I’ve been thinking… one way to address agriculture and food security with respect to energy depletion is to develop an understanding of what a sustainable food system for the Ottawa Valley could look like. Having a detailed image, or vision can be a powerful motivator for those of us who believe in its possibility. This process could include identifying key actions that would help to bring a sustainable food system to life.

At the forum, the Agriculture and Food Security Group did have lots of ideas, but I think we need more discussion and thought in order to decide which ideas are worth putting time and energy into as a group and how to move forward.

People who have already taken steps towards using locally produced, organically grown foods could be important resources. An ever larger group who are sharing their experiences and learnings could be a great asset.

I have described my idea in more detail below. (I think steps one through 5 could be done fairly quickly if we were together and had the assistance of a good facilitator. The next part would take several months or more...)

1) Start with defining what we mean by a sustainable food system. (What are some important aspects of it?)

2) Articulate the values underlying a sustainable food system. E.g. “a deep caring for all lifeâ€, “moderation in one’s activitiesâ€, generosity and sharing†or whatever comes up from the discussion.

3) Define a purpose for the group’s work.

4) Out of this would come some broad research and/or discussion questions, e.g.

How do we measure sustainability (calories of energy in vs. calories out, impact on soil, water, air)?How much land is needed to grow x percent of all of the food needed by the current residents of the Ottawa Valley?How many people would be involved in growing the food without the use of farm machinery, fertilizers and pesticides?What tools are required?What scale of production would work well?What foods and seed varieties grow well here? What seed varieties need to be developed?What foods would be available in each month of the year?What are some sample menus, based on the available foods?What skills/time do people need at the household level for preparing this food?What food processing facilities would be needed, and where should they be located?What food storage facilities would be needed, and where should they be located?How would food be distributed?What skills need to be developed to enable a sustainable food system to function?What role would municipalities and other levels of government have in a sustainable food system?If we are not able to shift to a sustainable food system in time to avoid alarming events, what are some key aspects of an emergency response plan. How could an emergency response plan be developed?

5) Determine which questions to research, and how.

6) Monitor research/consultation and report on findings.

7) Identify key actions that can be taken now and over the next few years. Draft a plan…

What do you think of this idea or comment?
(You can change your vote at any time)

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I disagree