THE FOOD 2002/2020 PROCESS

“Food 2002" was a consultative process to discuss food and hunger issues in Canada. One of the results was the creation of 28 grassroots actions and 28 policy recommendations to help build greater food security in our communities. Now it remains to work toward achieving the social and political consensus necessary to make the changes recommended. In recognition that this isn't going to happen overnight, we're now calling our policy development project "Food 2020" (we're forseeing some good 20/20 vision references).

At the municipal level, FoodShare and many other community agencies and individuals, have been deeply involved in promoting and supporting the Food and Hunger Action Committee–– from encouraging the formation of the committee, to organizing tours and deputations. A community reference group was formed, with representation from all the key sectors dealing with food, nutrition and hunger in the city. Though the reference group did not write the report, it was consulted throughout its development, and while not in agreement on every detail of the plan, the group supports it in principle.

The results of this work have been two-fold: the Growing Season report is progressive- it lays the basis for cooperation between the many disparate areas and departments within the city that are implicated in food security, identifies what needs to be done in these areas, proposes innovative collaborations and initiatives, lays out ways that community agencies doing work in the field can be supported and states several ways that city can be involved in advocating with senior levels of government for policies that will lead to increased food security. And secondly- the successful collaboration throughout the FAHAC process showed the need for, and provided the basis for a permanent grassroots food security coalition: the Food Justice Coalition.