Unit 4 Flashcards
(117 cards)
1
Q
Food System
A
- People involved in the food system is more than grocery store workers
- The whole food system needs sustainable practice for economic success
- Sustainable = Contributes to health and well-being of these people
2
Q
What is Agriculture
A
The practice and science of farming, including growing crops and raising livestock
3
Q
What is Aquaculture
A
The cultivation of aquatic animals and plants (fish, shellfish, seaweed) in natural or controlled environments
4
Q
Why do we Need Agriculture and Aquaculture
A
- To make enough food to survive
- 2nd greatest source of employment after tertiary industry
5
Q
Topography
A
- It is the physical features of the surface of the earth (eg, mountains, valleys bodies of water)
- It influences the types of crops and animals that can be raised in that area
- Is the land flat/sloped, rocky/soil, well-drained/swampy, and elevation
6
Q
Latitude (Climate)
A
- Distance from the equator
- Determines temperature, amount of rainfall, winds
7
Q
Climate
A
- Average long term weather conditions
- (weather = day-to-day)
- Determines growing season ( >7 degrees celsius)
- Growing period: The period of time between the last frost in spring and first frost of the fall
- Frost kills annual plants
8
Q
Microclimates
A
- Can be as small as one, as large as many hectares
- Eg, Peace Valley, B.C.
- Rocky mountains funnel warm Pacific air into an area typically dominated by Arctic air
- Eg, Annapolis Valley, N.S.
- Located between 2 mountains ridges
- Results in mild temperatures perfect for fruits and vegetables
- Eg, Osoyoos, Southern B.C.
- The only desert in Canada
- Has 2 microclimates
- Harvests the earliest fruits and vegetables in all of Canada
9
Q
Climate Change
A
- Climate change = Long term weather patterns that are altered through himan activity
- Impacts agriculture by altering the growing conditions of a region (eg, flooding, drought, intense summer heat)
- Drought and extreme rain can lessen crop yields
- Rising temperatures and longer growing season can be positive locally but globally it is more negative than positive
- Farmers in less developed countries are more dependent on climate than other countries that have a greater capacity to “Change the climate”
10
Q
Water
A
- If there is not enough rain, you need to plant a different crop or use irrigation (water provided artificially)
- If not rain, maybe groundwater (water held underground in the soil or in pores and crevices in rock)
- Eg, Oasis in Asif Imini Valley, Morocco - water seeps from the slope to the dry river bed, providing just enough water for crops to survive
11
Q
Soil
A
- Contains organic matter (plant and animal residue in different stages of decomposition)
- Contains living organisms
- The organic matter and living organisms in the soil contribute to soil health (= the capacity of a soil to provide plants with nutrients and water)
- Ideal farmland has nutrient rich soil that holds water well and resists erosion by wind and water
- Eg, Holland Marsh - was a swamp that was drained in the 1930s
- Part of Ontario’s Greenbelt
- Greenbelt = Large area that is protected greenscape made of farmland, rural communities, forests, wetlands (protected from urban development, supports local economy)
12
Q
Subsistence Agriculture
A
- Growing food to feed oneself, rather than sell to profit
- Usually farmers were only growing food and raising animals to support their own fam
- Possible trading for foods and other goods
- Common: Developing countries
- Not common: North America
13
Q
2 Types of Subsistence (usually) Agriculture
A
- Existence
- Intensive
14
Q
Existence (General Info)
A
- Type of subsistence agriculture
- Use a lot of land to produce small amounts of food
- Eg, nomadic herding of animals, moving where crops are grown
- When nutrients exhausted, move onto another area
- Eg, slash and burn (swidden) - nutrients in soil gets washed away in warm wet climates so farmers clear trees by burning them to grow crops for a few seasons
- Ash from the burned vegetation adds another layer of nutrients to the soil, allows the soil to regenerate…repeat across large areas of land
15
Q
Intensive
A
- Type of subsistence agriculture
- Use small amount of land
- Work efficiently
- Produce relatively large quantities of food
- Common in densely populated countries eg, East, South, and Southeast Asia
- Don’t waste land
- Paths are as narrow as possible
- Very little crop is grown to feed animals
- Eg, rice paddies
- Eg, terrace hillsides of river valleys
- Double cropping = When growing season is long enough plant 2 crops in succession of each other
- Eg, factory farms = Intensive automated system of raising animals for human consumption started in the 1930s
16
Q
Problems with Existence
A
- Deforestation:
- Maturing age of the removed trees is much longer than the following period used by the farmers. (Swidden rotation is between 5 and 8 years, and the rainforest trees have a 200-700 year cultivation cycle)
- Erosion:
- Roots and temporary water storages from trees are lost and unable to prevent nutrients from leeching away
- Nutrient loss:
- As a result of erosion, fields may gradually lose the fertility they once had. The result may be desertification (land becomes a desert)
- Biodiversity loss:
- Various plants and animals that lived there are swept away (result in extinction) slash and burn often practiced in tropical regions where biodiversity is extremely high, so extinction may be magnified
17
Q
Why Do We Need To Keep Trees
A
- Need to keep carbon in trees, or huge carbon release in the air –> greenhouse gas effect
18
Q
Problems with Intensive
A
- Produce large amounts of animal waste (air and water pollution)
- Large amounts of animal waste –> ammonia harmful to people (cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke)
- Perfect place for viruses to mutate and spread to humans
- Inhumane - large number of animals live in extremely small space with no sun or fresh air, and no regard for their welfare (eg, chickens de-beaked, pig and cow tails are docked, dehorned)
19
Q
Conventional Farming Methods
A
- All other types of farming that is not an alternative method
- Try to grow as much as possible (high crop yield)
- Use of fertilizer and pesticides
- Monoculture = growing large quantities of only one crop (easier)
- But difficult to control weeds and pests depletes nutrients in soil, soil erosion … not sustainable
- Conventional Tillage
- When farmers use machines to turn over and loosen soil
- It leaves soil exposed to rain, win –> erosion of topsoil needed to grow crops
- Also kills the microbes and insects that form healthy soil biology
20
Q
Cash Crops
A
- Growing crops only for selling it
- Farmers forced to meet yields as per their contract
- Success is dependent on world supply + demand
- Choice of crop becomes not for food purpose (animal feed, make ethanol for fuel, plastics, fabrics)
21
Q
Water
A
- If there is not enough rain, you need to plant a different crop or use irrigation (water provided artificially)
- If not rain, maybe groundwater (water held underground in the soil or in pores and crevices in rock)
- Eg, Oasis in Asif Imini Valley, Morocco - water seeps from the slope to the dry river bed, providing just enough water for crops to survive
22
Q
What is a Sustainable Food System Comprised Of
A
- Meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
- Environmental Sustainability
- Economic Sustainability
- Social Responsibility
23
Q
Environmental Sustainability
A
Ecologically sound food systems (doesn’t deplete natural resources), protect and conserve natural environment (soil, water, air)
24
Q
Social Responsibility
A
- Build human health and enhance the quality of life of farmers and workers through the system
- Nutritious food is available accessible + affordable to all
25
Economic Sustainability
Farmers obtain a price for their products that covers the cost of production and allows them financial well-being, agriculture must generate employment
26
Guerilla Gardening
Planting in areas not allowed to (illegal)
27
Greenhouse Food Production
- Canada greenhouse food production increased a lot since 1990s because demand for off season vegetables
- Its own ecosystem, grows all year round
- Ontario law has high standards so that it doesn't harm environment (eg, permits and licenses, for water use and gas/fuel for heating)
- Some use solar panels, biomass (decomposition of organic material gives off heat) for heating
28
Hydroponics
- When veggies are grown in a greenhouse but only in nutrient rich water (no soil)
- Farmers monitor water nutrient levels
- Water is recycled back to the plants
29
Aquaponics
- Similar to hydroponics
- Except with fish
- The waste from fish is used as nutrients for plants
- Self-watering, closed loop system
30
Vertical Gardening
- Can be hydroponics or not
- Can be freestanding or attached to a wall
- Indoors or outdoors
31
Sack Garden
- Very productive, low cost sack planter garden
- Small, portable garden is good for areas where the gardener may have to continually relocate
- Also good for areas where there is little or no healthy soil
- Due to their vertical nature, they are efficient in terms of using water
- Started in Kenya to combat food security issues
32
Keyhole Garden
A raised garden bed that has composter in the middle
33
Aquaculture
- AKA fish farming
- Fastest growing food production activity in the world
- Provides 20% of animal protein that people eat
- Increase in Canada 4x in the last 20 years
- Produced for Canadians and for export
- Can be indoors (tank) or outdoors (pens)
- Salt water or fresh water
- Problem: Salmon aquaculture infecting Pacific wide Salmon with parasites
34
Cultured Meat
- Meat grown in a lab (no slaughter of animals)
- Addresses factory farming pollution --> ween meat-eaters off traditional meat cuz vegan diets unappealing, and plant-based meat replacements (eg, Beyond Burger, Plant-Life) are not healthy and not good replicating the texture and flavour of conventional meat
- Small scale of cultured meat production requires a relatively high use of energy and therefore carbon emissions
35
Crop Rotation
- When you change the crop that is grown on the same land over a number of successive years
- Helps control weeds, insects, disease
- Most importantly, replenish soil nutrients and reduce soil erosion
- You need to know what crop needs what nutrient
- Then also need to know what crop will leave that nutrient after harvesting
36
Cover Crop
- Crops grown but not for harvest
- Planted off-season
- In Canada, plant cover crops during the fall to protect the soil from erosion from melting snow or heavy rainfall that happens in spring right before planting (via roots)
- During planting, don't rip it out... It decays and releases nutrients into soil
37
Intercropping
- When 2+ crops are planted in the same field at the same time
- Support biodiversity, limit pest outbreak
- Maximize space (tall plants = short plant shade)
- Companion planting
38
Companion planting
When 2 diff plants support each other's growth
- Use/provides certain nutrients to each other
- Ex: Marigold
39
No Till
- Instead of turning over the soil, just make holes in the field and drop seeds in them
- Soil will hold more moisture, keeps the nutrients and beneficial microbes
- Save time, labour, money
40
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
- Use mulch to suppress weeds
- Introduce beneficial organisms that will attack the pests
- Use fans in orchards so that mild breeze stops pests from landing on the fruit
- Put netting on the plants to prevent animals and birds from eating them
41
What are some of the stumbling blocks John and Molly encountered as they began to establish the farm
42
What was Alan York's goal for the farm
- Highest biodiversity level possible
43
What steps were taken to heal the soil
- Ripped out trees
- Build composte piles
- Rebuild irrigation pond
- Bring in animals to revive nutrients
44
What types of animals did John and Molly bring to the farm
- Chickens
- Live stock gardening dogs
- Ducks
- Cows
- Sheep
- Pigs
45
How many varieties of fruit trees did they plant
75
46
Why does Alan keep stressing the importance of biodiversity
Self regulating
47
What was the solution to the snail problem
Ducks eat the snails
48
Why did John initially think it was necessary to kill the coyote
Keep killing ducks + chickens + lambs
49
How did John feel about performing this task
Terrible
50
He states that "along with the coyote died part of my belief in the power of an uncompromising idealism" What does he mean by this
They wanted to live in harmony with the wildlife, but they didn't know how to just yet
51
What impact did 18 inches of rain have on their farm vs other neighboring farms, why?
- Their excess water went to the aquafer
- Their soil stayed cuz pf their cover crops
- Other farms excess water washed away their soil
52
How did they eventually get the coyotes to stop hunting chickens
The dogs protected the animals
53
Why are tertiary consumers/top predators important? What roles do they play?
They impact the entire ecosystem of the farm, depending on them leads to how many other consumers and produces there will be
54
List 2 food chains that include 3 organisms found on the farm
55
What role do microorganisms in the soil play
Nutrients for soil
56
IPM → integrated pest management
A combination of a system of controls
- Biological control
- Cultural control
- Mechanical control
- Chemical control
57
Biological control
Use their natural enemies
58
Cultural control
Makes environment unsuitable for pests (ex. planting specific plants pest don’t like)
59
Mechanical control
Physical prevention (ex. fences, row covers, nets, diatomaceous earth)
60
Chemical control
Pesticides, last resort
61
How does modern agricultural technology affect the environment?
Energy is used at each stage of the food supply chain
Non-renewable energy sources (fossil fuels) are used throughout the whole chain
Conserving energy and using renewable sources of energy is important for environment stewardship and achieving sustainable food supplies
Increasing overall energy efficiency of a farm: replace out-of-date technologies/equipment (machinery, motors, irrigation pump)
62
Instead of fossil fuels
- Solar energy
- Hydro energy
- Wind power
63
Wind Power
- Requires no fuel
- Produces little waste
- Consume almost no water
- Does not contribute very much to greenhouse gas emissions
Problems:
- Some people who live near wind turbines report feeling ill due to infrasound
- Ministry of Environment says does not pose issue to human health but some particularly sensitive
64
Solar power
- Greenhouses usually use solar panels
Agrivoltaic farming = grow crops underneath solar panels
- Double up on land use while providing energy
- Some plants grow better in partial shade (also cooler temp) e.g., broccoli, and also protects against water loss from evaporation
- Powers water pumps (eg, pump water from reservoirs to farms)
- Heat/cool space (eg, for livestock refrigeration systems)
- Solar “dryers” to dry crops and grains
65
Biofuels
Biofuel = fuel made from living plants → 2 types (Ethanol and biodiesel)
66
Ethanol
Fermented plants (corn and wheat), usually blended with regular gasoline (less enviro impact than regular)
67
Biodisel
- Fuel made from vegetable oils or animal fats, blended with petroleum diesel
- Reduces emissions of CO, CO2, SO2
- Biodegradable 4x faster than regular petroleum diesel
- Non-toxic
- Problem with biodiesel:
- Using farmland to produce crops for biofuel instead of food production
- Growing those crops requires significant energy expenditure
- Controversy: Does it provide more energy than is required to produce it
- Also growing crops for biofuel → deforestation
- Current research: instead of using food crops, what about algae, straw, and agricultural waste (corn cobs, leaves)
68
Energy from Poop
- Toronto Zoo got $2.7 million to make energy out of poop (March 2019)
- Facility will divert both animal poop from the Toronto Zoo and food waste from major grocery stores away from landfills, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 10,000 tonnes of CO2/yr
- Poo will be put in an anaerobic “digestion” chamber that has millions of bacteria to become a biogas that can be used for electricity, heat, and a high-quality fertilizer
69
Precision Farming
- Have you ever noticed that monoculture commercial agriculture looks very uniform?
- Use 2 technologies: GPS and GIS (geographic information systems)
- Gives farmers precise real-time dara about their position and analysis of soil
- Also can guide the tractor, and give variable application of soil/plant treatment
- Precise application of chemicals (pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers) only where needed
- Farmers can work through darkness, and low visibility weather conditions
70
Trade Agreements
Sale of agricultural products = major source of income for many countries
Free trade agreements = when 2+ countries agree to trade with each other without applying tariffs on specific goods that are imported/exported
E.g. nafta → cusma/usmca
Creates economic growth for all member countries
Can sometimes hurt an industry of one country
E.g. Niagara region fruit but fruit in stores are not local because cusma/usmas made it easy for imports from mexico and usa
71
Trade embarage
- Aka ban/sanctions
- Or also due to fear of disease or contamination
- Put on products grown or produced in other countries
- Happens for many reasons (e.g. disagreements with the actions of a nation or its leaders)
- Used to let other countries know they have violated international standard and laws
- The target country: difficult with exporting products, jeopardize economy
- Canada: apart of UN, so will follow UN security councils imposing of sanctions
72
In India
- World's 2nd largest producer of wheat
- But suffered heat wave
- Much of harvest go to other developing countries
- Own vast stocks of wheat --- a buffer against famine -- have been strained by distribution of free grain during the pandemic
- India banned exports of wheat effective immediately, citing a risk to its food security, rising global price of wheat, partly due to the war in Ukraine (they reserved their decision 2 days late)
73
War
- G7 warned that the war in Ukraine is creating a global food crisis - threatens poor countries
- Russia is prventing stores of grain from leaving Ukraine
- 50+ million people particularly in Africa and the middle east would face hunger in the coming moths unless ways are found to release Ukraninan grain, which accounts for a sizeable share of the worldwide supply
74
Debt Repayment for Countries
- World Bank and International Monetary Fund will let
Developing countries borrow money to pay for agriculture infrastructure
But have to pay them back plus interest
Very difficult for these developing countries to produce enough cash crop for this
75
Debt Repayment for Countries (Locally)
For farmers, repayment is so difficult that someone haas to find work off the farm to pay for living and farm operating expenses
- Problem: people leaving agricultural careers
Another option: agri-tourism
- Rural culture as a tourist attraction
- E.g, pick your own interact with animals, learn about agriculture (farm demos), stay at a farm as a guest (aka farm stays)
76
Input Costs
Is what the farmer needs to pay in order to run the farm
- Seeds
- Materials for crop protection
- Feed for animals
- Machinary
- Structures(barns)
- Insurance
- Wages
77
Other Costs
Also, fuel costs and the price of oil!
- Need for production, processing, transportation
- When the price of oil rises on the world market the cost of food production rises
- This cost is passed on to you! The consumer!
Or….
- You can buy more locally grown food (reduces environmental impact)
78
Government Controls on Fishing and Hunting
- Human food production happens
- But also harvested from natural environments
- Nature can replenish IF humans hunt or fish responsibly
- If overfish or overhunt, species can be reduced to a point where they won’t recover
- E.g., USA bison
- Also, if we pollute or destroy habitats
- Thus, government enforce laws to ensure long-term wildlife conservation
- You need licese to hunt
- You need license to fish if over 16yr
- Restriciton on time of year you can fish/hunt for specific species
Sometimes diff for Indigenous People:
They have rights to hunt and fish anytime
because of their cultural history of hunting and
fishing for subsistence
Exception: when hunting bans come into effect on endangered species
79
UN Declaration of Human Rights
All people at all times have the right to food and all
80
What is Food Security
- Accessibility: Physical and economic access to food (buy, grow, trade for it)
- Availability: getting sufficient quantities of food consistently
- Adequacy: get nutritious food that is safe and environmentally sustainable
- Acceptability: get food that meets cultural/religious/dietary needs
81
How prevalent is Food Insecurity?
- There is enough food to feed everyone in the world
- The problem is uneven distribution of food
- 1 in 8 people in the world do not have enough nutritious food to eat widespread in developing countries
82
Food Waste Video
- Use everything waste nothing
- 40% of food being produced goes to waste
83
Food Waste in Farms during COVID
- problem isn’t shortage of food
- food waste becoming bigger issue as bulk buyers suddenly stop receiving deliveries
- As a result, milk dumped, farmers forced to turn fresh vegetables into mulch
84
In France
Food waste law for supermarkets since 2016
- Best buy labels to make profit
- Pouring bleach into dumpsters with food so homeless can’t eat because it makes their shops look bad and other people might also start looking through it to find food
85
In the GTA
- App called “too good to go” where people can get food from restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries etc., for a deeply discounted price because its the end of the d
- Food was being waste but at the same time people were dying from hungry
- Using all parts (both animals and plants)
86
Using all parts (both animals and plants)
- What is considered edible varies from culture to culture, often based on religion too
- Different parts of a plant can also be eaten…not just the part we associate with food (eg, garlic scapes, beet greens, etc)
- In Canada, most people do not eat animal feet, heads, hearts, lungs so its hard to find those things but it is common in non-westernized diets, so those parts are also wasted
87
Causes of Food Insecurity - The socio-cultural factor
Poverty in Canada
- People who work minimum wage/low income are unable to meet basic daily needs
- Increasing disparity between income and cost of living
- Recent downturn of the economy= inflation including “food inflation
- 15% more people are starting to grow their own food in 2022
88
Causes of Food Insecurity - The socio-cultural factor
46% of canadians are now prioritizing cost over nutrition
- Rely on carbs: those foods are high in sodium, sugar, fat
- Inflation is slowing down (decreasing) in late 2023 but food inflation continues to increase!
- Loblaws group, metro, empire co. were questioned in parliament re: profiteering
89
Causes of Food Insecurity - The socio-cultural factor
Grocery companies shifting the blame of inflation to
Or climate change?
Or COVID global supply chain disruptions?
Or war?
Or high gas prices?
Decline in canadian dollar
90
Causes of Food Insecurity - The socio-cultural factor
Food bank visits in the GTA up to 86% from 2022-2024
- Now 1/10th people use the food bank
- More indigenous people live in poverty compare to other Canadians
- Poverty higher in rural areas b/c less access to services and programs, higher transportation costs
91
Causes of Food Insecurity - The socio-cultural factor
Statistics
- 20% had a university degree, a college diploma or postgraduate degree
- 40% had at lest one member of the household employed
- 33% of people accessing the food bank are children (but only 20% of the overall population are children = overrepresentation)
92
Causes of Food Insecurity - The socio-cultural factor
Poverty Factor and Food Literacy
- What impact does poverty have on education and food literacy?
- Sometimes those who are struggling economically do not get the same access to education where they can learn about:
- How to read food labels
- Plan and budget food costs
- Alter/improvise recipes to create nutritious meals rather than relying on processed foods
- Especially if parent(s) are busy working
93
Causes of Food Insecurity: The Isolation Factor
- Live in remote area (food is flown by small plane, or trucked through ice roads = $$$)
- Live remote area and have special diet
- Live in city where neighborhoods don’t have local grocery stores, only has convenience stores
- Mobility issues-
94
Wasted Documentary
Renewable energy
- Biggest contributor to greenhouse gasses is food that is thrown out
- Food waste → energy or compost
- Churning compost helps add air which helps decompose
- Food waste produces methane, stronger than greenhouse gases
- Takes 25 years to decompose lettuce in landfill compared to 2 years as compost
95
War (Food Security and Food Waste)
Buildings destroyed, people killed, food networks and farmlands destroyed
Eg, Isarel vs Palestine - in 23 days on the Gaza Strip 1700 hectares of afgricultural land was destroyed, ⅔ people do not have enough to eat
People called up to fight in the war, no farmers
People told to give food to soldiers to support the war rather than their families
Many places in world do not have access to potable (drinkable) water
Infrastructure: wells, pipes, water treatment procedures, water quality testing
Many people have to travel far for water
Women and girls have to get the water? Then no school to learn marketable skills
96
Short term strategies (Food Security: Interventions)
- Short-term relief strategies are the first level on the food security continuum
- This level represents emergency programs, e.g. charitable food distribution agencies which intervene in times of environmental, societal, or personal crisis
97
Food Banks
- Food banks first arose in Canada during a period of large scale unemployment and recession in 1981 in Edmonton, AB as an “emergency measure” with the expectation that when the crisis was over, the program would fold
- Nov 3, 2023 - GTA opened a new food bank!!!
- Food bank usage is a symptom of policy failures
98
Babies first/steps and stages
Pregnant women and families with children under 18 have access to a food cupboard, food vouchers, nutritious snacks and lunch at these CPNP drop-in programs
99
Soup kitchens
Usually held in a church basement or other community building where the community provides free food to people living on the street or in need
100
“ Culture of charity”
doesn’t deal with root cause of poverty
101
This arrangement is “kinder, but less just” what does this mean?
- The erosion of the value of minimum wage, the decline in job security, and wave after wave of cutbacks in food assistance, housing subsidies measurable inequality is more pronounced now (1999) than it has been at any point since WWII
- Charity is a symptom and a cause of society’s failure to deal with the erosion of equality
- Instead of solving the problem and working prevention, charity is about damage control.
102
A sustainable food system
“means that food in Canada must be harvested, produced, and processed, distributed and consumed in a manner which maintains and enhances the quality of land, air people are able to earn a living wage in a safe and healthy working environment by harvesting, growing, producing…”
For future generations, and in which people are able to earn a living wage in a safe
By harvesting, growing, producing, processing, handling, retailing and serving food”
103
“Healthy and safe food ties into a sustainable food system…one does not work without the other"
- Approaches to address food security issues
- Food security = short term + capacity building + system redesign
104
Capacity Building
- The second level on the food security continuum is a capacity building approach
- Strategies in this level category reflect an effort to bridge the gaps between community and public policy
- Goal: build self-reliance, empower residents to acquire adequate food without depending on emergency food or federal assistance
- “Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day. Teach a person to fish, and they can feed themselves for a lifetime” is there something even better?
105
Capacity Building: Sack Gardens (the original vertical garden)
- Designed by french NGOs for kenya’s 2007 food crisis
- (sack garden)
106
Capacity Building: (Community Kitchens)
- Where people can meet to cook food for themselves and/or their families
- Prices are kept low as meals are planned based around supermarket specials
- Community members may meet twice a month once to plan and once to cook 3 to 5 meals to take home
107
Capacity building: community garden
- A cooperative venture in which families, groups or individuals get together to grow their own vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers on public or private land
- There are several cities located around city to garden
108
Capacity Building: (Gleaning)
- A way of gathering vegetables and fruits in the field that would otherwise be left to rot
- Instead of having this good food go to waste, the gleaning program allows those who are in need to pick (or glean) the produce in the field for themselves and their family at no cost
109
How does the gleaning program work?
- When farmers are near the end of their harvest season, they will phone Fresh Food Partners
- Farmers give the date, time, and location for gleaning
- Participants are asked to meet up to be picked-up and dropped-off
- A school bus will then transport all participants to the farm
110
Structural redesign: Food Sovereignty
- Most effective strategy for attacking the core issues of poverty, food system, sustainability, and promoting the connection between health and social environment
- Goal: target appropriate issue within social structure
111
Structural redesign/systems change: food sovereignty
- Most effective strategy for attacking core issues of poverty, food system sustainability, promoting connection between health and social environment
- Goal: target the appropriate issue within the social structure
112
When people see food as a right…
- It is a basic necessity for health and survival
- Produce enough food to feed everyone a nutritious diet
people will take action to ensure that the 4 As of food security are met..
- Thus reducing food insecurity
113
When food becomes a commodity:
- (ahem, grocery stores who are making record profits right now)
- The goal is to increase production and make money
- Add more profit by processing foods
- Food crops used for animal production instead of feeding people
- Worldwide crops are mostly produced on large mechanized farms for national and international sale, thus food as a commodity has taken precedence over food
114
Levels of Food policies
Individual: “i refuse to drink bottled water”
Groups: “Everyone eats dinner together”
Businesses: (Based on what shareholders want) Corporate Social Responsibility - behaving ethically, supporting local community, reduce packaging, Fair Trade products
Institution and government: Public food policies (decisions made by elected officials) - schools, hospitals, welfare, trade agreements, foreign aid
115
Ontario Housing Crisis, Bill 134 (2020)
- Supposed to encourage the building of affordable housing for low-moderate income families
- Waive the development charge fees for the builders as an incentive for the builder to build affordable homes
- The definition in this bill doesn’t match what is defined as affordable in provincial policy
- Homes that are being built are now actually LESS affordable than previous
116
IMF and the World Bank:
- Both are responsible worlds economic order
- IMF = maintain orderly system of payment between countries, admin’s a pool of $ for countries to borrow from
- WB= promote ecomic and social progress in developing countries
- Will only help if the recipient countries opened their markets to foreign investment = erode sovereignty, and no accountability
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Trade liberalization:
- Eliminating barriers to trade (e.g. cusma/usmca)
- WTO: opened up markets to promote international trade uninhibited by tariffs, quotas, and subsidies
- Can: increase productivity, efficiency, foreign investment, boost economic growth, reduce poverty (but not for developing countries!!)
- Dumping = exporting subsidized or cheap food to pooer nations, or sending it as food aid, thus undercutting local farmers who cannot compete
- Undermines economies b/c it drives prices down to artificially low prices, and local farmers are unable to sell their food as inexpensively as imports
- Thus farmers sell land and livestock to large corporations
