Using Food System Assessments to improve food access and nutrition: A case study of Oakland, CA

Food System Assessment is a relatively new tool that allows communities to look at each element of their local food system (including food production, processing, retail, and even composting), identify existing needs, and make linkages between activities and sectors. Public health advocates and practitioners interested in improving food security and food access in their communities can use Food System Assessments to i) provide their community with an initial comprehensive evaluation and key baseline information on each element of the food system; ii) increase knowledge and awareness among assessment participants of issues and connections between work; and iii) build political capital for policy change. Using a systems approach to food security and food access is particularly useful when promoting strategies such as urban gardening and farming, improving food quality at small “corner stores” or “bodegas,” and linking local farmers to schools and other urban, low-income customers. This workshop will profile a Food System Assessment in Oakland, California, and the assessment's recommendations on how local land use and economic development planning and policy could be directed to improve public health, sustainability, and economic vitality.