and dietary diversity, food security status, and welfare indicators, controlling for confounders. Mediation analysis will test whether access to fresh produce and program engagement mediate the CSA–welfare link. Thematic analysis will be applied to qualitative interview transcripts to triangulate quantitative findings and illuminate contextual mechanisms. The study integrates a conceptual model where CSA participation influences welfare through improved food access, income diversification, social capital, and risk mitigation, moderated by household-specific factors. Key expected findings include (i) a significant reduction in moderate to severe food insecurity among CSA participants relative to non-participants, (ii) higher dietary diversity scores and lower expenditure volatility, and (iii) enhanced asset accumulation and savings behavior linked to CSA-based income streams and producer-consumer linkages. The study contributes to knowledge by providing robust empirical estimates of CSA’s welfare gains, clarifying the channels of impact, and highlighting conditions under which CSA is most effective. It will inform policy debates on rural food system resilience, agricultural community programs, and targeted support for CSA models that maximize welfare benefits, particularly for smallholders and female-headed households. The conclusion anticipates that well-structured CSA programs, with transparent governance, reliable produce distribution, and supportive local markets, yield measurable improvements in food security and welfare. Recommendations include scaling evidence-based CSA practices through policy incentives, capacity-building for CSA coordinators, investment in logistics and cold-chain facilities to preserve produce quality, and targeted outreach to vulnerable households to increase equitable access and sustained participation.