The 4th Annual MiFOOD Conference on Migration and Food Security, supported by SSHRC funding through the MiFOOD Network, took place in Mexico City on May 6–9, 2025. The event gathered an international group of researchers, practitioners, and institutional partners to explore the theme “Migrant Lives in Urban Food Systems: Bridging Informal Divides, Strengthening Food Security.” Hosted at the historic Casa de la Primera Imprenta de América, the conference focused on the theme of WS2 of the MiFOOD project about the informal food economy and the diverse roles migrants play in shaping resilient urban food systems.
The event was facilitated by MiFOOD’s partners in Mexico: Salomón González, Guénola Capron, María Fernanda Vázquez, Tiana Bakić Hayden, and Maria Jose Burgin whose coordination and assistances were essential to the conference’s success. Over two days, participants travelling from MiFOOD partners countries engaged in five thematic panels on topics such as migrant food entrepreneurship, gendered impacts of COVID-19, and transnational supply chains.
The conference also included a dual book launch of New Directions in South-South Migration by Jonathan Crush, Abel Chikanda, and Sujata Ramachandran and Urban Food Systems in Latin America edited by Tiana Bakić Hayden and Joaquin Perez Martin.
The presentations sparked deep discussion and prompted a wide array of questions and reflections. The conference enabled dynamic knowledge exchange and affirmed the significance of collaborative, comparative research across countries. The conference not only deepened scholarly dialogue, but also meaningfully strengthened the MiFOOD partnership network. It concluded with a shared sense of renewed commitment to supporting migrant-inclusive food systems through research, policy, and grassroots engagement.
In addition to the formal conference sessions, two field trips offered hands-on engagement with local food and migration systems. The first was to Central de Abasto, the massive food market that serves as a vital hub for Mexico City’s food distribution. MiFOOD participants spoke directly with garlic, onion, and lime wholesalers, as well as vegetable retailers, gaining insight into the complexity of supply chains and the indispensable role of migrant labour in sustaining them. Attendees were struck by the extraordinary scale of the market and the abundance and diversity of produce on offer. The second visit was to Casa del Migrante, a shelter supporting migrants in transit. The team learned about the shifting policy landscape affecting migration through Mexico and how it impacts the operations of frontline institutions like the shelter. Participants also volunteered their time by sorting donated clothing and medicine, reorganizing food storage, and cleaning dormitory spaces.
The full program of the conference is attached to this report for those interested in further details of the sessions and speakers.
