1. Community Food Initiatives:
Local Solutions to Food Poverty
Georgina Buffini - Development Worker
LYCS
8th December, 2015

2. Healthy Food for All 
is an all-island initiative seeking to combat food poverty by promoting access, availability and affordability of healthy food for low-income groups. 
Community
Schools
Policy &
Advocacy

3. Food Poverty in Ireland
In ROI, 11.8% of people live in food poverty – a rise of 4.8% between (DSP 2014)
25% population living in deprivation (CSO 2013)
One in five children go to school or bed hungry as there is not enough food in the home (HBSC 2012)
Up to 10 times cheaper to provide calories in the form of unhealthy foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFfA 2009)
“Inability to access a nutritionally adequate diet and the related impacts on health, culture and social participation” (Friel & Conlon, 2004)
Affordability
Access
Availability
Awareness
11% - This figure more than doubles to 23% for certain vulnerable households including lone parent and unemployed households. Much higher in low-income areas (11% = national average).
25% population living in deprivation (CSO 2013 based on 2011) - Food is central to the experience of poverty
1 in 4 9-year olds overweight or obese (GUI 2011)

4. What is a Community Food Initiative?
CFIs are projects that improve the availability and accessibility of healthy food for low-income groups at a local level using a community development approach.

5. Benefits of Community Food Initiatives:
Address food poverty at a Community level
Social Inclusion
Greater understanding of the Environment and sustainability
Health Inequalities
Educational Disadvantage
Community Involvement
Partnership Working
Stimulate community action
prioritise local issues
involve people affected by poverty in identifying their own needs
increase awareness and knowledge of food issues
are influenced by food safety and dietary guidelines
support local economies by training local people
highlight inequalities with regard to access, affordability and availability of healthy food
contribute to the health and well-being of people in the local area
provide an alternative route to market for local producers
All fit into the garden initiative. All CFIs in the Demo Prog did not have gardens, all did by the end of the Programme.
Now working with projects with gardens

6. The Learning so far… Requires a coordinator and/or ‘champion’
Access to a plot of land, kitchen facility, space for meeting and training, a coordinator, volunteers and access to a skilled gardener
Community development approach is vital
Peer-led training works well
Build a strong and confident volunteer base from an early stage
It is very difficult to set up a CFI to any level of success without a grant – too much and projects become dependent on funding (need to be innovative, share expertise etc.), too little and can’t get up and running to become self-sustaining
A CFI requires a worker and/or ‘champion’ to facilitate the development of the project over a period of time
A self-sustaining, successful CFI should have access to a plot of land, a kitchen facility, a space for meeting and training, a coordinator who can be available on site and volunteers/participants to run and participate in the programmes. Access to a skilled gardener is also important
The community development approach is vital for the development of CFIs in low-income areas where local people often suffer low self-esteem and have had negative educational experiences. HFfA would aim to influence hort courses to have a comm dev approach. Also encourage participants to get qualficiations.
Peer-led training has proven successful in building capacity and helping the CFI become self-sustaining

7. The Learning contd…
Networking and site visits have proven to be vital in supporting the development of CFIs
Training is a very important means to share the learning
Partnership with local agencies and organisations is essential
Steering group can also be very important
Ideally requires a grant – lots that can be done without
Building a strong and confident volunteer base from an early stage is important to the long term viability of a CFI and also to the uptake of healthy food into the lifestyles of local people
Networking and site visits have proven to be vital in supporting the development of CFIs. They offer mutual support, inspiration and practical advice to CFIs and a forum to engage with key stakeholders. They are a cost effective means to provide targeted external expertise
Training is a very important means to share the learning and build on the many aspects of becoming a self-sustaining CFI. This builds the knowledge base and helps CFIs become less dependent on funding
Partnership is essential when trying to influence whole community, wider political agenda and when you have limited resources - help of others who have been through the process, have particular expertise useful to your initiative, can promote your initiative, can possibly offer funding, can gain access to specific resources, i.e. Councils etc.

8. THANK
YOU!