Linking future population food requirements for health with local production in Waterloo Region, Canada

Abstract

Regional planning for improved agricultural capacity to supply produce, legumes, and whole grains has the potential to improve population health as well as the local food economy. This case study of Waterloo Region (WR), Canada, had two objectives. First, we estimate the quantity of locally grown vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains needed to help meet the Region of Waterloo population's optimal nutritional requirements currently and in 2026. Secondly, we estimate how much of these healthy food requirements for the WR population could realistically be produced through local agriculture by the year 2026. Results show that a shift of approximately 10% of currently cropped hectares to the production of key nutritious foods would be both agriculturally feasible and nutritionally significant to the growing population. We supplement our findings with some agronomic considerations and community-level strategies that would inform and support such change. The methodology of this study could be applied to other regions: more such analyses would create a broader picture of the diverse qualitative and quantitative agricultural shifts that could synchronize optimal land use with dietary recommendations, thus informing coordinated policy and planning.

Assessing the local food supply capacity of Detroit, Michigan

“…Researchers looking at the Willamette Valley in Oregon found that in 2008 agriculture production met only 10% of the recommended vegetable servings and 24% of the recommended fruit servings for the valley's population (Giombolini, Chambers, Schlegel, & Dunne, in press). Desjardins, MacRae, and Schumilas (2010) looked at the Waterloo region of Ontario, Canada, and found it would be feasible to supply 10% to 50% of the additional intake needed to meet nutritional guidelines of particular fruit and vegetable crops that grow well in the area. However, there remains a dearth of research relating an urban land base to food consumption by urban residents.…”

Testing the local reality: does the Willamette Valley growing region produce enough to meet the needs of the local population? A comparison of agriculture production and recommended dietary requirements

“…The findings of earlier food systems studies have helped shape our understanding of the environmental impact and land use of different agricultural systems and diets (for example see Peters et al 2007;Peters et al 2008b) as well as highlighting the potential of local agricultural production to meet nutritional needs of communities (Herrin and Gussow 1989;Feenstra 2002;Peters et al 2003;Desjardins et al 2010) and subsequently the benefits to local economies (Feenstra 2002;Desjardins et al 2010). Additionally the results of foodshed analyses has highlighted the potential for regional agricultural policy and planning to influence production and play an important role in community health (Peters et al 2003;Rosenberg et al 2006;Desjardins et al 2010).…”

Beyond Protection: Delineating the Economic and Food Production Potential of Underutilized, Small-parcel Farmland in Metropolitan Surrey, British Columbia

“…There is a growing recognition by agriculturalists and the broader society, reinforced by many market signals, of the emerging potential in the re-localization of food systems (Brinkley, 2012;Desjardins et al, 2010;Palan, 2005;Peters, Wilkins & Flick, 2006;Pothukuchi & Kaufman, 1999). However, the hegemony of the contemporary agri-food production and marketing system (Heffernan, 2005) and our economic environment in general has thus far precluded the substantial emergence of this sector.…”