Enhancing Local Food Security: A Holistic Approach

Northern California benefits from some of the most diverse, productive agricultural land in the world.  Yet, even in this region, not all residents have access to fresh fruits and vegetables.  With that in mind, a diverse group representing different aspects of the local food system developed a project to enhance food security and support local specialty crop production. The Cultivating Community North Valley Project was designed to strengthen nutritional and agricultural literacy, the health and self-reliance of the community, and cooperatively enhance the region's farm-to-fork specialty crop economy.  The project has employed a holistic model that addresses nutritional wellbeing from several angles—cooking demonstrations with a mobile kitchen, development and support of community gardens, and workshops on specialty crop production and processing.  During the last three years, the project has sponsored over 100 workshops for over 1,000 participants, supported over 25 community gardens, and provided over 90 culinary demonstrations.  In learning how to grow and cook with fresh specialty commodities, community members have been empowered to take responsibility for their health.  The project has raised awareness of the value of local agriculture and the resources that support it.  It has also engaged agriculture students in the local food system and enhanced their appreciation of the concept of civic agriculture in which food production is a part of the cultural fabric of the community.