Outcomes


What does Food Security look like at the Family, Community and Territorial levels?

Participants during Day 1 of the Roundtable (May 18th) were asked to answer three questions: "What does food security look like for me and my family; my community; and my territory?" Individual answers were compiled and synthesized into a shared vision statement and 15 priorities and values of a food secure territory (reported elsewhere); each table discussed and compiled their answers more broadly and then reported back to the larger group. The following list contains the results from that report.


FAMILY

  • Family’s have a plan to produce or have local network supply of produce and local meat
  • Eating local, affordable, fresh [good/nutritious] food year-round (i.e. access to producers and enough food; choice in what foods to eat)
  • Families have traditional food in the freezer
  • Knowledge – budgeting, using coupons, how to cook, compost and regain old knowledge
  • Less travel time to access food (more local stores; get a greenhouse going, fill cold storage and food swap for wild meats; supporting farms close to where I live; and utilizing rideshares) and find/make more time to produce, work, network and farm (*particularly important for outlying communities)
  • Being educated and employed
  • Affordability (fresh fruits and vegetables at reasonable price)
  • Home gardens/greenhouses; harvest own land
  • Teaching and learning with/from Elders and others (wild meat, medicines, farming techniques)
  • Reduce food waste
  • Homemade food - easy access to healthy meal ideas; allotment of time for meal planning
  • Family – more time together (growing, eating, food prep and preservation, doing things as a family)
  • Children - kids involved at a young age (build confidence); farm succession (children identify as growers and productive gardeners)
  • Being more self-sufficient (i.e. growing/gathering; storing and preserving)
 

COMMUNITY

  • Public education *barrier-free (raising awareness of the public, workshops to enhance skills to enable food production (canning/cooking/etc.), school-based programs and curriculums)
  • Enough food for everyone (zero hunger) and low barriers to access (no stigma to ask for help); no homelessness
  • Community understanding about what food security means
  • First Nation traditional model
  • Strong community food system - including: 
    • public spaces to grow, cook and preserve food and share skills/knowledge: community gardens/kitchens (indoor and outdoor); tool sharing library; working farm within community, residential community farms (food for community; land in common; more land available to those without);
    • cooperative food network to develop food security hub;
    • moving from food bank to food hub;
    • sharing resources/knowledge/food;
    • eating locally produced and preserved foods
  • Emergency food plan (community food caches and sharing economy)
  • Positive social engagement; vibrant community; festivals
  • More land for agriculture and less reliance on Big Food businesses
  • Reduce waste (closed loop where stores give away food to those who have use for it; increase composting and recycling; and identify where general waste needs are) and smaller footprints (land/housing)
  • Buy-in at all levels (re. importance of food security)

 

"FOOD SECURITY MEANS YOU CAN ADDRESS OTHER ISSUES LIKE MENTAL HEALTH, LEISURE, ETC."

 

TERRITORY

  • Communication network and Inter-jurisdictional cooperation – between territorial governments, First Nations governments, community groups, and residents
  • Enough food for everyone
  • No homelessness
  • Sharing (of food, land, knowledge and resources) – agencies go to communities to talk about nutrition and personal health
    • Knowledge - place-based, real info and advice, relevant to community; awareness on food content and origin
  • Sustainable agricultural practices
  • Local (power sources, growing/eating economy and community food)
  • Smaller footprint (urban sprawl)
  • Protection of land and water - agricultural land reserve reviewed
  • Using space more efficiently – schools, churches, pool resources, open access to cooking/growing/eating spaces
  • Valuing natural food resources
  • Safe and healthy society - sustainability, innovation, education and emergency food crisis/disaster plan
    • Experimenting to extend growing season; pilot programs for adapting to climate change; crop variety testing
    • Nutrition/food for schools; food production and First Nations traditional model
    • Warehousing and rotation program; with widespread public knowledge of and access
  • Reduction of health care costs
  • Policy to support local food system (Food Charter; streamline regulatory practices; food policy committee)
  • Funding, policy and program support informed by good data collection
  • Infrastructure (community gardens, freezers and other storage) - accessible to all in times of need (*power outages for example)

 

"FOOD SECURITY IS GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE'S FOOD SECURITY NEEDS ARE MET, THEY ARE ABLE TO INVEST IN OTHER THINGS LIKE EDUCATION, ALTERNATIVE FUELS, INNOVATION, ETC."


"FAMILY AND COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY LEADS TO A FOOD SECURE TERRITORY"