No. 44: Tracking Translocality: Food Remittance Narratives in the Africa-Gulf Migration Corridor

This paper explores the overlooked practice of food-related remittances in the Ghana-Qatar migration corridor, emphasizing their social, emotional, and cultural significance within translocal households. While cash remittances are widely studied, food remitting remains under-researched despite its critical role in sustaining family ties and addressing food insecurity. Drawing on a mixed-methods study involving household surveys in Ghana and interviews with migrants in Qatar, the paper employs a tripartite conceptual framework incorporating gifting, caregiving, and moral economy to analyze migrant remittance narratives. The paper shows that remitting practices are shaped by cultural norms, kinship obligations, and emotional care, often at significant personal cost to migrants. The study also highlights reverse food remittances from Ghana to Qatar as strategies to overcome “culinary estrangement.” This bidirectional flow reinforces identity, belonging, and solidarity across borders.