LEARN2

I’ve done quite a bit of research for a couple of newsletter issues I’ve produced regarding food crisis and food security, and I have thought a lot about the
conditions in other countries and the looming shortages of the future globally.
However, living in Vancouver, a beautiful metropolitan port city, often we
forget to look at food security implementation in our own area. But it is so
necessary for the increasing numbers of homeless and those living within the urban
poverty line, and in fact it really saved my family when I was growing up. I
really believe you should think globally and act locally. So I`m excited about this
mission, and the search pulled up more information than I would have anticipated.

To mention a couple, we have the Food Policy team and Vancouver Food Policy Council.
There are various programs such as the Grow a Row, Share a Row
program which supports the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society and Neighbourhood
Houses in Vancouver by inviting local gardeners to grow an extra row of
vegetables and donate it to these causes. We also have our own Vancouver Food
Charter (http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/socialplanning/initiatives/foodpolicy/...
)which identifies
five key principles for a just and sustainable food system:

1. Community Economic Development - Supports greater reliance on locally-based food systems and its' benefits to local and regional economies.
2. Ecological Health - Promotes protection of natural resources, reduction of “food miles” (currently
   averaging over 2500 km from farm to fork,) reduction of food waste through
   composting, and enhancement of “edible food recovery.”
3. Social Justice - Advocates that food is a basic human right and underscores the need of all
   citizens, and particularly hungry children, for accessible, affordable,
   healthy, and culturally appropriate food.
4. Collaboration and participation - Strengthens food security through citizen engagement and commends cooperation of all levels of government, businesses and NGO's to promote
   sound food system strategies.
5. Celebration - Promotes the fundamental importance of food in bringing people together for celebration and sharing.

Not to mention one of the reasons I just moved into my apartment last week, I’m right next to one of the many community garden spaces that not only provide food but
also youth education, hands on experience and community building.