Our food systems are absolutely stuffed in a thousand different ways; everywhere along the line from production to table. Food justice begins at our history of food production being built on the exploitation of lands and people. The food justice movement works alongside environmental justice and is a grassroots initiative addressing food insecurity and access to nutritious foods whilst also responding to historical contexts.
Here are just a few examples of the issues within our food system and some resources to start digging into. There are hundreds more journal studies and articles for specifics out there. Our story here from Cambodia takes a very different angle but is another example of the impact climate change can take on those working in the food system.
Note: Farmers have become quite a political issue in many countries and, being that many farmers in industrialized countries are white, we’d like to note that many white farmers also face incredibly difficult circumstances. Seeking food and racial justice in this field does not diminish this struggle but highlights that it is systematically different – white farmers are not discriminated against based on race, have benefitted from our current structures and face fewer barriers to entry, sales, subsidies, technology and growth.
Food justice increasingly includes climate change impacts and also covers:
- access to nutritious foods_
- opportunity to grow and sell food_
- liveable and equal wages_
- clean and safe working conditions_
- ownership and control of land_
- access to credit for farmers_
- knowledge and technology_
- seed sovereignty_
- food traditions & cultures_
- colonialism and food production_
ACTION: learn about the history of food in your country. We’d love if you recommended a book, documentary, podcast or other resource related to this for where you are!_ P.S. If you’re in the States we just spotted that the Eater blog released a great post on organizations working to advance Black food sovereignty. It’s titled: Want to See Food and Land Justice for Black Americans? Support These Groups.