Video: Increasing Food Security

Here's a worthwhile video from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) on the subject of food security. While the focus is on developing nations, many of the issues apply to food-insecure Canadians as well. Take a look to learn more!

Food: More Than Just Sustenance

What does food mean to you? For all of us, it’s a source of energy and a tasty way to make it through the day. Yet food has much more meaning to it than mere calories: it can join cultures, assist in celebrations, and even represent our heritage. Food has multiple meanings and even more uses, and when we have access to food, we are often more satisfied as a whole. However, for many Torontonians, access to food is a daily struggle. Those who live in low-income neighbourhoods, and those who are homeless, are often unable to secure nutritious food for themselves, and this can severely impact their quality of life.  Food does not just represent sustenance; the right foods represent health, well-being, and happiness. For many of the poor and the homeless in the city, food insecurity has robbed them of a full life. Those who are not able to gain regular access to food may be isolated from their communities, especially when food-related events help to tie a community together.

Due to a lack of funds, those who suffer from food insecurity will often purchase low-cost items at the cost of their health. Cheap boxed foods that are easily prepared, as well as inexpensive fast food items, are often part of the daily menu. While food banks and other charitable food programs can assist with groceries, the quality and quantity of food can vary greatly, and individuals may not receive all the food they require from a food bank. Additionally, food donations may not be culturally sensitive, and this can make situations more difficult, especially when a family is new to the city or country. In order to maintain good mental and physical health, it is essential that people receive the proper amounts and types of foods to sustain them.  foodSPEAKS! aims to fill this gap by making sure food is easily accessible to those in need, and is culturally sensitive as well, in an environment that is open, supportive, and respectful of people and the food choices they make.

Food Security in Toronto: An Introduction

Were you able to eat three full meals yesterday? Were they nutritious, delicious, and easy to obtain? While you may think about the first two issues quite often, chances are that, in Canada, you may not often think about ease of access to food. You may be close to groceries, convenience stores, farmers’ markets, and other places that sell foodstuffs, but this is not the case for all people, even in a developed country such as Canada. Despite ranking as one of the most food-secure countries in the world, some segments of Canada’s population suffer from food insecurity, an issue that is often linked to poverty. While Toronto may be a booming cosmopolitan city, certain neighbourhoods, especially those in low-income areas, often suffer from chronic issues of food insecurity. Unfortunately, there are people in our city today that go without food on a regular basis.

Food security can be defined through five different factors: availability of food, accessibility to food, the adequacy of food (making sure that it is nutritious and environmentally sustainable), the acceptability of food (access to food that it culturally sensitive and or adaptable to cultures), and agency of food (making allowances so that the process of attaining food is secure).  Two out of three low-income families in Toronto are food insecure, meaning that they cannot regularly meet the five factors of food security. They may even be food deprived and go days without meals due to a lack of funds. While the issue of food insecurity can be tough to battle, it is not insurmountable; with the help of food banks, shelters, community gardens,  and other food-based community services, we can help our neighbours become self-sufficient so that we can all be filled and food secure. foodSPEAKS! is proud to be a part of the solution by helping to provide families with access to food in the Toronto neighbourhoods that need us most.

To learn more about food security and surrounding issues, take a look at the following video. Though Australia-based, the facts and figures are of worldwide significance.