User:Kjwonglam/Community food security/Bibliography

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CFS: Community food security

Barriers to CFS
There are many barriers to CFS. These barriers relate to the complexity of the concept, the difficulty of data collection, and the lack of political will among those in power to make effective changes a reality.

Complexity
CFS is hard to define, difficult to measure, the understanding of it can vary across different community's needs, wants and values, and a community's capacity and power to achieve it also varies. CFS is also complex because it is tied up with intra-household dynamics, as well as with the larger food environment and the strength of the local food system.

Understanding CFS requires seeing the food system as a whole, engaging a variety of actors across the system from producer to consumer/citizen, and, importantly, growing new “next practice solutions” to address ever emerging challenges. CFS is socially complex as it involves participation from individuals of various different perspectives and interests, as well as on multiple scales (e.g. local, national or international).

'''On the local scale, it is difficult to achieve CFS at both the household and community level. The economic status and economic power of a household may determine the difficulties of attaining CFS. For example, households may have limited opportunities for jobs with higher wages. Household food security is hard to achieve when it is aided solely by conventional food assistance approaches such as food pantries and federal assistance such as food stamps. Non-economic assistance, such as food distribution, carries stigma that may deter households from using them. Additionally, communities may be affected by the influence of corporations and lobbies over food policy, making CFS and changes to the food system more difficult.'''

'''Power dynamics are also an important factor in CFS. There are questions such as who has control over the market and economic resources, political power to pass policy to improve food access, and social power to come work together to make change. Race and class play a crucial role in the production, distribution, and consumption of food. Due to store availability, accessibility, and price, many low-income communities cannot meet the food needs required for CFS. Buying power, or lack of it, indicates who within the community has physical and economic access to food.'''

Opportunities/Strategies
There are many opportunities and strategies that have been proposed and implemented across various communities that have helped to achieve CFS. CFS is dynamic and cannot be addressed piece by piece but instead must be approached holistically and as a dynamic process.

Community programs and capacity building
Community programs have proven to be an effective way to achieve CFS by overcoming barriers to food security. Community programs can offer short and long term approaches to CFS and can have a range of influence and effectiveness. For example, smaller short-term approaches include ensuring community members are aware of existing food assistance programs, social services, and job training workshops in their community. However, it is important to note that evidence is limited that such programs effectively address barriers such as inadequate income.

To achieve more long-lasting solutions, changes in the food system of a community may be necessary. Connecting social services with the food system will strengthen partnerships across sectors and help to build capacity amongst community members. For example, connecting dietitians with farmers to create programs such as community supported agriculture (CSA) and place-based institutional procurement strategies can help both the health of the community and welfare of the farmers. Also, a shift in the use of temporary solutions, such as food banks to community gardens, builds capacity amongst community members by teaching skills in growing their own food and increases their self-reliance. '''With such efforts, communities are able to determine their own food systems that are socially, economically, and culturally relevant to their food needs. For communities of color after a long history of exploitative laws and policies, food system restructuring returns the ability to own and manage land for food production.'''

'''Community development may be necessary for success in CFS to connect people who may ordinarily remain isolated from each other and to commit to long-term solutions. Otherwise, short-term solutions such as food pantries and food distribution reinforce solutions for individual households alone. CFS requires the collaboration of a wide range of people, organizations, and institutions.'''