Cities and local governments at the forefront in building inclusive and resilient food systems

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Local Governments ◽  
Food Systems

scholarly journals Organizing Joint Practices in Urban Food Initiatives—A Comparative Analysis of Gardening, Cooking and Eating Together

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 4457 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Hennchen ◽  
Michael Pregernig
Keyword(s):  
Time Management ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Setting Time ◽  
Community Supported Agriculture ◽  
Knowledge Based ◽  
Development Agenda ◽  
Recent Emergence ◽  
Key Dimensions ◽  
Community Kitchens

The topic of food is highly relevant to the UN sustainable development agenda. The agenda particularly challenges cities to take on more responsibilities and to initiate processes that change unsustainable food practices. The recent emergence of urban food initiatives, such as community-supported agriculture, urban gardening, food sharing or community kitchens, promises great potential in leveraging sustainability. Although a great deal of research is already available on the societal impacts of food initiatives, little is known about organizational aspects surrounding them. The following study aims to address this gap by systematically analyzing how joint practices of gardening as well as cooking and eating are organized in different urban food initiatives, taking five initiatives in two smaller cities in southern Germany as case studies. Data were acquired through qualitative research methods including interviewing, participatory observations and document analysis. The analysis covers five key dimensions: institutional integration, recruiting mechanisms, goal-setting, time management and types of knowledge. Based on these dimensions, the results portray two distinctive organizational profiles of urban food initiatives. The article concludes with a reflection on how local governments can support food initiatives and thus contribute to sustainable urban food systems.

scholarly journals Addressing the COVID-19 Nutrition Crisis in Vulnerable Communities: Applying a Primary Care Perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 215013272094695 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madeline Mae Ong ◽  
Ronnah Marie Ong ◽  
Gladys Kaye Reyes ◽  
Lourdes Bernadette Sumpaico-Tanchanco
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Food Aid ◽  
Vulnerable Communities ◽  
Inadequate Nutrition

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and subsequent public health interventions have disrupted food systems all over the world. In the Philippines, where stringent lockdown rules have been implemented, households living in poverty have had to rely largely on food aid in the form of food packs distributed by local governments and private donors. An evaluation of the commonly distributed food items reveals a diet that addresses acute hunger but does not contain sufficient nutrients to promote and maintain health. Such a diet puts low-income households at a greater risk of acute and chronic disease. The negative health impact of commonly distributed food packs on food aid-dependent households shine a light on how the COVID-19 pandemic and public health policies exacerbate health inequities. A primary care perspective is essential in creating food security policies that can effectively address acute hunger and malnutrition without contributing to the long-term deleterious effects of inadequate nutrition on the health of indigent communities.

scholarly journals Advancing food democracy: The potential and limits of food policy positions in local government

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Erika Berglund ◽  
Neva Hassanein ◽  
Paul Lachapelle ◽  
Caroline Stephens
Keyword(s):  
Local Governments ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Food Policy ◽  
Local Food ◽  
The United States ◽  
Local Food Systems ◽  
System Reform ◽  
Policy Positions ◽  
Food Democracy

For several decades, food policy councils (FPCs) have led the effort to place food on local govern­ment policy agendas. While FPCs are making pro­gress in supporting local food systems, they also face institutional and organizational challenges. In recent years, a handful of cities and counties have endeavored to further food system reform with the establishment of full-time government staff posi­tions focused on food policy. As of spring 2020, there were 19 confirmed food policy positions housed in local governments across the United States. While there is considerable literature on FPCs, little research has been published regarding food policy staffing in local governments. Accordingly, this study uses original in-depth inter­views with 11 individuals in municipal or county food policy positions to understand the purpose and function of governmental food policy staff positions and their impact on local food systems. Our findings suggest that these positions help to coordinate and nurture local food programs and policies and have the potential to facilitate mean­ingful participation of individuals and groups in the community in food system reform. We discuss the potential benefits and challenges for governmental food policy positions to support food democracy, and provide the following recom­mendations for communities interested in estab­lishing or strengthening similar positions: (1) iden­tify and coordinate existing opportunities and assets, (2) foster and maintain leadership support, (3) root the work in community, (4) connect with other food policy professionals, and (5) develop a food system vision.

Fail to Include, Plan to Exclude: Reflections on Local Governments' Readiness for Building Equitable Community Food Systems

2017 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 315-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jill K. Clark ◽  
Julia Freedgood ◽  
Aiden Irish ◽  
Kimberley Hodgson ◽  
Samina Raja
Keyword(s):  
Local Governments ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Community Food Systems

Where’s the fat? Freeze-fracture analysis of ingredient interactions in food systems

1993 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 48-49
Author(s):  
Jean Fincher
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Droplets ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food Industry ◽  
Freeze Fracture ◽  
Food Science ◽  
Complex Interactions ◽  
Fat Reduction ◽  
Important Trend ◽  
Conventional Foods ◽  
Whipped Cream

An important trend in the food industry today is reduction in the amount of fat in manufactured foods. Often fat reduction is accomplished by replacing part of the natural fat with carbohydrates which serve to bind water and increase viscosity. It is in understanding the roles of these two major components of food, fats and carbohydrates, that freeze-fracture is so important. It is well known that conventional fixation procedures are inadequate for many food products, in particular, foods with carbohydrates as a predominant structural feature. For some food science applications the advantages of freeze-fracture preparation procedures include not only the avoidance of chemical fixatives, but also the opportunity to control the temperature of the sample just prior to rapid freezing.In conventional foods freeze-fracture has been used most successfully in analysis of milk and milk products. Milk gels depend on interactions between lipid droplets and proteins. Whipped emulsions, either whipped cream or ice cream, involve complex interactions between lipid, protein, air cell surfaces, and added emulsifiers.

Florida Agritourism Building and Fire Codes

EDIS ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Beth Henry ◽  
Kathryn A Stofer
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Education ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Regulatory Authority ◽  
Building Codes ◽  
Bona Fide ◽  
Agricultural Operations ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Fire Codes

Agritourism marries Florida’s two largest industries, tourism and agriculture, to provide an on-farm recreational experience for consumers. Although Florida trails many other states in the number of agritourism operations, the number of Florida farms offering recreational experiences more than doubled from 2007 to 2012. This new 4-page document describes building codes relevant to Florida agritourism operations. Written by Mary Beth Henry and Kathryn A. Stofer, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc349 A companion document, Florida’s Agritourism Laws, EDIS publication AEC623, Florida’s Agritourism Laws, http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc285, discusses Florida Statutes related to definitions, liability protections, and limits to regulatory authority of local governments over bona fide agricultural operations engaged in agritourism.

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