Imaging Sustainable Food Systems. The first thing that comes
to mind when I think about this title is dreaming about an Utopian society that
embraces a food system that firsts benefits the humanity and helps replenish
the earth in a sustainable way where there are no worries about food security.
However, after reading the article then I realized the author, Wayne Roberts’,
had a slightly different agenda when coming up with the title. The author speaks on how he is determined to
change the very mind set on how people function in their institutions and
governments through an innovative sustainable driving food system. The author
talks about how people are so focused on solving a problem by putting a
band-air on it and not solving a problem that changes themselves and the way
they live. Roberts’ new innovation revolves around food policy councils that
will benefit every subset within the sustainable food system. For example, the councils will benefit and
support the health and well-being of the farmers and their land, all people,
hunters, gathers, fisheries, and etc.
Also, I like how Roberts’ mentioned that the Toronto Food
Policy Council (TFPC) will not part take in implementation. He states how is inappropriate
for an agency to do advocacy work and implementation at the same time. I agree
because taking on both tasks can allow the food policy council to lose focus
and tailor their points of view. They can also easily lose the trust and
support of the people by swaying towards a point of view that likes to play favoritism
with the citizens. Therefore, that is why Roberts’ strongly believes that the
TFPC must adopt a holistic way of thinking that stimulates the mind to take on successful
leadership roles that are involuntary to quick fixes and predictable consequences.
Your vision of a sustainable food system is a nice thought, and I imagine it does exist in some form in more rural, remote places where the evils of capitalism, urbanization, and westernization cannot reach it. And it sounds like Roberts wants to start a complete revolution type movement in order to make our food system more sustainable. Changing mindsets is very critical for this to happen. There needs to be a change in thinking for the public as well as government members and decision makers. A food council could be a democratic way of doing this, as they are only to advocate policy change, but are exempt from implementing policy. This creates a "checks and balances" like process. There should be a health council or branch of government that goes with the executive, legislative, and judicial branch and monitors government action so legislation and policies align with a public health and sustainable food agenda.
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