Food Assessment

The readings for this week highlight tools planners use to guide community food assessments in communities. In the article Understanding and measuring food environments the authors bring up an excellent point (that I still question)--that although the absence of conventional food markets is seen as an indicator for unhealthful food environment, this type of assessment does not take into account the other nonconventional ways people purchase and consume food--farmers' markets, growing it themselves, CSAs. Though the article points out that planners must recognize that people obtain their food from a variety of sources, I believe that residents in low income neighborhoods should still have access to conventional markets--those that are typically open 7 days a week, and for longer hours. Though farmers' markets, community gardens, and CSAs can be good interventions for the absence of conventional markets--the absence of the market is still telling of the neighborhood. I say this because like the article mentions "the food environment does not exist in a vacuum" there are social, economic, and cultural elements tied to this absence, or lack. 

In the second reading, Pothukuchi unpacks food security in terms of how our food system is shaped by 1. food flows in and out of communities 2. charitable food systems; 3. market food systems; 4. federal assistance programs; and 6. community food systems. In order to best understand these facets of food security, planners use CFAs to include food within planning. Pothukuchi defines a community food assessment as "activities to systematically collect and disseminate information on selected community characteristics so that community leaders and agencies may devise strategies to improve their localities." CFA's are ways that planners are able to gather local knowledge, make relationships, and work tactically within the community. Through combining planning expertise and insights gained from the CFA, planners are able to influence the planning process from multiple areas of expertise. 

The third article emphasizes the need to bring the community to the table through intentional, community initiated dialogue. Through mapping, community forums, focus groups, and providing educational resources, planners are able to not only better understand the current conditions of a neighborhood, but also form relationships with stakeholders. Relationships allow planners to build trust and reframe the issues in terms that are more easily understand to the common person.