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Module 6
Sustainable Food Systems
Moving Toward a Better Food System
Wayne Roberts, PhD
Toronto Food Policy Council
Lori Stahlbrand
Local Food Plus
Wayne Roberts

Writes about food and sustainability
issues

Coordinator of the Toronto Food
Policy Council

On the boards of the Community
Food Security Coalition and Food
Secure Canada

Chair, Coalition for a Green Economy

Awarded the 2002 Canadian
Environment Awards silver medal for
contributions to sustainable living
4
Lori Stahlbrand

Founder and President, Local Food Plus (LFP)

Co-author of “Real Food for a Change”

Member, Toronto Food Policy Council and the
Ontario Minister of Agriculture’s Strategic
Advisory Committee

In 2008 awarded the Yves Rocher Foundation
“Woman of the Earth” Award for contributions
to local sustainable food systems
5
Section A: Community Food Systems,
Business, and the Green Economy: The Role
of Food Policy Councils and Nonprofits
Wayne Roberts, PhD
Toronto Food Policy Council
The Food Movement

The food movement is tied to themes that are much bigger than
food
-
-
-
-
Growth in number of food policy councils
Fastest growing sector of new economy centered on social
enterprises
Most explosive element in NGO/non-profit sector
Represents expansion of understanding of the basis for good
health
7
Community Food Systems
Photo by **Mary** via flickr.com. Creative Commons BY-NC-SA.
8
Toronto
Photo of Winchester School Community Food Garden by Jamie. via flickr.com. Creative Commons BY.
9
Food Share (1998)

A city-based food
security organization

Mandate to find
alternative to food
banks.
10
Toronto Food Policy Council (2003)

Based in government

Created to take on the challenge

Predicated on abundance

Using city assets
11
Community Food Systems
12
Backcasting

Powerful tool for building consensus
-  Where do we want to be in 5, 10, 20 years
-
Where do we start today to get there
13
Purpose of the Food Charter

Food policy charters establish that…
-  The city is in the food business
-
People have a right to food
14
The Elephant in the Room

Food is the largest
-  Source of non-point pollution
-
-
-
-
-
Land use in the world
Occupational group in the world
Source of poverty
Employer of child labor
Etc.
15
Food is Connected to Virtually Everything

Food is about 6 billion people x 3 meals (on average) per day, or 18
billion meals daily

Food is a health issue

Food is an economic and poverty issue

Food is an environmental issue
16
Food Is Public Policy
17
Building Social Capital
Photo by Sean Dreilinger via flickr.com. Creative Commons BY-NC-SA.
18
Individuals Are Key
19
Paid Staff Necessary
20
Multi-dimensional System
Photo by Tony Case via flickr.com. Creative Commons BY-NC-SA.
21
Active Civic Engagement
22
Travel Light Via Partnerships
23
Summary

Food policy councils – primary purpose is to implement the food
charter

Seven elements of food policy councils
-  Food is an enormous issue connected to all other issues
-  Food is public policy
-  Individuals with solutions play a key role
-  Paid staff are needed; cannot rely solely on volunteers
-
-
-
Recognition that food system is multi-dimensional
Have active civic engagement and raises the capacity of others
Travel light via partnerships with others
24