The readings this week covered the holistic nature of the
food system, and the link between urban agriculture and planning. This
exploration included acknowledging the weaknesses and challenges in planning for
food systems and providing strategies to address these weaknesses and
challenges. Hodgson named some of the challenges facing food systems planning
as sustainability, disaster recovery, climate mitigation, adaptation, urban
revitalization, and economic development. Hodgson also provided some elements
that food production can address, such as community building, environmental
health, food security, stormwater management, and jobs generation. Most of the readings acknowledged the
importance of resiliency in food systems, as well as the contributions local
food systems can make to communities.
Strategies to address weaknesses and challenges provided in
the readings included the importance of coordination between government
agencies and between the government and community stakeholders; increased
programming to encourage community gardens, urban farms, and farmer’s markets;
the inclusion of food in comprehensive plans; zoning reform that provides for
local food growth and retail; and government facilitation of land acquisition
for community gardens and urban farms. I believe that numerous strategies would
need to be implemented at once for local food systems to be more successful. What would be an ideal cocktail of strategies
to address the issues many current local food systems face? How could planners
facilitate the implementation of these strategies? How can local governments
provide assistance for continued urban farming instead of just assisting in
start-up?
Throughout the semester we've learned that there isn't an one-size fits all solution to improving a local food system. An ideal way for planners and government officials to address the issues many current local food systems face is to first engage with the community to learn about their concerns with food security and urban agriculture. Then create a food policy council that can function as the connection between the community stakeholders and governmental entities. Lastly determine what are the most effective ways to tackle these concerns: revising the comprehensive plans to incorporate the local food system, zoning for urban agriculture, implementing food security policies, increasing support to SNAP and WIC programs, providing funding to support urban agriculture, and/or collaborating with non-profits. There are multiple ways to address these issues, but these are the initial ideas that come to mind.
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