Food Justice Narratives, Agroecology, and Emergency Aid: Incremental and Potentially Transformation Responses to COVID Exacerbated Hunger in California

Keywords: food systems, agroecology, food security, resilience, CSA
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Sunday
Session Start / End Time: 2/27/2022 09:40 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/27/2022 11:00 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 12

Abstract

Despite many creative responses, the devastating health impacts associated COVID-19’s intersection with existing social vulnerabilities left lower income residents and people of color facing more environmental injustices, economic fallout, and hunger. A UCSF study found that Latinx population suffered more COVID cases, and experienced more food insecurity when compared to Whites living in the Bay Area. Although meeting basic food needs through mainstream channels, such as SNAP and food banks, remains the dominant response, innovative farm to institution and green procurement strategies emerged during this crisis. This study reports on a participatory action research assessment of several regional food justice organizations using agroecology and racial justice principles to meet emergency food assistance needs and transform regional food systems simultaneously. After co-organizing a South Bay Food Justice workshop in March 2020, our collaboration of staff from NGOs, county government, extension, and universities met regularly to share COVID response strategies. New partnerships formed that linked backyard gardeners to food pantries, and received government funding to help form decentralized food hubs that have delivered >250,000 boxes of locally sourced fresh produce to East Palo Alto, West Oakland, East San Jose, and elsewhere. In contrast to many USDA’s Farmers Families contracts, these groups sourced primarily from local, BIPOC, organic, and women-owned farms. We use agroecology and food justice criteria and interviews to assess impacts, identify tensions related politics, scale and charity vs. empowerment narratives, and harvest lessons learned to confront that many barriers to creating more equitable and resilient regional food systems.