The Seattle Medium’s Post

🌍 World Food Day 2024: “Right to Food: For a Better Life and a Better Future” 🌱 World Food Day reminds us that access to safe, nutritious, and affordable food is not just a privilege—it’s a fundamental human right. That is why this year’s theme, “Right to Food: For a Better Life and a Better Future,” calls us to reflect on how we can create sustainable food systems that leave no one behind. In our communities, we each have a role to play in ensuring access to healthy, affordable food. Some ways we can contribute include: • Supporting local farmers by purchasing locally grown produce. • Reducing food waste to conserve resources and ensure more equitable food distribution. • Advocating and raising awareness on food safety to ensure the food we consume is safe and nutritious. • Volunteering or donating to organizations that fight hunger or support food security. By working together, we can build a future where everyone’s right to safe, affordable food is respected—creating healthier, more resilient communities. Let’s take action today for a better life and a better future! 🌾🥦 Happy World Food Day 2024 from us at the Unilorin Food Safety Club!!❤️ Emmanuella Ekundayo Innocent Etobenume (Ambassador David) Unilorin Food Safety Club #WorldFoodDay #WorldFoofSay2024 #RightToFood #FoodSecurity #SafeFood #SustainableAgriculture #ZeroHunger #EndHungerNow

Ravenous by Henry Dimbleby: Why Our Appetite is Killing Us and the Planet, and What We Can Do About It   In 2019 Henry Dimbleby, at the time lead non-exec director at DEFRA, was commissioned by the government to write a national food strategy for the UK. He presented his findings to the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Committee in 2022 and this book is a version of that report that is informative and accessible for public consumption.   It deals with the whole of our food system from field to fork, and makes valid and sensible recommendations about what changes are essential to ensure our food security for the future.   There are a few points that left me with an aftertaste of frustration and despair. Many of the recommendations made have yet to be implemented and because they contradict our current economic structures of profit over good, it is no wonder we are left confused as consumers as to what is best for us and the planet.   Our food system predominantly prioritises quantity over quality to maximise profit for the food manufacturers and supermarkets, encouraging us to buy more than we need. This leads directly to food waste that at the same time we are offering initiatives to combat.   Our unwitting temptation to the cheaper, unhealthier ultra-processed foods has also led to over 25% of adults and children in the UK considered obese (compared to under 15% in 1992). Instead of prevention and taking action on the production techniques that must have some causal link to this massive increase, we have a broken window fallacy of creating more drugs and costly NHS procedures to deal with the outcome.   From an ecological perspective, the increase in yield per hectare resulting from higher tech farming methods and adding nitrogen fertilisers to our crops has meant long term ecological damage and soil erosion.   If negative externalities aren’t factored into the price of goods there’s no reason or incentive to consider them. Financial incentives need to be rebalanced.   The government can, and crucially need to intervene. Some leaders of food companies have been asking for government intervention as they recognise the damage that they are causing with their products but in order to change for the better, regulation is needed to make it a level playing field.   Also urgent is much better education in our schools about food and eating healthily. When school may be the only place for learning about this for some children, we are letting them down as the provision of it currently is ineffective and more of an afterthought. The curriculum means that children need to choose food tech as a GCSE option rather than it being an essential skill. In my opinion health should be given the same gravitas as the core subjects.   I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone interested in our beleaguered food system and wanting to understand more about its failings and what could and should be done to improve it. https://lnkd.in/eumjnvnM

I've loved following "The Food Conversation", a national project by Food, Farming and Countryside Commission bringing together a huge range of UK citizens to talk about different food issues, and the below blog by Sue Pritchard demonstrates why..... It very much suits some companies and public sector types to claim that the Gov should not and cannot "interfere" in our food system too much. Threaten to start charging companies for producing and peddling food that is bad for people and our planet, and some will always start shouting about personal choice and crying nanny-state... So it's genuinely practically helpful and quite empowering to have a project like The Food Conversation that has gathered a great range of people from a range of backgrounds and asked them what they want and what they think about food. And what's come out of these conversations? "what is striking is just how clear the consensus is.... Citizens want to see healthy, sustainably produced food easily available for everyone, everywhere." "Policy proposals gaining substantial support include setting mandatory health and sustainability standards for food in schools, hospitals and other public institutions, banning the promotion of junk food to children.... Citizens want a fairer deal for farmers and growers, to enable the sector to shift quickly towards more sustainable, nature friendly and climate safe farming practices, with more investment in the best practices, and effectively regulating bad and outdated practices." "Citizens were startled to hear the cost of inaction to the country right now. From the cost of diet related ill health (some estimates now rising to £98bn across the NHS and the economy) through to trying to clean up rivers and restore nature, they are astonished that governments don’t do more to limit such damaging impacts on the public’s finances and on people’s quality of life." The people of this country do want our food system to change, and they do want our leaders to step in and stop our food system from being a profit driven race to the bottom. I think the main reasons they're not directly asking for this is because they don't know it could be possible, and our most recent band of Government Ministers have been so inept and so indifferent, that there's no faith that they'd do any sort of decent job. Full blog by Sue below. Have a look at The Food Conversation and the FFCC blog, it's good stuff 👍 https://lnkd.in/e3uN72ZQ

'Britain’s new food security index is a poor excuse for policy' - by Professor Tim Lang And be sure, that we in Wales has to now enable a landscape scale - urban, rural, foundational, entire agroecological food system - where it mitigates climate breakdown, begins to reverse biodiversity loss, and primarily profits the growers and independent businesses that process, market and retail it. Katie Palmer Duncan Fisher Chris Blake Black Mountains College Derek Walker Huw Irranca-Davies Llyr Gruffydd Food shocks are increasingly around any corner. "Fear not, thought Whitehall: the new indicators can suggest a rosier picture. The first indicator, which tracks global food supply, is ticked off as “broadly stable”. But this doesn’t mean that UK consumers are food secure — last month’s Food Standards Agency survey classified 25 per cent of them as food insecure. Nor does the index recognise the collapse of farmer confidence to plant or access waterlogged land. And it insufficiently unpacks the impact of climate change, geopolitics and poor diets on healthcare costs. Shaken by the 2007-2008 oil price crisis’ impact on food, the last Labour government eventually got a grip on food security strategy by 2010, only to fall at the election. No administration since has taken a serious interest in the subject, despite independent reviewers urging it to do so. So we shouldn’t be surprised that today the UK is again in denial about threats to the food system. As I’m finding in a review of civil food resilience, Whitehall tends not to even think about consumers, only supply. Must we wait for another world war before its approach to food security becomes more holistic and government gets a grip?" https://lnkd.in/euSbgiyc

Food Sovereignty vs. Food Security 🌱 Food Sovereignty: Goes beyond access to food. It's about communities having control over their own food systems, from production to distribution. It emphasizes local, sustainable, and culturally appropriate food production methods. Food sovereignty empowers communities to make decisions that align with their needs and values, fostering resilience and autonomy. 🔒 Food Security: Ensures everyone has access to sufficient food at all times. It focuses on the availability, accessibility, affordability, and stability of food sources. While crucial, it often relies on centralized systems, leaving communities vulnerable to external factors like price fluctuations or supply chain disruptions. Access to high-quality, nutrient-dense, and real food is your right, and it must be protected. That's where Price-Pottenger’s Food Freedom Project (FFP) steps in. Our mission: to nurture food sovereignty and enhance localized food economies and networks. As our inaugural initiative, the Community Angel Fund offers grants of $1000 to five organizations actively advocating for food freedom in their communities. Apply today! Deadline set for August 15, 2024. 🔗 https://hubs.ly/Q02xn06d0 Together, we can create a self-reliant future 🌍💚 #FoodSecurity #FoodSovereignty #EmpowerCommunities #PricePottgenrsFFP

This is such a powerful, succinct article highlighting the staggering amount of surplus healthy food in our province, and the atrocity of the level of #foodinsecurity that exists in the face of it. At the Greater Vancouver Food Bank we are innovating, supporting other #foodbanks and #farmers, and trying to communicate with our provincial government that there are solutions (which don't include growing more food), and that we're here to help.

🌟 Let’s Talk Food Security, Australia! 🌟 I’m thrilled to dive into some critical insights from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s (AIHW) latest report on food security. It’s a wake-up call that shines a light on the challenges many Australians are facing when it comes to accessing fresh, nutritious food. 📈 What’s the scoop? Rising food insecurity is affecting countless individuals and families, driven by economic pressures and the ripple effects of the pandemic. The report emphasizes the urgent need for local solutions—this is where community-driven initiatives come in and make a massive difference! Collaborative efforts between local governments, community groups, and businesses are essential to bolster our local food systems. 💚 And here’s where uForage fits right in! We’re on a mission to tackle food waste and improve food access in our communities. Here’s how we can contribute to the recommendations from the AIHW report: 1. Food Sharing, the Community Way: We connect individuals who have surplus food to share with neighbors in need. By embracing this spirit of generosity, we’re not just reducing waste; we’re nurturing our community bonds. 2. Championing Local Producers: We’re passionate about supporting local growers and makers. Through uForage, they can reach those looking for fresh, produce, reinforcing our local economies and sustainable practices. 3. Education is Key: We believe in empowering our community with knowledge about food management and waste reduction. We’re here to share resources and encourage everyone to make informed choices! As we grow, we’re excited to partner with local organisations to create initiatives that put food security front and centre. Together, we can create a future where everyone has access to nourishing food and where we value and share our resources. Let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work! #FoodSecurity #AIHW #uForage #CommunityLove #LocalFood #Sustainability #FoodSharing

The The Scottish Government publishes its consultation National Good Food Nation Plan - a requirement of the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022. The Plan proposes six Outcomes. The Outcomes serve as the high-level aspirations for a good food nation. It recognises the collective contribution of people, communities, businesses, agencies and organisations to meet the ambitions. Respond to the consultation by 22 April 2024. In relation to the Scottish planning system and food, I like how it coherently frames proposals in relation to production and consumption: - consideration of land use and management associated with food production, - impact of planning decisions on the availability and type of food outlets, - impact of planning decisions on the availability of high quality agricultural land, and the location of food processing facilities, - provision of guidance to local authorities on food-growing strategies in relation to allotments, - impact of food promotions on public health and food-related issues in relation to mental health and wellbeing. #healthyplanning #foodenvironment #publichealth #spatialplanning #landuseplanning https://lnkd.in/enZ-DVXq

There is a new momentum in international development to tackle the global rise in food insecurity. And there is consensus on the importance of financial and investment solutions to enable the type of food system transformation that is more effective in achieving #foodsecurity on the ground. However, food security suffers from a narrative problem that has resulted in a lack of clarity on which type of food systems we should prioritize and what type of transformation we should aim at. The many dimensions that define food security (where food should be available, affordable, nutritious, and produced sustainably) has made it hard for efforts that promote it to be clear on how their interventions will impact each of those food security dimensions. And too often it would seem like any initiative supporting #agriculture claims to deliver food security outcomes. The reality is clear, thanks in great part to an excellent measurement framework developed over decades. Despite growing public and private investments in the ag sector, food security indicators are deteriorating. At CGAP, we've been working hard to have clarity of thinking on how to focus inclusive finance interventions, such that they enable the right transformation in those Agricultural Value Chains (AVCs) with the highest impact on food security indicators at the country level. We are preparing to contribute to leading food security efforts by helping digital finance providers, impact investors, and funders in our networks on the ground design and deliver better financial and investment solutions that enable the development of those AVCs with greatest positive impact on food security. Learn more about our initiative in this blog I co-wrote with Xavier Faz. Reach out to me if you think we can support your efforts to promote food security and share your thoughts with us! Graham A N Wright, Dan Zook, Songbae Lee, Andrea Camargo, Solal Lehec, Sara Farley, Wambui Chege, Ssenyimba Samuel Collin, Guido van Heugten, Parmesh Shah, Anders Aabo, Diego Arias, Chakib Jenane, Astrid de Valon, Somya Banwari, Alejandro Escobar, Marco V Sánchez, Audrey Brulé - Françoise, Panos Loukos, Nathanial Peterson, Rebecca Mincy, Michael von During, Mayada El-Zoghbi, Andree Simon , Stefan Grundmann

We recently took a significant step in fortifying our commitment to reducing food waste and promoting food security. Key team members and myself visited the facilities of Wonky Box to explore new ways to enhance our partnership. This collaboration is focused on ensuring families across New Zealand have access to healthy food by distributing 'wonky' fruits and vegetables - produce that may not look perfect but is perfectly edible. During the visit, So Sweet’s team toured Wonky Box’s operations to gain a deeper understanding of their processes and to identify opportunities for further support and innovation. The two teams engaged in extensive discussions about enhancing the distribution of nutritious produce, eliminating food waste, and educating the public about the benefits of consuming 'imperfect' fruits and vegetables. I believe every piece of produce, regardless of its appearance, deserves a place on the table and that visiting Wonky Box has further reinforced their commitment to this mission. “By seeing firsthand the dedication and passion that goes into their operations, we are inspired to find new ways to support and expand this initiative. Together, we are not only reducing food waste but also making healthy, nutritious food more accessible to New Zealand families." Wonky Box founder Angus Simms expressed enthusiasm about the strengthened partnership. "Our mission at Wonky Box is to combat food waste while ensuring that all families have access to nutritious food. Hosting the So Sweet team has been an incredible opportunity to showcase our work and collaborate on even more impactful solutions. Together, we are proving that imperfect can indeed be perfect when it comes to feeding our communities," he said. This visit marks a new chapter in the partnership between So Sweet and Wonky Box, highlighting their shared commitment to sustainability and food security. By working closely together, both organisations are demonstrating a united front in the fight against food waste while promoting the love of food in its most natural forms. #SoSweetCarrots #SoSweetParsnips #PassOnTheLove #WonkyBox #foodwastereduction #sustainablilty #communitysupport #supportlocal