Transition Towns & Transition Towns & Food ResiliencyFood Resiliency

Alisa McClurgAlisa McClurg

September 14, 2012September 14, 2012

OutlineOutline

What is the “Transition Town” movementWhat is the “Transition Town” movement Local, resilient food (e.g. within TT context)Local, resilient food (e.g. within TT context) Promising eg’s of change (TTs & beyond!)Promising eg’s of change (TTs & beyond!) Resistance/obstacles to changeResistance/obstacles to change

- - - - - -- - - - - - Role of planning in relation to foodRole of planning in relation to food

What is the Transition What is the Transition Town movement?Town movement? Promotes local community resiliencyPromotes local community resiliency

How do Transition Towns How do Transition Towns promote resiliency?promote resiliency? Seek to address:Seek to address:

1.1. climate changeclimate change

2.2. peak oilpeak oil, and (now), and (now)

3.3. economic economic uncertaintyuncertainty

Where are its members?Where are its members?

Started in Totnes, Started in Totnes, U.K. (2005)U.K. (2005)

Over 900 Over 900 initiatives in 34 initiatives in 34 countriescountries

Europe, North Europe, North America, Australia America, Australia etc.etc.

http://transitionnetwork.orghttp://transitionnetwork.org

How are TT’s changing How are TT’s changing how we relate to food?how we relate to food?

Local food productionLocal food production Emphasis on “permaculture”Emphasis on “permaculture” Farming according to principles of Farming according to principles of

ecologyecology ““permpermanent” + “agrianent” + “agricultureculture”” Not waiting for government!Not waiting for government!

What is happening What is happening specifically?specifically?

Community gardens/yard sharingCommunity gardens/yard sharing Markets / Cafés / “Crop Swaps”Markets / Cafés / “Crop Swaps” Urban fruit tree harvestingUrban fruit tree harvesting Potlucks / “slow food” dinnersPotlucks / “slow food” dinners Reducing food waste eventsReducing food waste events Farm work opportunitiesFarm work opportunities

What are some examples What are some examples in North America?in North America?

L.A. L.A. harvest-sharing, plant fruit trees harvest-sharing, plant fruit trees Peterborough Peterborough Slow Food and Culture Festival, Slow Food and Culture Festival,

wild food foragingwild food foraging Guelph Guelph Sharing Backyards, backyardbokboks Sharing Backyards, backyardbokboks

What is happening with What is happening with TransitionKW?TransitionKW?

Started in Fall 2009 ~100 members Awareness raising about:

Climate change + peak oil = ? Food security Local economy Pollination KW Urban Harvester...

Struggles and SuccessesStruggles and Successes

--Where do we fit/Where do we fit/what is our focus?what is our focus?How do we stay in How do we stay in touch?touch?How do we organize How do we organize ourselves?ourselves?

++““Resiliency” = flexible Resiliency” = flexible adaptationadaptationDeals with Deals with complexitiescomplexitiesLess structure = broad Less structure = broad appealappealLow overheadLow overhead

Economy Community

Environment

Resilience

Equity

LivabilitySustainability

Adapted from Hancock, T. , Labonte, R., Edwards, R., (1999). Indicators that Count!-Measuring Population Health at the Community Level

•Economic diversity•Self reliance•Decreased oil Decreased oil dependencydependency•Dollars at homeDollars at home

•Improved nutrition•Food options•Food access•Social ties•Working conditions•food = necessity

Economy Community

Environment

Resilience

Equity

LivabilitySustainability

Adapted from Hancock, T. , Labonte, R., Edwards, R., (1999). Indicators that Count!-Measuring Population Health at the Community Level

•Decreased fossil fuel useDecreased fossil fuel use•Greater control over inputsGreater control over inputs (fertilizers, pesticides etc.)(fertilizers, pesticides etc.)•Protection of seed stock and Protection of seed stock and farmland farmland

Examples of local food Examples of local food initiativesinitiatives

Foodland Ontario Foodland Ontario Ontario Farmland Ontario Farmland

TrustTrust

Regional local food Regional local food initiativesinitiatives

FoodLinkFoodLink Farmers’ MarketsFarmers’ Markets Food Buying Club Food Buying Club Community gardens (40+)Community gardens (40+) Local food groups Local food groups

(Food Systems Round Table)(Food Systems Round Table) Favourable land use planning Favourable land use planning

(i.e. community gardens)(i.e. community gardens)

Obvious threats to resilient Obvious threats to resilient local food systemslocal food systems

Poor planning (i.e. food “deserts”, sprawl)Poor planning (i.e. food “deserts”, sprawl) ““Chicken-and-the-egg” -> consumer behaviour Chicken-and-the-egg” -> consumer behaviour

& supportive retailers& supportive retailers Attracting new farmersAttracting new farmers Challenges of small-scale productionChallenges of small-scale production

Less obvious threats to Less obvious threats to resilient local food systemsresilient local food systems

Productivity obsession (post WWII)Productivity obsession (post WWII) GMO foods & “terminator” seedsGMO foods & “terminator” seeds Dumping of subsidized foodDumping of subsidized food Waste treatment (i.e. human sludge)Waste treatment (i.e. human sludge) Trade policies (i.e. CETA)Trade policies (i.e. CETA)

Moving towards resilient Moving towards resilient food systems? food systems?

Farm-to-table Farm-to-table (Farm to fork) (Farm to fork) movementmovement

La Campesina La Campesina (1993)(1993)

Terra MadreTerra Madre (2004) - (2004) - Produce food in Produce food in sustainable way sustainable way

Moving towards resilient Moving towards resilient food systems today?food systems today?

Commission on Sustainable Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change Agriculture and Climate Change (2012)(2012)

Sought to enhance local capacity:Sought to enhance local capacity: farmer and community-based farmer and community-based

organizations,organizations, reinvigorating local markets, andreinvigorating local markets, and provide growing space for local familiesprovide growing space for local families

Canadian local food Canadian local food initiativesinitiatives

Towards a National Food Strategy Towards a National Food Strategy (2011)(2011) Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (2011)- “75 (2011)- “75

by 25” (up from 68%)by 25” (up from 68%) The People’s Food Policy Project The People’s Food Policy Project (2011) – (2011) –

Localize the systemLocalize the system Local Food Plus Local Food Plus - Brings farmers and consumers - Brings farmers and consumers

together regionallytogether regionally

Provincial and municipal Provincial and municipal initiativesinitiatives

Shall be “consistent with” (PPS 2005)Shall be “consistent with” (PPS 2005) Region of Waterloo – Promotes access Region of Waterloo – Promotes access

to healthy food, community gardensto healthy food, community gardens City of Waterloo – Community gardens, City of Waterloo – Community gardens,

<=mid-sized food stores<=mid-sized food stores

Other indicatorsOther indicators

Growing number of community gardens, Growing number of community gardens, farmers markets in NAfarmers markets in NA

Declaration for Healthy Food and Declaration for Healthy Food and Agriculture - Agriculture - http://fooddeclaration.orghttp://fooddeclaration.org

National Student Food Charter (NSFC) National Student Food Charter (NSFC) - - http://http://studentfood.castudentfood.ca/about-the-charter/about-the-charter

Planning initiativesPlanning initiatives

City Beautiful Movement (early 1900s)City Beautiful Movement (early 1900s) APA Food Systems Steering Committee APA Food Systems Steering Committee

(2006)(2006) OPPI Healthy Communities and Planning OPPI Healthy Communities and Planning

for Food Symposium (2010) for Food Symposium (2010)

How planners can promote How planners can promote resilient food systems?resilient food systems?

Legislation and policyLegislation and policy Favourable zoning or by-law changesFavourable zoning or by-law changes Land regulation policiesLand regulation policies Programs & grantsPrograms & grants Public outreachPublic outreach Partnerships with other organizationsPartnerships with other organizations

...illogical and absurd demands [are placed on ...illogical and absurd demands [are placed on you] from the planning department when you you] from the planning department when you want to put up a poly tunnel or a shed in your want to put up a poly tunnel or a shed in your market garden. It's as if the authorities are market garden. It's as if the authorities are going out of their way to make it as difficult as going out of their way to make it as difficult as possible for small scale food production.possible for small scale food production.

Food in Transition: Growing, gathering and sharing,” Food in Transition: Growing, gathering and sharing,” Ann Owen, June 2012Ann Owen, June 2012

Role of Planners in Food:Role of Planners in Food:

Citizenship is a two-way street, not just about Citizenship is a two-way street, not just about government doing things for the people” government doing things for the people” (p. 95)(p. 95)

The No-Nonsense Guide to World Food, Wayne RobertsThe No-Nonsense Guide to World Food, Wayne Roberts

Role of Planners in Food Role of Planners in Food cont.cont.

The community doesn't need or want more The community doesn't need or want more experts telling them what to do. We want experts telling them what to do. We want partners and we want help to develop and partners and we want help to develop and implement our dream. Transition is assisting implement our dream. Transition is assisting our community in analyzing the confluence of our community in analyzing the confluence of inter-related challenges that we face...to inter-related challenges that we face...to develop a common vision and take more action develop a common vision and take more action to achieve it.to achieve it.

Fred Brown, TT Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, “Transitioning a Low-income, Fred Brown, TT Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, “Transitioning a Low-income, Inner-city, Marginalized Community,” March 2013Inner-city, Marginalized Community,” March 2013