Bridging Agriculture and Wellbeing

Theophilus earned The International Association for Society and Natural Resources (IASNR) 2024 Best Student Paper Award in the master’s category for work entitled “Understanding the Role of Food Systems in Perceptions of Subjective Wellbeing: A Case Study in Washington’s Upper Yakima River Basin.” USU faculty Jessica Schad (Sociology and Anthropology) and Courtney Flint (Environment and Society) co-authored the paper, which was included as a chapter in Theophilus’ master’s thesis. 

“I would describe my research … as connecting individual and community experiences in food systems to perceptions of wellbeing. This can include the impacts of food access, such as food (in)security or access to locally produced food,” Theophilus said. “It can also include livelihoods for farmers, farmworkers, and communities that rely on agriculture to support their local economy.”

Researchers Flint, Schad, and Theophilus selected the Upper Yakima River Basin in Central Washington, where they interviewed residents in six towns representing variety, both in terms of access to food and local connections to agriculture. Their work was completed as part of a larger project through the Intermountain West Transformation Network funded by the National Science Foundation.

According to their abstract, “Changes in agriculture over time have put long-standing agrarian livelihoods under threat. … [S]ome community members believe they are less likely to reap the economic and cultural benefits that have historically resulted from a close relationship with agriculture. However, agriculture is also seen by some as providing a valuable source of jobs and economic security in several communities of focus, suggesting a complex variance in community perspectives."

Theophilus put the paper forward for the IASNR award because this work focuses on interdependencies between society and natural resources and their influence on general wellbeing. He hopes the award will bring greater awareness to their research.
 
As Theophilus now embarks on his Ph.D., he hopes to continue researching the impacts of community change, population growth, and lifestyle migration, particularly in rural places located near highly desirable natural amenities.  

"We are very excited that Alex is staying at USU,” said Schad. “He has great experience now working in and with rural communities on important local issues at the intersection of the natural environment and wellbeing that will help his future work be even more impactful."