All of us eat. All of us wants the best food on the table for our family. But not everyone has the equal opportunity to have an access to good food.
The Halifax Food Policy Alliance (HFPA) was formed in 2013. This collaboration is made up of people and groups that stand for various food system sectors. In order to attain a common goal, which is having everyone in Halifax Regional Municipality has access to and can eat wholesome food, the HFPA brings groups together to create significant change. This alliance aims to influence positive change to the local food system through supporting healthy change, leading informed action; and convening the community.
JustFOOD is a Halifax Region Action Plan that is working towards a healthy, just and sustainable food system. Organizations and stakeholders are working together to develop a long-range strategy, building on existing strengths and community wisdom. This initiative is co-led by the Halifax Regional Municipality, and Halifax Food Policy Alliance together with its Steering Committee members including the Ecology Action Centre.
These remarkable organizations work together and form the backbone to support the collaborations and collective efforts needed to increase dignified access to good food and strengthen our local food system. The vision of JustFOOD is to achieve a Halifax Region where no one is hungry, where people and food are celebrated, where the local economy is strong, and the environment is protected for generations to come. This is based on the recognition that everyone should be working together for positive change. They are connected to these broader organizations who are leading the way in collaborative food action: Food Secure Canada, Food Communities Network, Milan Urban Food Policy Pact.
Phase 1 of JustFOOD’s interactions to shape the Plan has just begun. The actions outlined in the Plan are being shaped in response to input from the community, feedback from community members, and input from stakeholders in the food system. You can read summaries of the two online seminars that were held in the spring of 2021 from their website.
More to this story at https://ecologyaction.ca/our-work/food/justfood-halifax
Reference
https://justfoodhalifax.ca/
https://halifaxfoodpolicy.wordpress.com/about/
https://ecologyaction.ca/
Photo by Megan Thomas on Unsplash
