Staple Security: Bread and Wheat in Egypt

Bread is life for Egyptians, and many eat it multiple times a day. In Staple Security, Jessica Barnes explores the process of sourcing domestic and foreign wheat for the production of bread and its consumption across urban and rural settings. She traces the anxiety that pervades Egyptian society surrounding the possibility of running out of wheat or not having enough good bread to eat. Barnes theorizes the nexus between food and security, drawing attention to staples and the lengths to which people go to secure their consistent availability and quality.

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 05 August 2022
Publisher: Duke University Press

Egyptians often say that bread is life; most eat this staple multiple times a day, many relying on the cheap bread subsidized by the government. In Staple Security, Jessica Barnes explores the process of sourcing domestic and foreign wheat for the production of bread and its consumption across urban and rural settings. She traces the anxiety that pervades Egyptian society surrounding the possibility that the nation could run out of wheat or that people might not have enough good bread to eat, and the daily efforts to ensure that this does not happen. With rich ethnographic detail, she takes us into the worlds of cultivating wheat, trading grain, and baking, buying, and eating bread. Linking global flows of grain and a national bread subsidy program with everyday household practices, Barnes theorizes the nexus between food and security, drawing attention to staples and the lengths to which people go to secure their consistent availability and quality.

In Egypt, bread holds a profound significance, with the locals often expressing that it is the essence of life. Many individuals consume this staple multiple times throughout the day, with a significant portion relying on the government-subsidized cheap bread. In her book titled "Staple Security," Jessica Barnes delves into the intricate process of sourcing domestic and foreign wheat for the production of bread and its widespread consumption in both urban and rural areas. She uncovers the deep-seated anxiety that permeates Egyptian society, stemming from the fear of running out of wheat or facing scarcity of good bread. Daily endeavors are undertaken to ensure that such a scenario remains unlikely. Through vivid ethnographic descriptions, Barnes takes readers into the realms of wheat cultivation, grain trading, baking, bread purchasing, and consumption. She intricately connects global grain flows and the national bread subsidy program with the everyday practices of households. By doing so, Barnes develops a theoretical framework that explores the intricate relationship between food and security, highlighting the importance of staples and the lengths individuals go to secure their consistent availability and quality.

Weight: 567g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478015864