Virginian Pilot
December 31, 2012
By Danielle Nierenebrg and Ellen Gustafson
As we start 2013, many people will be thinking about plans and promises to improve their diet and health. But we think a broader collection of farmers, policymakers and eaters need new, bigger resolutions for fixing the food system – real changes with long-term impacts in fields, board rooms and on plates all over the world.
These are resolutions that the world can’t afford to break, with nearly one billion still hungry and more than one billion suffering from the effects of being overweight and obese. We have the tools – let’s use them in 2013.
Grow in cities: Food production doesn’t happen only in fields or factories. Nearly one billion people worldwide produce food in cities. In 2010, Tricycle Gardens created the first year-round urban farm in Richmond, which provides fresh produce to surrounding neighborhoods and also serves as a classroom to teach local residents about nutrition and organic growing.
Create better access: Richmond launched a grocery shuttle service in early 2012, providing transportation to residents with limited access to food. The service was launched as a pilot program with several phases, which allows the city to measure data and determine the best routes. And it gives low-income consumers opportunities to make healthy food choices.
Demand healthier food: Food writer Michael Pollan advises not to eat anything that your grandparents wouldn’t recognize. Try eating more fruits, vegetables and whole foods without preservatives and other additives. Nearly 2 billion people suffer from micronutrient deficiencies worldwide, leading to poor development. The World Vegetable Center is helping farmers grow high-value, nutrient rich vegetables in Africa and Asia, improving health and increasing incomes.
Cook more: Home economics classes have declined in schools in the U.S., and young people lack basic cooking skills. Top Chefs Jamie Oliver, Alice Waters and Bill Telepan are working with schools to teach kids how to cook healthy, nutritious foods.
Create conviviality: According to the Hartman Group, nearly half of all adults in the U.S. eat meals alone. Sharing a meal with family and friends can foster community and conversation. Recent studies suggest that children who eat meals with their families are typically happier and more stable than those who do not.
Prevent waste: Roughly one-third of all food is wasted – in fields, during transport, in storage and in homes. But there are easy, inexpensive ways to prevent waste. Initiatives like Love Food, Hate Waste offer consumers tips about portion control and recipes for leftovers. Farmers in Bolivia are using solar-powered driers to preserve foods.
Engage youth: Making farming both intellectually and economically stimulating will help make the food system an attractive career option for youth. Across sub-Saharan Africa, cell phones and the Internet are connecting farmers to information about weather and markets. The Clean Fairfax Council in Virginia offers a movie lending library that can be used to educate students about healthy food and the environment.
Protect workers: Farm and food workers across the world are fighting for better pay and working conditions. In the U.S., the Coalition of Immokalee Workers successfully persuaded Trader Joe’s and Chipotle to pay the premium of a penny per pound to Florida tomato pickers.
Acknowledge the importance of farmers: Farmers aren’t just farmers, they’re businesswomen and men, stewards of the land and educators, sharing knowledge in their communities. In Virginia Beach, where agriculture is among the top three industries, the annual local economic impact of agribusiness is more than $122 million.
Recognize the role of governments: Nations must implement policies that give everyone access to safe, affordable, healthy food. In Ghana and Brazil, government action, including national school feeding programs and increased support for sustainable agricultural production, greatly reduced the number of hungry people.
Change the metrics: Governments, NGOs and funders have focused on increasing production and improving yields rather than improving nutrition and protecting the environment. Focusing more on quality will improve public and environmental health and livelihoods.
Fix the broken food system: Agriculture can be the solution to some of the world’s most pressing challenges – including unemployment, obesity and climate change. These innovations simply need more research, more investment and, ultimately, more funding.
Danielle Nierenberg and Ellen Gustafson are co-founders of Food Tank: The Food Think Tank (www.FoodTank.org [1]). Nierenberg is based in Chicago; Gustafson is based in San Diego.
As we start 2013, many people will be thinking about plans and promises to improve their diet and health. But we think a broader collection of farmers, policymakers and eaters need new, bigger resolutions for fixing the food system – real changes with long-term impacts in fields, board rooms and on plates all over the world.
These are resolutions that the world can’t afford to break, with nearly one billion still hungry and more than one billion suffering from the effects of being overweight and obese. We have the tools – let’s use them in 2013.
Grow in cities: Food production doesn’t happen only in fields or factories. Nearly one billion people worldwide produce food in cities. In 2010, Tricycle Gardens created the first year-round urban farm in Richmond, which provides fresh produce to surrounding neighborhoods and also serves as a classroom to teach local residents about nutrition and organic growing.
Create better access: Richmond launched a grocery shuttle service in early 2012, providing transportation to residents with limited access to food. The service was launched as a pilot program with several phases, which allows the city to measure data and determine the best routes. And it gives low-income consumers opportunities to make healthy food choices.
Demand healthier food: Food writer Michael Pollan advises not to eat anything that your grandparents wouldn’t recognize. Try eating more fruits, vegetables and whole foods without preservatives and other additives. Nearly 2 billion people suffer from micronutrient deficiencies worldwide, leading to poor development. The World Vegetable Center is helping farmers grow high-value, nutrient rich vegetables in Africa and Asia, improving health and increasing incomes.
Cook more: Home economics classes have declined in schools in the U.S., and young people lack basic cooking skills. Top Chefs Jamie Oliver, Alice Waters and Bill Telepan are working with schools to teach kids how to cook healthy, nutritious foods.
Create conviviality: According to the Hartman Group, nearly half of all adults in the U.S. eat meals alone. Sharing a meal with family and friends can foster community and conversation. Recent studies suggest that children who eat meals with their families are typically happier and more stable than those who do not.
Prevent waste: Roughly one-third of all food is wasted – in fields, during transport, in storage and in homes. But there are easy, inexpensive ways to prevent waste. Initiatives like Love Food, Hate Waste offer consumers tips about portion control and recipes for leftovers. Farmers in Bolivia are using solar-powered driers to preserve foods.
Engage youth: Making farming both intellectually and economically stimulating will help make the food system an attractive career option for youth. Across sub-Saharan Africa, cell phones and the Internet are connecting farmers to information about weather and markets. The Clean Fairfax Council in Virginia offers a movie lending library that can be used to educate students about healthy food and the environment.
Protect workers: Farm and food workers across the world are fighting for better pay and working conditions. In the U.S., the Coalition of Immokalee Workers successfully persuaded Trader Joe’s and Chipotle to pay the premium of a penny per pound to Florida tomato pickers.
Acknowledge the importance of farmers: Farmers aren’t just farmers, they’re businesswomen and men, stewards of the land and educators, sharing knowledge in their communities. In Virginia Beach, where agriculture is among the top three industries, the annual local economic impact of agribusiness is more than $122 million.
Recognize the role of governments: Nations must implement policies that give everyone access to safe, affordable, healthy food. In Ghana and Brazil, government action, including national school feeding programs and increased support for sustainable agricultural production, greatly reduced the number of hungry people.
Change the metrics: Governments, NGOs and funders have focused on increasing production and improving yields rather than improving nutrition and protecting the environment. Focusing more on quality will improve public and environmental health and livelihoods.
Fix the broken food system: Agriculture can be the solution to some of the world’s most pressing challenges – including unemployment, obesity and climate change. These innovations simply need more research, more investment and, ultimately, more funding.
Danielle Nierenberg and Ellen Gustafson are co-founders of Food Tank: The Food Think Tank (www.FoodTank.org). Nierenberg is based in Chicago; Gustafson is based in San Diego.
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