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Mini Case Scenarios
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According to newly released data from Food Banks Canada, Canadians report they are facing hunger and food insecurity due to rising inflation. Statistics Canada reported in April 2022, that food prices in grocery stores have increased 9.7% since April 2021. Food Banks Canada’s data shows that one-in-five Canadians (an estimated 7 million) have reported going hungry at least once between March 2020 and March 2022, with 23% reporting that they are eating less “than they think they should” because of personal budget limitations as a result of the increased cost of food...
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Although Canada has taken some measures of reconciliation, there are still many issues in its Northern Territories, especially regarding the cost of living. Between the harsh climate, the cost of travel/transport, and the lack of competition on top of the underlying systemic barriers, it is nearly impossible to provide accessible and affordable food on reserves. This issue has gotten noticeably worse post-pandemic with the average cost of goods on reserves being 1.5 times higher than the cost in cities...
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Gender equality in agriculture involves removing barriers and ensuring that women have equal access to resources, opportunities, and decision-making processes. In a study conducted by Quisumbing and Pandolfelli (2010), it was found that empowering women farmers through enhanced access to land, credit, and agricultural inputs significantly improved agricultural productivity and household food security. Women who have control over resources tend to invest more in sustainable farming practices, leading to increased crop yields and improved livelihoods...
Discussion Topics
- How do environmental concerns, such as climate change, have an impact on food security?
- How might policy affect food security for the under-represented population in your community?
- How might access to power and wealth relate to food security?
- How might gender impact a person’s experience with hunger and food security?
- How might we enforce access to healthy food as a human right?
- What challenges are there in food distribution systems and what impact do they have/could have on food accessibility?
- How might the local governments play a role in enhancing the efficiency and fairness of food supply chains in their respective communities?
- How might sustainable food systems address issues such as post-harvest losses, distribution inefficiencies?
- How might consumer behavior contribute to a more sustainable approach to food production and consumption?
- Explore the value of incorporating indigenous practices into modern farming methods?
Assessment Ideas
- Position Paper: What role can smallholder farmers play in achieving food security? Through the lens of an agricultural advisor, write a position paper that provides background information about the industry as a whole, outlines the challenges/opportunities, provides details about policies and programs and makes recommendations regarding sustainable food production practices for the smallholder farming community to consider.
- Research Paper: Identify and compare best practices in waste reduction for school meal programs. Include a cost-benefit and operational assessment of plastic, compostable and reusable items and make recommendations targeted for a District School Board.
- Case Study Analysis: Using the case study provided, analyze the factors that contributed to the success, including policy interventions, agricultural practices, social programs, or community initiatives. [case study of a community or country that has successfully achieved significant progress in reducing hunger and improving food security]
- Policy Brief: Analyze a specific national or regional policy related to food security and hunger. Assess the policy's effectiveness, identify gaps or challenges, and propose recommendations for improvement.
- Group Presentation: Develop and present a campaign or event that aims to mobilize community around the topic of food security faced by marginalized Canadians and/or Indigenous Peoples.
- Data Analysis and Recommendations: Research and analyze sustainable agriculture practices that promote food security while minimizing environmental impact. Explore techniques such as agroecology, organic farming, urban farming, or climate-smart agriculture. Make recommendations that address potential benefits, challenges, and scalability of these practices.
- Communication Strategy: Develop an invasive plant awareness campaign for the CFIA Agency which includes a communication strategy, information about health risks, dissemination of risk prevention practices and advice for future protection.
Additional Resources
Department Contact
You may wish to contact one of the following departments who may have subject matter experts in this area:
Sociology (ugsocy@queensu.ca)
Experiential Learning Contact
Christina Dinsmore (pronouns: she/her)
Associate Director, Experiential Learning & Programming
asc.el@queensu.ca
- Food Banks Canada. New Food Banks Canada Research Shows 7 Million Canadians Report Going Hungry. 2022 [cited 2023; Available from: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GgCH8LKMpjeYPHbgM-PeT2DcsOkJvjQ9/view.
- Statistics Canada. Consumer Price Index, April 2022. 2022 [cited 2023; Available from: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/daily-quotidien/220518/dq220518a-eng.pdf?st=kOe-LQXE.
- Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Food security and nutrition and sustainable agriculture. n.d. [cited 2023 Available from: https://sdgs.un.org/topics/food-security-and-nutrition-and-sustainable-agriculture.