Hungry, Hungry Gringos: Solving the Problems Posed by Feeding Tourists
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Tourist demand for food stuffs like delicate lettuce varieties that are ill‐suited to the local environment are setting off a chain of reactions within the Cayo District of Belize. To meet demand, farmers are learning to grow these crops organically, synthesizing knowledge from a variety of sources in order to succeed in this new market. This paper takes readers through the experiences of villagers who work in several key sites of a luxury eco‐resort—the restaurant, kitchen, store room, and organic farm—before turning to the implications for the village at large. Though catering to tourists’ tastes is often treated as a form of neocolonialism, this case study examines the agency and creativity expressed by local community members as they adapt to this changing market.