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Increasing Food Access: A Local Food System

Increasing Food Access: A Local Food System. The Definition of Food Security:. Food Security is safe access to local food that is healthy, culturally acceptable, easily accessible, and affordable.

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Increasing Food Access: A Local Food System

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  1. Increasing Food Access: A Local Food System

  2. The Definition of Food Security: Food Security is safe access to local food that is healthy, culturally acceptable, easily accessible, and affordable. In a broader sense, food security is a state when all people, at all times, have access to adequately nutritious, local, safe, and acceptable foods that are produced using methods that are socially just and environmentally sound. Food security is a broad issue and there are many separate areas that need to be addressed within communities for it to be attained. These include, but are not limited to: health issues, culture, education, economics, agriculture, and the environment.

  3. What is the broader philosophy of a local food system? • Sacred • Healthful • Diverse • Culturally nourishing • Seasonal • Value‑oriented economics • Relational • Ecologically sustainable • Knowledgeable/communicative • Proximity • Economically sustaining • Participatory • Just/ethical • Sustainably regulated Kloppenburg, Jack Jr., Sharon Lezberg, Kathryn De Master, G. W. Stevenson, and John Hendrickson. “Tasting Food, Tasting Sustainability: Defining the Attributes of an Alternative Food System With Competent, Ordinary People.” The Wisconsin Food Shed Research Project. http://www.cias.wisc.edu/foodshed/pubsntools/tasting.htm.

  4. What could it look like? Bringing Food Back Home: The Hope of the (Relatively) Local • Regional Food Self-Reliance • Internal Circulation of Capital and Jobs • Food Security Through Strong Community Institutions • Democratic Participation in Decision-Making Starting at Home, Reaching Out Sharon Lezberg and Jack Kloppenburg, Jr. “That We All Might Eat: Regionally-Reliant Food Systems for the 21st Century”. The Wisconsin Food Shed Research Project. http://www.cias.wisc.edu/foodshed/pubsntools/alleat.htm. 1996

  5. Implementation: What could it look like in your community? • Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) • Box Schemes • Consumer Groups and Cooperatives • Farmers’ Markets • Community Gardens • Clear Labelling • Food Webs and Local Shops • Slow Food Systems

  6. VicWest Food Action Plan Increasing Food Access

  7. Why does food matter? 2003 Vision Project • Identified community building as #1 priority in our neighbourhood. • Food grows community! • VicWest Food Security Collective was created to improve access to healthy food through community projects.

  8. Current projects • VicWest Fest - build food security awareness • VicWest Food Co-op • VicWest Farmers Market - sells organic & local foods; provides social gathering • Rayn or Shine Community Garden - all edible allotment garden • Cob bench - initiate community participation/interest in garden • Banfield Commons - all edible, open to everyone • Good Fruit N Greenways - maintained by community • VW Food Action Plan - in partnership with Lifecycles • Land Use Committee - member advocating urban ag development • Community Newsletter - food articles • Good Food Box Program - VWY acts as pick-up site

  9. Future Projects • Songhees Market • Galloping Goose Market • Railyards Community Garden • Dockside Green Urban Ag Strategy • 2nd Annual Community Corn Roast • Harvest Raynor St Park heritage pears …and others from Food Action Plan

  10. Food Action Plan – Why? • To identify any gaps • To engage others in the planning & projects • To improve food security awareness • And as always, to build community

  11. Food Action Plan – How?Use food & community • Block party focused on local food – CORN! • Included participation to foster community feel • Commons garden groundbreaking • Farmers Market • Scarecrow contest • Food security display & survey • Street dancing to local music…FUN • Street chalk corn maze…MORE FUN! • Local business donations for raffle prizes

  12. Community Food AssessmentFood Security Survey • 80% identified food security is an issue • 20% stated they were food secure • Barriers to food security • Economics • Gardening space • Knowledge • Access to local organics • Required Enhancements • Community gardens • Farmers markets • Choices in grocery stores • Education (growing, preparing food) • Box program/community kitchen

  13. Food Action Plan – Next? • Community wide survey - gather more • Door to door • Group (stratas, churches, school, VW Y) • Business • Community website • Define goals & objectives - targets • Action planning - who can do what/when & address limitations / build on strengths

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