Sunday, March 13, 2011

Request for Proposals- Sustainable Food Systems


Blog post by Tina Winterlik © 2011
Mar 13/2011

http://tinawinterlik.blogspot.com

Found this on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/SustenanceFestival


http://www.mcconnellfoundation.ca/en/granting/sustainable-food-systems

Request for Proposals
Sustainable Food Systems
To strengthen regional food economies in Canada


While the global industrial food system can be credited with providing low cost food to large numbers of consumers, it has serious drawbacks and vulnerabilities. Obesity rates are escalating, and dependence on food banks is growing.

Roughly 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions are generated by food production, processing, and distribution; and major watersheds are being harmed by intensive agriculture.

The current supply of inexpensive imported food is threatened by rising energy costs and climate change-related declines in crop yields.

Canadians increasingly understand that a resilient and sustainable food system must address not only the economic wellbeing of producers and consumers, but also environmental impacts and human health outcomes.

Local, diverse, and ecologically sustainable food initiatives are multiplying across the country, including eco-certification, regionally focussed restaurants and food markets, and healthy supply chain strategies that link informed consumers to local producers.

In order to assist this work, the McConnell Foundation is launching an initiative to strengthen regional food economies in Canada. 

We envision a food system that links growers and consumers in supply chains that incorporate shared values around sustainability, health, and resilience. Read More Here http://www.mcconnellfoundation.ca/en/granting/sustainable-food-systems


Examples of projects which this initiative could support include:

-certification programs that support local and sustainable food
-projects that influence institutional procurement policies
-healthy supply chains” that enable intermediaries to link farmers to markets
-dissemination of programs that provide fresh local food for schools
-food “hubs” that link local producers, processors, consumers, and civil society organizations

The deadline for submissions of proposals is April 15, 2011.

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