As part of Feeding the City’s commitment to accessible knowledge dissemination, our team has hosted several public-facing webinars over the last several months. Ranging from conversations with women ecological farmers, to community stakeholders leading Toronto’s emergency response to food insecurity, these webinars provide fruitful insights on the experience of food workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the following post, each webinar is succinctly summarized, and access to the webinar recordings and detailed webinar notes are provided.
Webinar #1 – Wednesday, September 16, 2020
Urban Agriculture, School and Community Food Programs
In this roundtable, three experts discuss the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on various community food initiatives in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. With regard to community recreation, panelist Utcha Sawyers from theEast Scarborough Boys and Girls Club identified that food insecurity was the most immediate issue in the local community when the pandemic hit. The same trends were highlighted by panelist Debbie Field from the Coalition for Healthy School Food, as the closure of schools nationwide restricted food access to individuals and families across the GTA. Additionally, panelist Rhonda Teitel-Payne from Toronto Urban Growers highlighted restricted access to urban food strategies, as the COVID-19 lockdown inhibited the use of community growing spaces. In their respective communities, all three panelists asserted that it is imperative that their work is anti-oppressive and rather that it remains centered within the fight for food justice. Ultimately, the panelists identify the COVID-19 pandemic as an unprecedented opportunity for transformation within the food system, through which school and community food programs and urban agriculture initiatives may be strengthened.
To watch this webinar, click here.
For detailed notes on this webinar, click here.
Webinar #2 – Wednesday, October 28, 2020
Voices from Local Grocery Stores and Public Markets in a Diverse City
In this roundtable, various individuals from local food businesses across Toronto’s food landscape discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the everyday operations of public markets and groceries stores. With regard to the operation of local grocery stores, the panelists found that COVID-19 health measures did not inhibit them from providing ecologically sustainable, culturally significant foods to their local communities. However, with regard to food procurement, they found that COVID-19-induced border restrictions made food supply inconsistent at the Ontario Food Terminal. Unlike grocery stores, the operation of public markets was significantly undermined by the local government’s decision to deem markets as non-essential services. Still, all panelists experienced an increase in public awareness for the importance of their work, and hope that such recognition will translate to substantive food policy reform. Ultimately, this conversation is about relationships: the relationships between communities and the food that they consume; food retailers and suppliers; food retailers and the government; and food communities and the planet. In order to survive future crises, public markets, urban farms, and neighbourhood food retailers must come together and create a relationship-based food system that provides all eaters with equitable access to food.
To watch this webinar, click here.
For detailed notes on this webinar, click here.
Webinar #3 – Wednesday, December 9, 2020
Women Farmers on COVID-19 and Food Sovereignty
In this roundtable, three women ecological farmers located across Ontario discuss their experiences working in the agri-food sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. All of the panelists found that the pandemic induced unprecedented need within their communities, which prompted an increased demand for the products and services offered by their respective farms. However, consensus held that such increased demand not only manifested as a result of the pandemic, but as a result of the long-standing vulnerabilities in the Canadian food system. One such vulnerability identified by the panelists is the treatment of migrant agricultural workers, the majority of whom are exploited across Canada. Additionally, the panelists considered the role of women in farming to be a form of essential work. They agreed that farming is an act of nurturing, through which women ecological farmers are able to nurture their communities by providing continued access to food. In doing so, they are able to nurture the soil by engaging in holistic, ecological growing methods. Ultimately, this discussion serves as an enduring reminder that there will always be gender dimensions to our individual and collective food sovereignty struggles.
To watch this webinar, click here.
For detailed notes on this webinar, click here.
Webinar #4 – Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Leading on Food Security: Emergency Responses in a Diverse City
In this roundtable, various community stakeholders from Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area discussed the efforts undertaken by their respective organizations to curtail food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. All of the panelists found that their approaches to emergency food distribution were defined by collaboration, as an influx of need forced their organizations to work together to meet the increased demand for food on a local and national scale. They all relied upon charity to support their emergency food programming; however, consensus held that Canadian communities must move away from the charity model with regard to food access. They argued that confronting systemic barriers to food security and equity in Toronto will require shifts in perspective, so that food may be treated as a basic human right, rather than a privilege or charitable act. The panelists asserted that this shift in perspective would also support their respective efforts towards advancing food sovereignty within their communities, thus enabling community members to exercise autonomy and choice within their diets. Ultimately, this conversation is a testament to the importance of collaborative partnerships in local responses to food insecurity, and serves as an incredible display of community solidarity and resilience in times of crisis.
To watch this webinar, click here.
For detailed notes on this webinar, click here.