When the shock hits: Migrant workers faced food accessibility issues – qualitative research in Central Vietnam

The COVID-19 pandemic was a major shock and introduced significant hurdles in food access for migrant workers. There is a notable lack of research in Vietnam that delves into the food access issues encountered by returned migrant workers. Viewing food access as a crucial component of overall resilience, our study employed interviews and discussions to gain insights into the experiences of migrant workers. Our findings highlight the substantial difficulties faced by nearly all migrant workers. The primary impediment to food access was financial constraint. Culture and habits related to food storage and the failure to register place of residence also emerged as significant barriers, leading to disparities in the distribution of food assistance among migrant workers. These results offer valuable insights for mitigating the challenges related to food access for migrant workers. We recommend that policymakers and governments consider these findings when designing and implementing food security programs tailored to the needs of this vulnerable population.