It is the first broad based assessment report on the food system in Halifax. The development of Food Counts was led by the Halifax Food Policy Alliance, a partnership of individuals and organizations that represent different sectors related to the food system. The steering committee of the alliance is currently co-chaired by Public Health Services of the Nova Scotia Health Authority and the Ecology Action Centre.
During the report presentation, the speakers encouraged the public to “keep food on your mind”. We, Aldara MacKay and Lorraine Teasdale, your co-authors of this blog and recent Human Nutrition graduates of St. Francis Xavier University, have no problem with doing just that. We have studied the science of food and nutrition for four years and are now getting to put that knowledge into action with our positions at Farmers’ Markets of Nova Scotia Cooperative (FMNS). Aldara is the newly appointed Strategic Projects Officer with FMNS and Lorraine is just finishing up a placement with the organization as part of her Dietetic Internship.
The report defines community food security as “a state when all community residents have access to enough healthy, safe food through a sustainable food system that maximizes community self reliance and social justice”. As we read the report, it become more and more evident that household food insecurity is a significant issue in the Halifax region. In 2013, Halifax had the highest level of household food insecurity among 33 major urban centers across Canada, with 20% of the population being affected. To break it down further, 1 in 5 households in the Halifax region has trouble affording healthy food – quite a startling statement. With report findings demonstrating that not everyone has access to healthy and affordable food in Halifax, a likely question is, what can we do to change this? A clear message from the report is that healthy, culturally appropriate and sustainable produced food needs to be accessible for all citizens in order to enhance community food security, which will require the integration of economic, social, environmental and educational factors within a community.
Another interesting aspect of the report is the discussion of the role municipalities play in building healthy food initiatives within communities. Food assessments can be good starting points for identifying potential areas for municipal food policies and strategies. To provide some perspective, a recently published report entitled Municipal Food Policy Entrepreneurs showed evidence of more 64 municipal food policy initiatives taking place throughout Canada. Food Counts pointed out that the development of supportive food policies play a vital role in ensuring strong local food systems, specifically through enhancement of our local food economy and infrastructure.
After reading the report, it is clear that Food Counts is a valuable tool for the Halifax community, both as a representation of the current state of our food system and as an excellent conversation starter. The presentation urged the public to bring food into our discussions and we agree – food is most definitely a universal language, it crosses barriers and unites people.
How can individuals become involved in building a healthy, just, sustainable food system in Halifax? Engage in advocacy efforts and local food initiatives, seek out local and sustainable food options, become involved in a cooking or gardening program, adopt waste management practices and of course, provide an environment for people to come together to prepare and share food. As Haligonians we have a clear call to action: share this report and keep the conversation and momentum going!
– This blog post was written by Aldara MacKay & Lorraine Teasdale, who are both currently working with Farmers’ Markets of Nova Scotia Cooperative