Food Security Symposium Links UC, Local Groups

Issues of food security brought experts to the table for a two-day symposium at UC Berkeley Oct. 10-11 that showcased some of the innovative ways local groups are addressing hunger in their communities, while linking them with UC experts working to increase food security on a variety of fronts.

“Achieving food security—adequate, nutritious and locally available food—in California’s communities will require partnerships among nutritionists, agricultural economists, farmers, community health advocates, state agency officials and consumers,” said Gail Feenstra, food systems analyst with UC SAREP, a conference co-sponsor. She noted that particular attention was paid at the symposium to strategies for reducing food insecurity that also benefit farmers with small and medium-sized operations.

“UC can help consumers understand the benefits of nutritious, locally produced food, which in turn helps create markets for small farmers,” she said.

The program included opening remarks from Lucia Kaiser, co-chair of the Food Security Workgroup in the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and W. R. ‘Reg’ Gomes, UC vice president-agriculture and natural resources.

“I’m particularly pleased that many of the Division’s programs are working closely with the community to develop innovative approaches to these critical issues,” Gomes told about 75 conference participants.

Other speakers included Jan Poppendieck, Hunter College, New York; James Weill, Food Research and Action Center, Washington, D.C.; Kathy Lawrence, Just Food, New York; Lucrecia Farfan-Ramirez, UC Cooperative Extension director, Alameda County; and Estella West, UC Cooperative Extension family and consumer advisor, Santa Clara County.

Researchers and advisors with SAREP and Cooperative Extension joined with representatives from Santa Clara Social Services, Contra Costa Department of Public Health, Greenbelt Alliance and other agencies to explore farmer-to-consumer direct marketing in low-income communities; sustainable urban agriculture; the role of education in achieving food security; school gardens; and innovations in food assistance programs. The program also included a food security tour. The UC Food Security Workgroup, which organized the symposium, includes people from UC Cooperative Extension and the USDA. For more information, contact Gail Feenstra at SAREP, (530) 752-8408, gwfeenstra@ucdavis.edu