The front page of the July 21st edition of the Columbus Dispatch announced "Schmidt's Restaurant rescues Oktoberfest" with the full article in the Metro section.  It brings to mind the fragility of local food systems in an urban setting and how difficult it is for them to establish and gain sustainability.  An annual food festival sponsored by an anchor institution, e.g., schools, religious center, healthcare, community development, in the neighborhood is important.  Without Oktoberfest, or a similar event that features food produced, processed, and prepared in the neighborhood, the chances are high that German Village will not have a sustainable local food system in place.  And it doesn't, so leave that box unchecked.

OK.  German Village doesn't win the award suggested in the title of this posting.  Which one does?  Assume for a moment such a food-centered event occurs from year to year, like the Taste of Chicago for 29 years running, is that the only requirement for a sustainable neighborhood-based local food system?  Not really.  Basically, three conditions must be met:

Neighborhood businesses cover the food value chain from production to consumption

While gardens are important in order to produce food for consumption, food production is insufficient for sustainability in an urban context.  There are two reasons for this: First, people want a wide variety of food stuffs throughout the year--a demand that exceeds the capability of the system to meet it cost effectively, if at all.  Second, people require a certain level of caloric intake beyond what specialty crops can provide--a demand that exceeds the capacity of the system to meet.  There is simply not enough arable space to produce commodity crops and staple foods needed for a complete, healthy diet.

If urban gardens cannot provide sufficient profit to sustain operations over the long term, what is the solution?  The answer rests in the following statistic: local food systems currently supply less than 5% of the total food consumed by people residing within urban neighborhoods.  Projections indicate that it is reasonable to expect local food systems to supply up to 25% by 2025.  While at 75% the global food system remains in its position of predominance, a five-fold growth in local food systems from 5% to 25% is substantial.  For example, the average person in the U.S. spends $10 per day on food.  For an urban neighborhood of 100,000 population that is $1 million per day spent on food with local foods garnering $50,000 / day at 5%.  However, increase that percentage to 25% and the total per day is now $250,000.  That's a big number!

Taking advantage of that number comes from utilizing the full scope of the food value chain from production to processing, preparation, wholesale and retail and ultimately reaching the consumer with a more complete choice of food products that captures a higher percentage of the food dollar spent.  This means that while growing fresh produce does not assure sustainability, processing the harvest so that it has an increased shelf-life and can be sold throughout the year or preparing menu items at a mobile kitchen or stationary restaurant so that more value is placed in front of the customer at the same time adds more revenue and leads to a higher likelihood of sustainable operations.  This brings to the forefront the example of Kwodwo Ababio's New Harvest Cafe and Community Arts Center where the garden provides revenue through sale of crops to local markets, but the harvest also goes into the meals prepared in the cafe which yields even more revenue.  Imagine a line of New Harvest processed food products that can be sold year-round online and in the cafe and there is yet another source of revenue.  The path to sustainability is clearer!

Renewable energy generation and localized manufacturing are integrated in all steps up and down the food value chain

Food value chain operations require energy, facilities, equipment, and know-how to work.  In the prevailing global system, sources of power, construction materials, equipment fabrication are outside the local area where they are utilized.  This creates a dependency on others far afield for goods and services essential for sustainable local food systems.  As a consequence, the adoption renewable energy and localized manufacturing goals that match the projected amount of food consumed from local sources becomes a critical step along the path to sustainability.

As these goals are pursued, the amount of energy needed for food production, processing, and preparation that originates from renewable sources within the geographic boundaries of the local food system increases.  Notable among these sources is the use of solar thermal and geo-thermal for heat, photovoltaic panels and wind turbines for electricity, and biofuels made from waste and recycled organic material for reciprocating engines.  Use of renewable energy is a key feature in the distribution system as food moves through the steps in the value chain from production to consumption.  A likely scenario is the use of electric-drive vehicles to transport people and products from one location to another within the local food system.  Since distance is compressed to a matter of yards rather than miles, distribution and delivery can be carried out with few, if any, emissions.  This brings up another award possibility: First sustainable local food system that generates zero emissions through its operations!

Another aspect of self-sufficiency for a local food system is the internal capacity and capability to process the materials, fabricate the parts, components, assemblies, and install, setup, and maintain the facilities and equipment systems required for successful and sustainable operations.  This includes new construction and landscaping as well as modification of existing structures and grounds for concurrent use for agricultural, residential, and commercial applications related to a local food system.  Attention to increasing localized manufacturing pays-off with a wide range of new businesses, expansion of current businesses, and creation of jobs.  No doubt increased local food production, processing, and preparation will spur businesses and increase employment, adding manufacturing output to support economic growth in total local food system is icing on the cake!

Stakeholders throughout the neighborhood take collective "ownership" over their local food system

Sustainable local food systems in urban neighborhoods have more than geographic boundaries that define them.  Additional neighborhood "markers" include history, ethnicity, religious practices, cultural patterns, and "presence" within the larger metropolitan area.  These markers are important artifacts and treasures that need to be honored, nurtured, and allowed to work their magic for the benefit of the entire neighborhood.  The degree for which a neighborhood cares for the essence of what gives it strength and confidence is expressed by a sustainable local food system.  Low self-esteem and self-confidence as a neighborhood is matched by a non-existent local food system.  And the reverse is true: high engagement and high involvement in the neighborhood results in a sustainable local food system.  The key is engagement and involvement by the majority of people who reside and work in the neighborhood.

Widespread participation and collective leadership structures go hand in hand.  This is democracy in action on the ground where it counts.  In a previous posting, I described a council structure for a local food systems initiative at the Ohio House district level.  A similar approach is applicable at the neighborhood level whereby diverse stakeholders are at the table to take ownership over the development, implementation, and sustainability of the local food system serving their particular interests.  However, in lieu of a council structure, the food (or consumer) coop model is a useful leadership structure to consider for a neighborhood-based local food system.  The East End Food Co-op and Cafe in Pittsburgh offers a good example of this type of structure in a neighborhood.

What does a collective leadership structure do to build a sustainable local food system--what are the key roles?

• Branding and marketing: identify the neighborhood markers that distinguish the local food system, develop and implement a marketing strategy that puts the best foot forward for the local food system (includes a food festival!), and learn and adapt to changes in acceptance, capability, capacity, and advocacy for the local food system
• Food safety standards: enact regulations that cover the terms and conditions to which practitioners in the local food system will comply in order to ensure food quality
• Education, training, skill-building: forge agreements with schools and government agencies to provide the classes, coursework, and testing regimen to certify people and license businesses that will deliver specialized skills in food, energy, and manufacturing
• Community currencies: implement a medium of exchange that can be used within a neighborhood to provide operating capital without dependence on the federal monetary system

Now, back to the Award...

The result is a checklist of structural and functional elements that must be in place to assure sustainability of a neighborhood-based local food system:

1. Encompass the total food value chain from production to consumption within a neighborhood
2. Utilize renewable energy and distributed manufacturing to support activities along the food value chain in a neighborhood and advance self-sufficiency
3. Engage stakeholders throughout a neighborhood in a council or co-op structure and process that promote self-determination
   

This is the scorecard.  How does your neighborhood rank?

May I have the envelope, please?

Stay tuned for subsequent postings to see which neighborhoods are the nominees and which one wins the honor of being the first with a sustainable local food system!