How eating local can enhance our food security

KATE BRUCE LOCKHART; Toronto Star Global Voices; January 06, 2010

The question "What's for dinner?" has become more complicated.

Our social conscience whispers questions in our ear as we browse the fridge. Is it healthy? Is it organic? Is it local? Answering yes to one of these questions is often difficult, let alone all three.

Despite the local food movement surging in popularity with trends like the "100-mile diet," the light carbon footprint of local food has recently been called into question. With the idea of "food miles" being dismissed as a marketing gimmick, should we forgo trips to the farmers' market and stock up on strawberries from California after all?

Emily Van Halem doesn't think so.

Van Halem, the education and outreach staff member at FoodShare, Canada's largest community food security organization, believes that local eating is about more than carbon footprints: it is an essential component of fortifying our food security. "Food security is having access to healthy, affordable, and culturally appropriate food," explains Van Halem.

In many parts of Canada, food security is precarious, as dependence on external food sources is dangerously high. "If Toronto was cut off from all outside food sources, it would have enough food to sustain itself for three days," says Van Halem.

One of the main reasons to buy local is to support neighbourhood farmers. "If we by more food locally, we ensure that we don't lose valuable farmland," points out Kyla Mackenzie, an Environmental Studies student at the University of Victoria.

For cities, the importance of nearby farms is vital. "Southern Ontario has some of the top farmland in Canada," says Van Halem. "The area surrounding Toronto is a gold mine that we need to preserve. Supporting local farmers directly enhances our capacity to feed ourselves fresh and nutritious food now and into the future."

Another way to bolster food security is to take food production into our own hands. "Eating locally grown food also includes having your own vegetable garden, which saves you money down the line," says Mackenzie.

Even cities are full of possibilities. "There's a lot that can be done on rooftops, growing on balconies, and in alleys," notes Van Halem.

So when dinner time rolls next around, start looking for answers a little closer to home.

Kate is a second-year student at the University of Toronto majoring in History and African Studies. She has travelled to Kenya, Mexico and Arizona with Me to We.