With pandemics and climate change, building a local, resilient and sustainable food system is more important than ever.
Shuswap Food Action Society’s mission is to build community around local food and raise awareness of food security issues affecting our community. We believe everybody has the right to an affordable, safe and nutritious diet. This includes the ability to grow, gather or purchase food. By supporting our local food system, we are increasing the resilience of our community.
In order to bolster our local food network, Shuswap Food Action plans to facilitate lasting relationships between producers and consumers and to decrease the barriers of people accessing and preparing healthy foods that are produced by our community.
Eat Local is a relatively simple concept with implications that resonate throughout the whole community. A strong local food system means residents benefit from the availability of safe, nutritious food, while producers benefit from the increased revenue and the community benefits from more money remaining in our local market place.
There is a difference between the terms Food Security and Food Sovereignty. While Shuswap Food Action wishes to see a Food Secure Shuswap, we value and strive for Food Sovereignty.
Food Security is when all people have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food – food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
Food sovereignty is the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods. More importantly, it is the right to define and control our own food and agriculture systems, including markets, production modes, food cultures, and environments.
If you wish have more questions, ideas or want to look further into our programs, please contact us at info@shuswapfood.ca
We have volunteer opportunities with our community garden, farmer’s market & school-based programs as well as the desire to have people interested in creating and assisting with events, teach classes or even creating marketing! If you have questions about how to be more involved, contact Melanie at projects@shuswapfood.ca
Click on our team photos to learn more about the reasons behind Shuswap Food Action Society!
