Kicking off 2014 for Growing Change I have updated my top 10 ideas for a better food system into a more reflective, action oriented and local focus:
Growing Change
A Template for Food System Change in Your Local Community
1. Vision
Bring people around the table who are active in local food initiatives to discuss what a sustainable, just, resilient and healthy food and farming system would look like in your community. Who needs to be there?
2. Champion
By supporting local food producers you can help protect and champion sustainable food sources. Who do you know in your area that produces food sustainably and who is promoting them?
3. Participate
All people have a right to access to healthy and nutritious food. Bring people together to participate in decisions that affect the local food system. Bear in mind those who experience disadvantage when discussing how food system issues affect community members and think about ‘Who is not here and why not?’
4. Advocate
Campaign for a local food policy coalition that can develop regional food strategies. This is a role for local government in particular. Who do you need to work with to support the case for participation in governance of local food system issues that affect the health and wellbeing of the whole community?
5. Value
Assess what facilities are available for local community food initiatives and audit land suitable for food production in your area. Will you speak out to protect land from development that could produce food?
6. Establish
Start doing the groundwork to establish community food centres, social enterprises that could potentially be organised in regional clusters as hubs. Who may provide support for these in the community? Work with them.
7. Celebrate
Respect our local foods and diverse cultural influences. How many groups in your community speak a language other than English and how can they participate and connect with their community via food?
8. Teach
Learning about where our food comes from and the future impacts of climate change on our ability to eat healthy and nutritious food is important for the whole community, those in schools and higher education. How many programs exist in your community, schools and workplaces?
9. Invest
Promote support for newer food producers via mentoring and farmer enterprise diversification that will keep growers profitable whilst nurturing the environment. What farming groups exist in your community and how do you start a conversation with them about creating a food system that is better for everyone?
10. Reduce
Decreasing food waste relies on new food production, processing and trading processes that make better use of valuable food. Does your local area have a plan for large-scale compost production facilities, or associated energy production? How can you be a part of a change that values food and hates waste in your community?
