Folks Gotta Eat

How to give SNAP users more access

2011-11-22T00:06:31Z

It's been a while since I blogged. Life got away from me for a bit, but I've managed to wrangle it back into beautiful submission (please don't misconstrue that as oppressive language). I've had cause in the last months to do some serious reflecting on just how tentative our food systems and social safety net really are. Any real safety net in our lives comes from the community we build around ourselves. And then, of course, what about those without the capacity to engage in that level of community building?

A member of MY community and I were having coffee this morning. It was a special treat because he lives in Montreal, and I haven't had the honour of his company in quite some time. He's the Interim Executive Director of that fabulous organization in Montreal I've often referred to in these posts, Santropol Roulant. After our coffee date (I wish it could have lasted for hours, as he's so wonderful to talk with), I was driving him up to The Stop Community Food Centre to meet with Nick Saul to talk about all things food security - or so I thought. Mr. Lubelsky (that's my friend's name) schooled me on that term. He pointed out that "food sovereignty" is what we're working toward. He is so right.

You know that feeling you get when you walk into a food shop and have so many wonderful choices? I know that feeling. I've been blessed with resources at most times of my adult life to be able to make a choice about which foods I bring home and put into my body. What an amazing thing that is. So, yeah - not just food SECURITY, we want food SOVEREIGNTY for all!

I came across one way that we can help folks have a little more choice in their lives when they are on SNAP (food stamps) in the States. According to Green for All (another kick-ass organization), here's the problem:

Many of the nearly 45 million Americans participating in the SNAP program are unable to use their benefits at many healthy fresh retailers such as farmers markets, farmstands, and roadside stands.

And the solution

Similar to a credit or debit card, SNAP benefits are processed electronically, using an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) machine. The USDA currently offers free EBT machines to all retailers certified to accept SNAP benefits - but only those that have a telephone or electronic lines. Farmers markets, farmstands, or other healthy food retailers without telephone and electricity are required to purchase or rent their own equipment. Some states have raised funds to provide EBT machines to their farmers markets, and the USDA's Farmers Market Promotion Program provides grants to individual markets to get them; however, funds do not nearly come close to the demand.

Let's change that. The USDA can make a common sense, low-cost administrative change that would provide EBT machines free of charge to healthy fresh food retailers. This change would benefit farmers that are losing out on important sales and allow low-income customers to have access to healthier, more nutritious food options.

No one should be forced to buy unhealthy food for their family because the government makes it impossible to buy anything better.

Want to take action on this important issue? Contact U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and ask him to provide wireless electronic benefit transfer (EBT) machines free of charge to healthy fresh food retailers that do not have electricity or telephone lines.

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So much food for thought

2011-09-20T01:36:48Z

Decolonizing Food.]]>

As per usual, there are many awesome articles in Briarpatch, but one in particular really stands out for me. The piece, Food for All!, talks about the barriers to food access/food security that undocumented migrants face every day. Here's a poignant reminder for us foodie blogger-types:

While foodies throughout Canadian cities harness innovative ideas to create alternative food systems through urban and rooftop gardens, food share programs, community-supported agriculture and more, the food movement rarely considers the radical political organizing necessary to make food justice possible for marginalized populations such as undocumented migrants in Canada.

So, what's the challenge, can't they just go into the food bank and get help? Well, no, they can't.

In Canada's urban centres, food injustice is exacerbated when non-status people face obstacles that others do not. Many with precarious status are either deterred or actively turned away from food banks that ask for identification. Additionally, the monitoring and infiltration of food banks and community gardens by immigration enforcement and police officers presents the food movement with a significant challenge and responsibility: how do we make these spaces safe for the most marginalized among us while also building an effective resistance to the systems that create and perpetuate food injustice?

Who is doing what to address this, and what can we do?

It was with this challenge in mind that migrant justice group No One Is Illegal Toronto started the Food for All campaign in early 2010. The initiative aims to ensure that undocumented people and those with precarious status can access food regardless of immigration status and without fear of detention, deportation or being denied these services. Food for All has taken steps to push immigration enforcement out of food banks and help create access without fear in food spaces.

And of course they're partnering with organizations like The Stop on this... The Stop is so damn cool...

Food issues are but one of the many platforms for promoting dignity and self-determination of all people. Looking at food issues through the lens of migrant justice - freedom to return, freedom to move and freedom to stay - shows us that food justice is about much more than just what and how we eat. Food injustice is a symptom of repressive systems and capitalist and colonialist agendas. Political organizing must therefore build the community power needed to resist these systems. Food for All begins its organizing from a recognition that food for all means access to healthy food and personal agency in the food system, regardless of immigration status.

I want to thank the authors, Maryam Adrangi and Laura Lepper, for including this article. I think we get so excited about home canning and backyard gardening (which are still amazing things), that we forget what has to happen structurally before we can have real food security through access to good food for all people.

(Oh, and for some reason the blog isn't letting me link tonight, so here are the relevant links: http://briarpatchmagazine.com/ and http://www.thestop.org/)

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Oxfam infographic on food price spikes

2011-08-05T18:33:37Z

One in seven people in the world go to bed hungry every day. This statistic alone should catch your attention, but I find that compelling infographics really drive home what is happening with food prices, food availability, and the future of food. Check out this informative, compelling, and devastating infographic from Oxfam.]]> ]]>

Glad I'm not having kids

2011-08-04T20:03:21Z

article in AlterNet, "The price of our loaf of bread is forecast to increase by up to 90% over the next 20 years." I love kids, but when I see statistics like this, I'm even happier that I'm choosing to not have any. How would I feed them? A 90% mark-up on bread within 20 years? What is going on? AlterNet explains.]]>

The global food system is visibly straining, if not snapping, under the intense pressure of rising demand, rising energy prices, growing water shortages, and most of all the onset of climate chaos.

So let's break this down a bit. There are many factors that determine the cost of a loaf of bread: the price of wheat, the price of labour, the price of fuel, the price of fertilizer, water shortages, and the effects of climate change. In future decades, we have to consider not only global demand for food, but also the availability of water, wheat, fuel and fertilizer in general. So yeah, given what we're currently seeing in terms of climate change effects, increasing demand, and increasing resource scarcity, it's quite possible that a loaf of bread will cost 90% more within 20 years. Damn, that's rough.

I need to invest some serious time in my gardening skills.

Check out the full AlterNet article to learn more about how the price of bread feeds into global instability.

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Time to close Canada's food banks?

2011-07-25T18:13:01Z

thought-provoking piece in the Globe and Mail today about food banks. The author, Elaine Power, offers that food banks have become "a serious obstacle in the fight against poverty." Are food banks really the obstacle we should be worried about, or is it our own inability to face and address the root causes of poverty? ]]>

Elaine Power is a thoughtful person. She knows more about food banks, food policy, and poverty than most of us. What I really glean from her article is an overwhelming frustration with the lack of progress made in addressing hunger since the 1980's when food banks emerged as a stop-gap measure during a time of high unemployment. I get that. I'm frustrated too. However, I'm not sure that shutting down all the food banks is any kind of solution either. Sure, she's concerned that food banks are used as an excuse to not address hunger. I think ANYTHING is used as an excuse to not address hunger, because addressing hunger means exploring root causes, and owning the root causes of hunger and then acting as a society to address those root causes would surely shake things up a bit, now wouldn't it?

I will once again quote one of my heros, Nick Saul from The Stop here in Toronto: "No fucking garden is going to solve hunger. It's the integrated approach: letting people in the door, supporting people where they're at, and then advocating for more just social policy. That's the stew that we have that works."

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Meat Eater's Guide

2011-07-24T17:30:39Z

Environmental Working Group.]]> Meat Eater's Guide to Climate Change and Health" comes from an assessment that calculates the full "cradle-to-grave" carbon footprint of each food item based on the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated before and after the food leaves the farm - from the pesticides and fertilizer used to grow animal feed all the way through the grazing, animal raising, processing, transportation, cooking and, finally, disposal of unused food.

I encourage you to read the full report, but here are the facts that really stuck out for me.

About 20 percent of edible meat just gets thrown out. (This is sad, sad, sad. That's a lot of wasted resources.)
If you buy less meat, you might be able to afford to buy the more expensive "ethical" meats. (This is an important thing to remember as we all struggle to pay the bills.)
Farmed salmon generates as much greenhouse gas as lamb, beef, cheese and pork. (Farmed salmon is just weird. Avoid it.)
Meat, eggs and dairy products that are certified organic, humane and/or grass-fed are generally the least environmentally damaging. (And let me tell you, a taste comparison of "happy" eggs versus conventional eggs is enough to make a person go green on this one.)
Lamb has the greatest environmental impact in terms of GHG emissions over the cradle-to-grave cycle. (Bye bye grilled lamb burgers and tasty lamb sausages.)
Even though chicken requires less feed than hogs, beef and dairy cattle, chicken processing is more energy- and water-intensive than other meat processing. (Even the word "processing" as it relates to plants and animals sounds/feels icky, doesn't it?)
Using a pressure cooker that cuts cooking time in half reduces beans' emissions by 25 percent. Ninety percent of potato emissions occur after the crop leaves the farm, primarily from cooking. (Interesting... so the more efficient our cooking methods are...)
And finally, this fun and extremely important fact: If everyone in the U.S. ate no meat or cheese just one day a week, it would be like not driving 91 billion miles - or taking 7.6 million cars off the road. (WOW!)

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Thinking about food security

2011-07-21T01:08:10Z

Food Stamp Program (SNAP) in the U.S., and the proposed cuts to WIC, I feel absolutely sick. ]]>

Sure, we can, and hopefully will, all plant beautiful gardens to help feed our families (if we have the space, the resources, and the know-how). But when folks lose jobs, get sick, get hurt, or find themselves without enough money to make ends meet - for an endless number of reasons - we rely on the government to step in and at least make sure we're feeding people. Isn't that what defines a wealthy society from a struggling, developing nation - the ability and desire to feed everyone (or am I living in a bubble)?

I thought I should follow The Economist's lead and spread some important facts about food stamps.

Participation has soared since the recession began. By April it had reached almost 45m, or one in seven Americans. The cost, naturally, has soared too, from $35 billion in 2008 to $65 billion last year. And the Department of Agriculture, which administers the scheme, reckons only two-thirds of those who are eligible have signed up.

But what about the argument that everyone on food stamps are lazy, drug-addicted fiends? (By the way, I fully believe that folks with addiction issues deserve good food too.)

It is also hard to argue that food-stamp recipients are undeserving. About half of them are children, and another 8% are elderly. Only 14% of food-stamp households have incomes above the poverty line; 41% have incomes of half that level or less, and 18% have no income at all.

My favourite argument in favour of food stamps is that it is one of the most effective/immediate forms of economic stimulus.

Food stamps also help stimulate the economy more than other forms of government spending, points out Jim Weill of Food Research and Action Centre, a charity, since their recipients are so poor that they tend to spend them immediately. When Moody's Analytics assessed different forms of stimulus, it found that food stamps were the most effective, increasing economic activity by $1.73 for every dollar spent. Unemployment insurance came in second, at $1.62, whereas most tax cuts yielded a dollar or less. All the talk in Washington these days, however, is of cutbacks--even for the hungry.

So Republicans, step off these programs. They're an essential part of our societal safety net, and without a safety net, what will we become?

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City of Toronto: one step back?

2011-06-30T02:17:24Z

Toronto Environmental Alliance that makes me not only sad, but poised to start writing and calling City Hall. If you care about supporting local food, you should do the same.]]>

City Poised to Kill Support for Local Food

For Immediate Release

June 28, 2011

Toronto: Late this morning a City of Toronto committee refused to adopt a policy that would direct City staff to buy local food, when appropriate, instead of imported food that may come from thousands of miles away. The policy will now go to City Council in two weeks time for debate.

"While the rest of the world is moving towards supporting local food, Canada's largest city is poised to kill its support," said Franz Hartmann, Executive Director of the Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA) which has been advocating for local food for over 4 years. "Here in Ontario, all the political parties at Queen's Park support a 'buy local food' policy. Do we really want to be the city that says no to fresh, local food and yes to food that is jet-lagged?"

The City of Toronto spends about $11 million a year purchasing food for city-run daycares, shelters and seniors' homes. Back in 2008, City Council agreed to a 50% "buy local food" target. Since then, staff have been working on ways to meet this target and figuring out what the Province can do to change regulations that work against supporting local food.

"It makes no sense why Councillors would vote against supporting local food," said Hartmann "Why would anyone vote against a policy that aims to get fresh, local food to people in city-run daycares and seniors' homes? And why would anyone vote against a policy that helps local farmers and the environment without costing Toronto taxpayers more?"

Hartmann said that TEA will be working with its members and all those that support local food in Toronto to get Council to adopt the policy that supports local food.

"Today's decision sends the wrong signal to our farming neighbours and to food processors here in Toronto who use local food," said Hartmann. "By voting against the policy, they are effectively saying fresher and in-season cheaper local food is not welcome in Toronto."

For more information, contact:

Franz Hartmann, Toronto Environmental Alliance; 416-596-0660

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Italians fight water privitization

2011-06-07T23:16:28Z

Canadian Water Summit here in Toronto at The International Centre on June 14th. As mentioned many times previously, I believe Canada has a real opportunity and obligation to lead the globe in guaranteeing water as a human right. If you're one of the 466,155 Italians living here in Toronto, you need to start thinking about water right now, as Italy will soon have a nation-wide referendum on issues relating to the management of water, and you'll want to have a voice in that.]]>

According to Food & Water Watch,

On June 12 and 13, Italian electors will be called to vote on referenda pertaining to the privatization of water. Two of the demands within the referendum are in regard to water management and water supply.

As many communities around the world struggle to maintain their public water systems, particularly during challenging economic times, multinational corporations have been attempting to take over the management of these systems with promises of better service and financial relief. But these companies aggressively increase rates and allow their bottom line to interfere with the needs of the communities they are supposed to serve. Ultimately, privatization of water most often leads to poor service that is more expensive, and it cuts off access for the people most in need. There are many reasons to make a case against the privatization of water, so if you'd like to learn more about this critical battle, please visit our Food & Water Watch web page on privatization.

From Cochabamba, Bolivia and Paris, France to New Orleans, LA and Grand Rapids, MI, many water advocates have joined together to fight against privatization. Over the last three years, at least 17 possible sales and concessions of public water systems to private companies have been prevented. Food & Water Watch has worked with many local coalitions to help communities maintain local control of their water.

(Oh, and readers, forgive my absence. I was in the middle of moving house for the last few weeks.)

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Election 2.0 - What's at stake?

2011-05-31T00:35:05Z

I was cooped up in a film studio this weekend helping out my brother on a project, but mostly sitting aimlessly for 15 hours. To bide my time, I did what any masochistic environmentalist would do: I followed the Ontario PC party convention on twitter. All day. ]]>

Now, bare with me. You can probably understand that I'm a bit fired up, but I'll try and set aside my biases for a second to reveal what I've read in the last couple of weeks from Ontario's parties on food policy in Ontario. And for those of you who haven't yet recovered from election fatigue: WAKE UP! There's another election this October. It's time once more to get your vote on.

First things first. The Lib and NDP platforms have yet to be released but are expected in the near future (and will be posted here as soon as they're ready).

What's in store for you if PC Tim Hudak is elected as the next Premier of Ontario? Amidst a document called "Changebook" (no doubt riffing off the popular Zuckerbergian social network), 10 pages on taxes and budget, Hudak managed to fit his entire agriculture/food policy on less than a page (the same real estate offered to Ontario's entire environment (inc. water, air...).

Hudak's been getting some flak for stealing policy points directly from the Liberals' campaign. So what's he got on offer for us? Here's his pretty vague promise:

Strong farms are vital to a strong Ontario. Like every business, our farms have been hit hard by sneaky tax grabs, excessive red tape, and skyrocketing hydro bills. At the same time, farming comes with some unique challenges. We must meet those challenges to see farmers succeed and maintain farming as an attractive career choice for the next generation. We will deliver the business risk management program that the Ontario PC Party has long championed. Other provinces are giving their farmers a market advantage over ours. For eight years, this wasn't a priority for Dalton McGuinty's Liberals; it will be ours from day one. We will also protect supply management for farmers. We will have a Buy Ontario food policy. We will lead by example at provincial institutions such as hospitals and schools. We will also increase market access for Ontario's VQA wines.

On to the Greens, whose platform is at least a little more comprehensive with a few interesting points:

1. Provide access to healthy food for Ontarians

a. Coordinate a comprehensive healthy school food program

b. Invest in community food programs that promote access to healthy food, community gardens, cooking and nutrition classes; provide tax credits for farmers and processors who donate to food security organizations

c. Set measurable Ontario food purchasing targets for all public institutions

2. Promote programs to support financially sustainable local food systems

a. Establish an Ontario Food and Farming Policy Council to coordinate planning across ministries and consult diverse stakeholders on programs, regulations and legislation

b. Reward farmers for stewardship practices that provide environmental and community benefits such as clean water, habitat preservation and carbon storage

c. Invest in rural infrastructure, research and innovation, plant-based manufacturing products, distribution hubs, farmer co-ops, organic and specialty crops to support farm incomes

3. Remove barriers to success for family farms and local food processors

a. End one-size-fits-all regulations for family farms and local food processors; implement smart regulations that recognize differences in the size of operations

b. Eliminate tax penalties and reduce zoning restrictions to facilitate local, on-farm food enterprises and innovative sources of farm income

c. Improve income stabilization programs so they are more accessible for family farms, cover a wider range of products and don't penalize farmers who experience bad years

What the future holds for Ontario food and agriculture under another McGuinty government? We'll soon find out.

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Hell yeah, I'm a foodie!

2011-05-23T16:27:40Z

Mark Bittman in a recent interview on Edible Radio, the folks concerned about food, health, and food security exist across such a broad spectrum that it's impossible to label this movement (made up of thousands of policies, activists, local projects, and regular folks) as elitist or fleeting. Along those lines I wanted to share a couple of fantastic stories/projects with you that inspire me to keep learning, writing, and sharing about food policy and security.]]>

The May/June issue of Briarpatch features a story about "women at the forefront of their communities' transition from forestry to farming" in and around Port Alberni, B.C. The article also talks about Powell River, B.C. and the transition from an economy solely reliant on a paper mill to Canada's first GMO-free crop zone, as well as the home of the annual 50 Day, 50 Mile Eat Local Challenge.

For generations, women's volunteer work building community has been quietly holding these towns together while the men were out doing the "real work" in the woods. But with women leading the resurgence in local agriculture, it's looking hopeful that this work can finally be acknowledged as real work, too.

With climate change and peak oil poised to render our globalized food system completely impossible, people are rediscovering the importance of food and farming. That means recognizing the importance of the work of building community, work that everyone needs to lend a hand in. "Now is the time for those of us that care about food security to be organizing," says Jen Fisher-Bradley back in Port Alberni. "A time will come when suddenly we are out of time, and we'll need to just be growing food," she says. "We need to be ready."

Yes, we need to be ready. Folks, that's the heart of the matter. It's not about which type of fancy goat cheese we should pair with what local wine (though access to these pleasures in support of local economies is pretty darn fabulous). It's about working toward a more sustainable and just future for all people.

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Ideas for nourishing the planet

2011-05-19T13:57:09Z

born with rights, but that collectively, we agree to certain essential standards that, when applied justly, benefit humanity as a whole. I tend to refer to these standards as human rights. I believe that clean water and nutritious food are part of these essential standards, and thankfully, I'm not the only one. ]]>

Nourishing the Planet (Worldwatch Insitute's blog) offers 15 solutions to guide farmers, scientists, politicians, agribusinesses and aid agencies as they commit to promoting a healthier environment and a more food-secure future.

Guaranteeing the Right to Food. Guaranteeing the human right to adequate food--now and for future generations--requires that policymakers incorporate this right into food security laws and programs at the regional, national, and international level. Governments have a role in providing the public goods to support sustainable agriculture, including extension services, farmer-to-farmer transmission of knowledge, storage facilities, and infrastructure that links farmers to consumers.
Harnessing the Nutritional and Economic Potential of Vegetables. Micronutrient deficiencies, including lack of vitamin A, iodine, and iron, affect 1 billion people worldwide. Promoting indigenous vegetables that are rich in micronutrients could help reduce malnutrition. Locally adapted vegetable varieties are hardier and more dependable than staple crops, making them ideal for smallholder farmers. Research organizations like AVRDC/The World Vegetable Center are developing improved vegetable varieties, such as amaranth and African eggplant, and cultivating an appreciation for traditional foods among consumers.
Reducing Food Waste. Experts continue to emphasize increasing global food production, yet our money could be better spent on reducing food waste and post-harvest losses. Already, a number of low-input and regionally appropriate storage and preservation techniques are working to combat food waste around the world. In Pakistan, farmers cut their harvest losses by 70 percent by switching from jute bags and containers constructed with mud to more durable metal containers. And in West Africa, farmers have saved around 100,000 mangos by using solar dryers to dry the fruit after harvest.
Feeding Cities. The U.N. estimates that 70 percent of the world's people will live in cities by 2050, putting stress on available food. Urban agriculture projects are helping to improve food security, raise incomes, empower women, and improve urban environments. In sub-Saharan Africa, the Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization (ECHO) has helped city farmers build food gardens, using old tires to create crop beds. And community supported agriculture (CSA) programs in Cape Town, South Africa, are helping to raise incomes and provide produce for school meals.
Getting More Crop per Drop. Many small farmers lack access to a reliable source of water, and water supplies are drying up as extraction exceeds sustainable levels. Only 4 percent of sub-Saharan Africa's cultivated land is equipped for irrigation, and a majority of households depend on rainfall to water their crops--which climate scientists predict will decline in coming decades. Efficient water management in agriculture can boost crop productivity for these farmers. By practicing conservation tillage, weeding regularly, and constructing vegetative barriers and earthen dams, farmers can harness rainfall more effectively.
Using Farmers' Knowledge in Research and Development. Agricultural research and development processes typically exclude smallholder farmers and their wealth of knowledge, leading to less-efficient agricultural technologies that go unused. Research efforts that involve smallholder farmers alongside agricultural scientists can help meet specific local needs, strengthen farmers' leadership abilities, and improve how research and education systems operate. In southern Ethiopia's Amaro district, a community-led body carried out an evaluation of key problems and promising solutions using democratic decision-making to determine what type of research should be funded.
Improving Soil Fertility. Africa's declining soil fertility may lead to an imminent famine; already, it is causing harvest productivity to decline 15-25 percent, and farmers expect harvests to drop by half in the next five years. Green manure/cover crops, including living trees, bushes, and vines, help restore soil quality and are an inexpensive and feasible solution to this problem. In the drought-prone Sahel region, the Dogon people of Mali are using an innovative, three-tiered system and are now harvesting three times the yield achieved in other parts of the Sahel.
Safeguarding Local Food Biodiversity. Over the past few decades, traditional African agriculture based on local diversity has given way to monoculture crops destined for export. Less-healthy imports are replacing traditional, nutritionally rich foods, devastating local economies and diets. Awareness-raising initiatives and efforts to improve the quality of production and marketing are adding value to and encouraging diversification and consumption of local products. In Ethiopia's Wukro and Wenchi villages, honey producers are training with Italian and Ethiopian beekeepers to process and sell their honey more efficiently, promote appreciation for local food, and compete with imported products.
Coping with Climate Change and Building Resilience. Global climate change, including higher temperatures and increased periods of drought, will negatively impact agriculture by reducing soil fertility and decreasing crop yields. Although agriculture is a major contributor to climate change, accounting for about one-third of global emissions, agricultural practices, such as agroforestry and the re-generation of natural resources, can help mitigate climate change. In Niger, farmers have planted nearly 5 million hectares of trees that conserve water, prevent soil erosion, and sequester carbon, making their farms more productive and drought-resistant without damaging the environment.
Harnessing the Knowledge and Skills of Women Farmers. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, women represent 43 percent of the agricultural labor force, but due to limited access to inputs, land, and services, they produce less per unit of land than their male counterparts. Improving women's access to agricultural extension services, credit programs, and information technology can help empower women, while reducing global hunger and poverty. In Uganda, extension programs are introducing women farmers to coolbot technology, which uses solar energy and an inverter to reduce temperatures and prolong the shelf life of vegetables.
Investing in Africa's Land: Crisis and Opportunity. As pressure to increase food production rises, wealthy countries in the Middle East and Asia are acquiring cheap land in Africa to increase their food productivity. This has led to the exploitation of small-scale African farmers, compromising their food security. Agricultural investment models that create collaborations between African farmers and the foreign investing countries can be part of the solution. In Ethiopia's Rift Valley, farmers grow green beans for the Dutch market during the European winter months, but cultivate corn and other crops for local consumption during the remaining months.
Charting a New Path to Eliminating Hunger. Nearly 1 billion people around the world are hungry, 239 million of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa. To alleviate hunger, we must shift our attention beyond the handful of crops that have absorbed most of agriculture's attention and focus on ways to improve farmers' access to inputs and make better use of the food already produced. Innovations--such as the human-powered pump that can increase access to irrigation and low-cost plastic bags that help preserve grains--offer models that can be scaled-up and replicated beyond Africa.
Moving Ecoagriculture into the Mainstream. Agricultural practices that emphasize increased production have contributed to the degradation of land, soil, and local ecosystems, and ultimately hurt the livelihoods of the farmers who depend on these natural resources. Agroecological methods, including organic farming practices, can help farmers protect natural resources and provide a sustainable alternative to costly industrial inputs. These include rotational grazing for livestock in Zimbabwe's savanna region and tea plantations in Kenya, where farmers use intercropping to improve soil quality and boost yields.
Improving Food Production from Livestock. In the coming decades, small livestock farmers in the developing world will face unprecedented challenges: demand for animal-source foods, such as milk and meat, is increasing, while animal diseases in tropical countries will continue to rise, hindering trade and putting people at risk. Innovations in livestock feed, disease control, and climate change adaptation--as well as improved yields and efficiency--are improving farmers' incomes and making animal-source food production more sustainable. In India, farmers are improving the quality of their feed by using grass, sorghum, stover, and brans to produce more milk from fewer animals.
Going Beyond Production. Although scarcity and famine dominate the discussion of food security in sous-Saharan Africa, many countries are unequipped to deal with the crop surpluses that lead to low commodity prices and food waste. Helping farmers better organize their means of production--from ordering inputs to selling their crops to a customer--can help them become more resilient to fluctuations in global food prices and better serve local communities that need food. In Uganda, the organization TechnoServe has helped to improve market conditions for banana farmers by forming business groups through which they can buy inputs, receive technical advice, and sell their crops collectively.

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Who will feed the world?

2011-05-03T21:57:54Z

"Who will feed the world (and how)?" A recent report from Oxfam attempts to answer this question.]]>

Obviously, the "answer" is incredibly complex, and relies on a shift in policy and practice at just about every level, from production to table. The report does offer some clarity concerning one of the central debates in the food security conversation. The debate? Should we support subsistence (family) and small investor farmers (small-scale agriculture) in favour of large-scale farmers and global farming investment (large-scale agriculture)? As with most debates, it's not so cut and dry. The more important question, and the key learning for me with this report, seems to revolve around High External Input (HEI) and Low External Input (LEI) agricultural practices.

In general terms, HEI agriculture refers to industrial agriculture, a system of production that is characterised by high inputs of capital and intensive usage of technologies (modern machineries) and chemicals per land area, without taking into account environmental externalities. Conversely, LEI agriculture is associated with sustainable production methods. It involves a relatively low input of capital but is more labour-intensive, relative to the area of land farmed, and focuses on maintaining the long-term ecological health of farmland.

Contrary to what I originally thought, LEI is not just for small-scale farming. Adoption of LEI by large-scale farming is widely known and documented. For me, LEI agriculture seems to have the long-view in mind, whereas, HEI agriculture seems more concerned with short-term gains at the expense of the future health and wellness of everything from the soil to the people and communities. However, whichever method you favour, or imagine to be the solution to feeding the growing global population, as usual, the solutions seem to lie in assessing the right blend of all of the farming practices to meet the unique needs of a specific region and community.

Enter my good friend policy. Oxfam makes the most compelling case I've encountered for the importance of "developing a country-led long-term vision" to "ensure food security, poverty reduction, and protection of the environment." Oxfam recommends a four-pronged approach, that includes numerous examples of successful adoption of these principles.

Support subsistence farmers to cope with risks and vulnerability.
Empower smallholder farmers, especially women, with capacity, finance, and a regulatory framework that encourages organisation and enhances productivity.
Regulate agro-industrial operations to enhance social benefits and good environmental stewardship.
Promote synergies between smallholder and agro-industrial operations, building on complementarities and linkages wherever possible.

Whatever mix of the four-pronged approach is adopted, major commitment and investment by governments, international donors, and private-sector actors, reversing the trend of the past 20 years, will be crucial. Much of the failure of agriculture to achieve its potential is institutional. Support by the state has been unresponsive to the needs of the poor, and inefficient in marketing producers' output, sometimes preventing the natural development of markets for producers. Public institutions need to be strengthened in their capacity to develop an appropriate blend of policies, regulatory frameworks, and investments to re-launch the agricultural sector.

And the choir says? Amen.]]>

On food justice

2011-04-24T23:13:55Z

Folks Gotta Eat before, so let's keep adding to that list. Food Justice: Food justice seeks to ensure that the benefits and risks of where, what and how food is grown, produced, transported, distributed, accessed and eaten are shared fairly. Food justice represents a transformation of the current food system, including but not limited to eliminating disparities and inequities. ]]>

This important definition is the opening of the introduction to a recent report by The Applied Research Center. The report - The Color of Food - "maps out the race, gender and class of workers along the supply chain, finding people of color typically make less than whites and hold fewer management positions." Some of you may have an immediate reaction of "duh, nothing new there," but even I was struck by the range and depth of inequities we must address if we want food justice.

A movement based on a holistic understanding of food justice needs to encompass the chain of food production that connects seeds to mouths. The food chain includes the workers that help to plant the seeds, harvest the crops, package the food, deliver the product and serve the meal to consumers. The future of good food must not ignore these workers and their livelihoods. Food justice must involve increasing their wages and improving their working conditions, so that they too can enjoy healthy and sustainable lives.

So, what are we up against in attaining food justice?

White men earned the highest wages of all race and gender groups working in the food system. For every dollar of median income a white man earned, men of color made 20 to 40 cents less (see Figure 6). Being a woman posed a severe penalty in wages for food workers. White women earned 63 cents for every dollar in median wage that a white man made. Women of color fared much worse: Asian women made 68 cents, Black women made 53 cents, and Latina women made 50 cents.

What is required of us to address this?

A movement for food justice must advocate for the dignity of and respect for the workers who help to produce, process, distribute and serve us our food.

I think the most important point this report highlights is the need to build meaningful and durable bridges between the food, labor and racial justice movements. I'm reminded of one of the most thoughtful environmental organizations I know of working out of the U.S., Green for All, and their focus on the links between poverty, race and environmental destruction. Collectively, we must dig deeper into the meaning of the term "sustainability" to ensure our applications are inclusive.

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Barriers urban farmers' markets face

2011-04-20T19:25:54Z

new report from the Manhattan Borough President's office highlights what most of us already experience. It's the wrestling match between the Initiative to do something and the Red Tape that gets in the way. The challenge: New Yorkers need access to healthy food. The solution: community-based farmers' markets. The barrier: Red Tape (including high cost of entry, parking challenges, etc.). ]]>

New York City is faced with a health crisis: 700,000 New Yorkers have diabetes and over 3.1 million residents are obese or overweight, as are 43 percent of elementary school students. Numerous studies have shown the link between positive health outcomes and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, but disturbingly, 37 percent of New Yorkers live in areas without adequate access to healthy food. Residents need affordable ways to introduce more fruits and vegetables into their diets.

Community-based farmers markets are created by community members to address the lack of healthy and affordable food at the neighborhood-level and are tightly connected to community development efforts. These markets represent a critical pipeline for bringing fresh fruit and vegetables into some of the City's most under-served neighborhoods. However, too often that pipeline is clogged by bureau- cratic red tape, creating a negative regulatory framework that runs counter to the City's larger goals of improving public health and access to fresh foods.

Though I haven't conducted a city-by-city comparison of the challenges New York faces in boosting the number and quality of community-based farmers' markets, my guess is there are a lot of commonalities. I think the recommendations below are a great way to begin examining our own communities and removing the barriers for these critical food security initiatives. The report drills down into some best practices for addressing barriers - including a shout-out to my old stomping ground, Seattle.

New York City should support existing community-based farmers markets and promote the establish- ment of new ones. The City needs to cut red tape, streamline permitting processes, establish clear procedures where current systems are ad hoc, and align fees with the policy goal of increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables in underserved communities. Specifically, in order to improve the operating environment for community-based farmers markets, the City should:

1. Eliminate Daily Permit Fees for Markets in Low-Income Areas
2. Simplify and Clarify the Process

• Assign oversight of farmers markets to a single City entity
• Create a uniform application process
• Create a guide to operating a farmers market

3. Create Standard Procedures for Farmers Market Parking

• Department of Transportation must create a clear policy for requesting signage
• Appropriate agencies must develop farmers market parking placards
• NYPD traffic officers must be trained regarding enforcement for farmers market parking

4. Create Information and Outreach Campaign About Using Federal and State Nutrition Supports at Farmers Markets
5. Increase Access to Urban Land for Farming

• Assess land availability and suitability for urban agriculture
• Create a citywide urban agriculture program
• Ensure the permanence of community gardens

6. Increase Access to Commercial Kitchen Space

• Explore use of City-owned kitchens
• Create online portal of available kitchen space

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