Capacity and limitations of US wild meat donation programmes

Historically, sharing of wild harvests to facilitate food security followed concepts of kin selection and reciprocal altruism. However, cultural shifts have reduced access to foods for some populations in modern times. Cultural altruism through sustainably harvested wild meat donation programmes (WDPs) can reduce food and nutritional insecurity and improve human‐nature relationships but occurs less often than sharing among family and friends. We analysed data from 83 WDPs in the United States that donated 870 metric tons (mt) of wild‐harvested meat annually. Annual meat donations increased with the number of participating processors; the factors most limiting programme expansion were the recruitment and maintenance of processors, followed by insufficient funding. Based on our model, questionnaire and relevant literature, we recommend recruiting and maintaining more processors, increasing funding, incorporating additional sources of wild harvests, ensuring sustainability of harvested populations and potentially promoting equity in wild meat donations. Short‐term greater investment in WDPs aligned with these recommendations could increase wild meat donations; while possibly furthering equity and supporting sustainable development goals. In the long term, enhancing cultural altruism can improve human‐nature relationships and improve food and nutritional insecurity through WDPs. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.