Sustainability of a Local Food System – A Project Exemplar

Project Question: What’s needed for agriculture to meet local food needs sustainably?
Sustainability is not only about protecting the environment, but also about maintaining a safe, healthy food supply in local communities. Alberta farms and farmers supply a variety of food products to local communities. However, urban communities can learn from and apply agricultural practices to enhance their own food supply. This community map shows the accessibility of food sources in a local Edmonton community. Sustainable practices include projects that protect biodiversity and reclaim natural habitats – all while producing native plant species suitable for food. This map also shares an example of a farm located in an urban community that is focused on research about sustainable agriculture practices. When we think about sustainability, we need to think about how both rural and urban communities can work together to maintain and improve the food supply for a growing population.

School: An Alberta School
Students: A Project Exemplar
Topic: Sustainability Matters
Reflection: This community map shows a perspective on the concept of sustainability – in a local context. The project exemplar illustrates the connection between sustainability and food security. How is sustainability an environmental, social and economic issue? What connections can we make between the practices used on local farms and those used by urban communities to produce safe, nutritious and sustainable food? How do examples such as those provided on the community food map give us insight into the need for sustainability in our food system? What other research could be done to explore additional issues in this community, like the impact of food waste on a sustainable food system?
Format: PDF

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