Community food security

Community food security (CFS) is a relatively new concept that captures emerging ideas about the central place of food in communities. At times it refers to the measure of food access and availability at the community level, and at other times to a goal or framework for place-based food systems. It builds upon the more commonly understood concept of food security, which refers to food access and availability at an individual or household level (in health and social policy, for instance) and at a national or global level (e.g., in international development and aid work).[1][2] Hamm and Bellows (2003) define CFS as “a situation in which all community residents obtain a safe, culturally acceptable, nutritionally adequate diet through a sustainable food system that maximizes community self-reliance and social justice” (p. 37).[3] CFS involves social, economic, and institutional factors, and their interrelationships within a community that impact availability and access to resources to produce food locally. It takes into account environmental sustainability and social fairness through measures of the availability and affordability of food in that community relative to the financial resources available to purchase or produce it.[4]

  1. ^ Gottlieb, R.; Joseph, H. (1997). "Building toward the millennium: Understanding the past and envisioning the future of the Community Food Security Coalition". Discussion Paper Distributed at the First National Community Food Security Conference,October 25–26, 1996 at Los Angeles, CA.
  2. ^ Participatory Action Research and Training Centre on Food Security. "Activating Change Together for CFS". The Food Action Research Centre Website. Archived from the original on 5 November 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  3. ^ Hamm, M.; Bellows, A. (2003). "Community food security and nutrition educators". Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 35 (1): 37–43. doi:10.1016/s1499-4046(06)60325-4. PMID 12588679.
  4. ^ Breckwich Vasquez, V.; Lanza, D.; Hennessey-Lavery, S.; Facente, S.; Halpin, H. A.; Minkler, M. (28 August 2007). "Addressing Food Security Through Public Policy Action in a Community-Based Participatory Research Partnership". Health Promotion Practice. 8 (4): 342–349. doi:10.1177/1524839906298501. PMID 17728199. S2CID 7107212.