Sustainable food management in island tourism: Lessons from Home-Based Café (HBC) in Terengganu small islands
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss1pp83-98Abstract
Background and Purpose: Despite global initiatives, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end hunger by 2030, food security remains a critical issue in small islands heavily reliant on tourism. These islands are highly vulnerable to climate change, natural disasters, market fluctuations, and inefficient food distribution systems. In Malaysia’s small island destinations, such as Perhentian Islands and Redang Island, limited local resources and dependence on mainland supplies further challenge small-scale food businesses, including home-based cafés (HBC), to sustain their food security. Guided by the four pillars of food security theory, this study explores food security challenges and coping strategies on rural small islands.
Methodology: Adopting a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews with 17 HBC operators on Perhentian Islands and Redang Island were thematically analyzed using ATLAS.ti software.
Findings: Our study confirmed that food security pillars (availability, accessibility, utilization, and stability) contributed to the understanding of food security in HBCs on small islands, and poor food supply chains negatively impact food security and sustainability of HBCs. Our findings exposed key food security challenges, such as high reliance on mainland goods, expensive island living costs, the monsoon season, and high tourism dependency. Findings further highlighted several coping strategies involving supply chain management, operational adjustments, and financial management, focusing on people-centered strategies.
Contributions: This study suggests that the lack of integrated supply chain management involving local island communities and relevant agencies increases the potential threat of food insecurity, thereby affecting the overall sustainability of HBCs on islands.
Keywords: Food security, Food tourism, Home-based café, Sustainability, Small islands.
Cite as: Shamsull Anuar, N. F. A., Jaafar, S. N. A., Ab Karim, M. S., Aziz, N., & Wan-Hafiz, W.-Z.-S. (2026). Sustainable food management in island tourism: Lessons from Home-Based Café (HBC) in Terengganu small islands. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(1), 83-98. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss1pp83-98
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