Date of Graduation

Summer 8-9-2024

Document Access

Project/Capstone - Global access

Degree Name

Master of Public Health (MPH)

College/School

School of Nursing and Health Professions

First Advisor

Annette Regan, PhD, MPH

Abstract

Despite their many benefits to the community, farmers’ markets suffer from several important limitations. This paper will provide guidance on practices and interventions that can improve the effectiveness of the local Carson, California farmers’ market, known as the South Bay Pavilion Farmer’s Market, in increasing equitable access to and consumption of locally grown fruits and vegetables with the goal of reducing obesity and diabetes rates among residents.

The needs and assets assessment developed will evaluate the success of the City of Carson South Bay Pavilion Farmers’ Market and provide recommendations based on the findings. The proposed research will follow an evaluation case study approach to assess the effectiveness of the farmers’ market in Carson. The proposed analysis includes a mixed methods approach to evaluate the impact of the farmers’ market in promoting access to local fresh fruits and vegetables. Mixed methods applied to qualitative and quantitative data collected from surveys and interviews include a thematic analysis, a Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats analysis, and descriptive analysis.

Contingent upon the results and data collected from the evaluation developed and the current literature on farmers’ market evaluations there are recommendations that can be made at the organizational, city, and county levels to increase access to local fresh fruits and vegetables. Enhancing the South Bay Pavilion Farmers’ Market represents a promising step towards improving access to fresh produce and addressing diet-related health disparities in Carson.

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