Food prices, agriculture and many other food related issues have been changing and making headlines over the past year. Additionally, many people on the Network have expressed a need to meet again to continue to make connections and build our capacity to cope with these many changes.
A Gathering Planning Committee has been formed to begin planning a NSFSN November 2008 gathering, as a follow up to the March 2007 gathering in Debert, NS.
To begin to get feedback from the entire Network, we wanted to present some of the initial planning ideas that have been discussed. Your response to to Marla MacLeod
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, before 29 August, would be appreciated.
The goals of the event will be to:
Raise awareness on food security, sovereignty and system issues, as well as identify opportunities and innovative solutions Increase networking within the NS Food Security community
Build leadership capacity and self-reliant, community based solutions
Support development of community/county food security activity
It is envisioned to be a 1-2 day gathering consisting of a series of networking, information and skill building workshops, as well as a mini-trade show. (Organizations would have the opportunity to display materials and showcase their projects, get input on challenges or opportunities and recruit collaborators and volunteers). The gathering is tentatively scheduled to take place either November 20 & 21 or December 5 & 6, 2008. The likely location is the Debert Hospitality Centre due to its central location, affordability, food flexibility and on-site accommodation.
Workshop Topics:
Your feedback is requested for potential workshop topics. Tentatively, three types of streams are planned:
Civil Society and Food Security
Skill Building, Issues and Information
Local Networking
Please find below a list of potential workshop ideas, please indicate the three items in each category that would be of most interest to you. Please add additional ideas in the space provided. Please note that we will not be able to cover all topics. Workshops will be based on interest from the group and the availability of individuals willing to lead workshops on particular topics.
Civil Society and Food Security Skill Building workshops
Grant writing
Educational tools
Running Successful Community Meetings
Working with the Media / Writing Press Releases
Conducting Community Food Security Dialogues
Introduction to Gardening
Creative, Low Cost, Nutrition Meal Ideas
Food Preservation and Storage
Starting Food Buying Club or other enterprise
Mapping food security issues
How to affect policy change
Other:
Issues and Information workshops
Food Costing
Food Security Research
Community Shared Agriculture
Farmers Markets
Urban Agriculture
Bio-Fuel, Climate Change and Energy Supply
Community/School gardens
Distribution of local food
Agricultural land use and protection
Institutional/government food procurement
Community kitchens
Global/Nova Scotia Linkages
Sustainable seafood
Poverty/Hunger issues
Food Miles
Other:
If you are interested in conducting a workshop, a call for workshop proposals will follow later in the summer or early fall.
Community Networks:
We are also looking for ideas to facilitate the creation or strengthening of local, community networks to help link food security nitiatives that are happening in the same town or county. There may be initiatives happening in your own back yard that you haven’t heard about yet. There may also be organizations working on similar agriculture, social justice or environmental issues. We’d like to devote some time at this gathering to bringing people from similar geographic areas together and to encourage further local networking once everyone has returned home.
Community Networking Ideas:
Additional questions or comments:
If you are interested in taking part in the planning committee, volunteering the day of the gathering or being a local liaison, please include your name and contact information.
Please send feedback to Marla MacLeod,
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, by August 29, 2008.
Thank you,
The NS Food Security Network 2008 Gathering Committee:
Marla MacLeod
Jamey Coughlin
Laura Clark
Brenda Leenders
Mark Austin
Becca Green
Rita MacAulay
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