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​What is the food system?

November 28, 2016

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Graphic courtesy of Nourish Initiative, www.nourishlife.org

​Here at Pinnacle Prevention, much of our work revolves around local food systems in Arizona. We are all part of the food system, though most of us don’t realize it. The food system is comprised of nearly every aspect of food, including the environment in which it is grown, production, demand, processing, transport, and where it is consumed and disposed. Each and every component is complex in its own right. Our mission is to encourage and build healthy, sustainable food systems in our state and communities.
 
Think of the food system as the path that food travels from fields to your fork and all the components that are a part of that path. Government policies affect the food system, production practices influence it, and our nutrition plays a role, too. If you’ve been keeping up with our blogs about food waste, you are already learning more about one part of our food system, and one way you can help build more sustainable food systems in our communities.
 
So why does all of this matter? As population continues to increase, and as our environment becomes further stressed by our production and consumption habits, it’s critical to understand and tackle the complex challenges within food systems across the world.
 
Interactions between food systems, government and the environment shape our lives, and these interactions will only get more complicated as time goes on.

 The Sustainable Cities Institute describes a sustainable food system as one that:

– Ensures that all residents have access to healthy, affordable food options;
– Minimizes the environmental impact of food production and transport;
– Facilitates and encourages local food production and processing;
– Creates local jobs that provide fair working conditions and a living wage;
– Benefits local economies by supporting local food producers, retailers and businesses;
– Maximizes resources through collection and reuse of organics (compost) and other food related byproducts (i.e. fats, oils, grease)

The Institute also provides examples of activities that support healthy food systems, including:

– Farmers’ markets
– Community gardens
– Regional food hubs
– Healthy corner store initiatives and/or programs to increase access to supermarkets
– Farm-to-school programs
– Food policy and/or security councils
– Local food procurement policies
– Food waste collection programs

​The food system may seem overwhelming and far removed from your daily decisions, but you can help tackle food system challenges through simple choices every day.

 If you are interested in continued learning opportunities surrounding food systems, check out this free Johns Hopkins course.
To understand what the food system looks like, check out these graphics from Nourish Life.
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Our team at Pinnacle Prevention focuses on systems change to make a lasting impact on our Arizona food systems. Tune in to our blog next week to learn more about systems change and how you can contribute!