The Determinants of Street Food Culture and their Implications on the Societal Fabric: The Perspective of Culinary Entrepreneurship in the Bamenda Municipality

Abstract

This paper explores the effect of street food factors on the societal fabric: the perspective of culinary entrepreneurship in the Bamenda Municipality. Street food vending and consumption is an informal economic activity that fosters food or culinary entrepreneurship and contribute to the community fabric. The first objective is to investigate the role of the socioeconomic indicators on the fabric of the community under study while the second objective explores the influence of cultural factors on the societal fabric. The third objective assesses the effect of environmental or risks factors associated with food vending in the Bamenda municipality. The primary method of data collection is implemented where questionnaires are distributed to at least 302 of them to street food consumers, who stand as participants in this study. The multiple regression analysis is used to assess the three objectives. The results of the first objective indicate that an additional socioeconomic indicator contributes to an increase in the societal fabric score by 0.924 units, and this result is statistically significant at 1% level. In the same light, cultural indicators contribute to an increase in the societal fabric score by 0.647 units, and this result is statistically significant at 1% level. Lastly, the discoveries from the findings reveal that the environmental or risks factors associated with food vending have a negative effect on the societal fabric under study. That is, a unit rise in these factors leads to distortion or fall in the societal fabric score by 0.165 units, and this result is statistically significant at 1% level. Societal fabric in this study is captured as a summated score of seven indicators. It represents street food vending benefits constituting elements having an (economic impact, poverty reduction effect, social interaction of consumers, community building, culinary innovation, environmental impact, health and safety concerns). Street food culture in the Bamenda Municipality and Cameroon at large, is a vibrant and integral part of daily life, offering accessible and affordable meals while also reflecting the nation's diverse culinary traditions. It plays a significant role in both social and economic spheres, providing employment opportunities and fostering a sense of community. However, challenges exist in maintaining food safety and hygiene standards within the informal street food sector. .Following the results, we recommend that the socioeconomic and cultural factors of street food culture be encouraged while strategies sought to mitigate the risks associated with street food culture or environmental factors in order to enhance the societal fabric and health of the participants of the Bamenda Municipality.

Key Words: Street food culture, Societal Fabric, socioeconomic indicators, cultural factors, environmental factors or risks of street food vending, Bamenda Municipality-Cameroon.

DOI: 10.7176/JESD/16-8-04

Publication date: November 30^th 2025