This week's topic, planning for the local food environment, is more than just the final chapter in our food systems journey. The readings selected for this week all incorporate the topics, movements, policies, programs, and social issues that we have discussed this far, but solidified them in a planning context. Suggestions range from addressing food in comprehensive plans to building community gardens and urban farms. These and everything in between are the final iteration of the semester's topics brought full-circle to the real grit: application. As aspiring planners, one of the most transformative approaches we can take is to understand, initiate, and replicate food systems planning at the local level.
Our readings, discussions, and case studies prove, first, there is no singular way to approach the issues surrounding food systems and, second, that planners are not the only people who can accomplish change, but they can certainly drive it. Looking only at one option, or one arena of options, closes off the myriad possibilities of interdisciplinary work. For example, only looking at institutional change can pigeonhole your approach and prohibit you from working on the human, social side of things. The community can be brought together in a number of ways for a similar mission that includes a diversity of people. Community gardens may appeal to one group, while after school youth programs is meant for another; reaching out to politicians, environmental work; all of these different facets can be used to approach the same issue. The planner, as I have posted before, has a unique opportunity to take on the role of an advocate for the community, which is not readily available through traditional planning practice. Using our knowledge of planning, coupled with the close political and administrative relationship of our respective municipality, planners are the perfect candidate for stepping up in a role to promote positive change in our food systems. With enough action, the role of a food systems planner will not be elective or specialized, but rather standardized.
Jamie Kay,
ReplyDeleteI really liked that you identified that planners are essentially liaisons between different groups and disciplinarians that have an important affect on the food system. We have the ability to reach many different actors within many different scales (neighborhood, community, regional) to create real positive change because we have the understanding that food is multi-faceted and is has it's 'roots' (pun intended) in so many different sectors of our society.
When I reflect on this semester and the materials we have read as you have outlined here, I also think about how the importance of making things culturally appropriate is really a phrase that applies to more than just the demographic of the population and the communities historical culture, but also applies to the social culture that has framed the way certain communities go about growing/purchasing/selling food. You are right, there is no singular way to approach changing the food system as a whole, but I feel as though the materials have at least laid out a strong foundation to better understand that every area is different and that there are a lot of beneficial avenues that can be capitalized upon simultaneously to create a better food system for all.
Nice job bringing up the point of how while there are positive aspects of the local food systems, certain specifics might not always be positive to a specific group of people. I agree that the planner can make significant strides to promote and establish change within the food system and overall create something that can benefit the greater community. Nice post!
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