Critical Reflection #2

In modern society, people are no longer connected or involved with the source of their food. The people in Canada are at a dilemma because of the economic price of food .Currently, it is much cheaper for people to consume processed food and drinks such as chicken nuggets and soda than it is to consume wholesome and healthy choices. Since some Canadians cannot afford to eat fresh vegetables and meats, they seek out cheaper options in the form of pre-packaged and processed foods.

The government allows corporations to view people as consumers and not as citizens and therefore economic gain takes priority over individual, personal needs. It is found that mass food production and food corporation distances the people from the root of healthful food and proper nutrition. Brewester Knee (1993) calls this issue “distancing”; the disempowering and deskilling of people from producing their own food and being able to eat it. The corporations are distancing the consumers from the source of food. The local farmer’s market used to be a popular place where people of the community would come together and have direct interaction with the people who were growing and producing their food. Some still purchase their fruits and vegetables from the local farmer’s market however this source of food is becoming more and more obsolete.

This is where the Food Justice Movement comes into play. The food justice movement is a “wide range of activist, from farmers to eaters who represent a diversified approach that brings together many critical issues in Canada and around the world with a focus of creating a just food system” (Levkoe, 2006). There are three main discourses in the food justice movement. The first is “right discourse” which states that all human have the right to safe and nutritious food. This means that the government should be held responsible to defend us against hunger. The second is overcoming food insecurity and viewing hunger as an issue of poverty.  Addressing the issue of poverty will ensure that kids and families are not going hungry. The last discourse is the “community food security (CFS)”. The CFS creates a spot where community members can reconnect and grow their own crops. The people of the community can then distribute the food according to how they see fit. This creates long term self-sufficiency. By creating these community gardens the people that are helping are gaining more than just fresh healthy vegetables. They are learning life skills and knowledge necessary for democratic citizenships. This is empowering the people of the community because some of the volunteers are also users of the food banks and by planting and farming vegetables they are giving something back and contributing to the organic agriculture. Learning and participating in these gardens will bring the community closer. The lack of vandalism and theft to these places is proof of how well connected people feel to the community and garden.

In Halifax, Nova Scotia there is a community garden or urban farm where people of the community can plant and grow vegetables and other healthy alternatives. I think that this is a great idea because it gives the people of Halifax a different environment from all the concrete buildings and houses. This era lets people of all different religious backgrounds and cultures come together and share a common ground. This brings the community closer and gets people involved with their neighbours .It also lets people develop different skills and provides those in need with a healthy, organic food source. I met Jayme Melrose, Coordinator of the Common Roots Urban Farm in person. I could tell by talking to her how great this place was and how strongly she felt about the good that comes from theses community gardens. I myself have tried to grow tomatoes and garlic in my backyard and can appreciate the difficulty and hard work that is urban farming. I believe that what they are doing is a great way to share healthy alternatives with those who cannot afford it. I think this because as a student that is living on a budget it is a lot easier to buy cheap processed food then it is to buy organic. Because of these major corporations advertising processed food for so cheap it is hard to not take advantage of the prices. I feel that the government needs to step in and change the tables. It costs just fewer than five dollars for one head of lettuce at the grocery store, yet you can get a burger from McDonalds for just one dollar. These major price differences are forcing individuals who have a strict budget to make unhealthy food decisions, which in the end has huge negative effect on their heath.

 

 

Levkoe, C.Z. (2006). "Learning democracy through food justice movements," Agriculture and Human Values 23: 8998.