JERRY SPIEGEL BRENT MANSFIELD School of Population & Public Health Land & Food Systems; TEGS project+ Liu Institute for Global Issues Co-Chair, Vancouver Food Policy Council

UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIAjerry.spiegel@ubc.ca brentmansfield@gmail.com

FOOD FOR ALL: A Conference on Poverty and Global Food Security

GLOBAL HEALTH GLOBAL HEALTH

RESEARCH PROGRAMRESEARCH PROGRAM

GLOBAL HEALTH GLOBAL HEALTH

RESEARCH PROGRAMRESEARCH PROGRAM

Sustainability

Food Sovereignty

Food Security Health Equity

THINK, EAT & GROW GREENGLOBALLY

Messages

1. Food is fundamental to health and health equity – as is poverty

2. Food security & poverty must be viewed at a global scale - and not framed as individual attributes

3. To ensure security, food systems must respect sovereignty - and not be framed as a purely technical matter

Fundamentally, poverty is a denial of choices and opportunities, a violation of human dignity. It means lack of basic capacity to participate effectively in society. …It means…

- not having enough to feed and clothe a family, - not having a school or clinic to go to, - not having the land on which to grow one’s food - …… or a job to earn one’s living,- not having access to credit.

It means insecurity, powerlessness and exclusion of individuals, households and communities. It means susceptibility to violence, and it often implies living in marginal or fragile environments, without access to clean water or sanitation.

So…What is poverty?

“We realized you couldn’t do health without doing something about hunger and poverty…”

– Prabhu Pingali, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

… and what drives it?- UN Statement, June 1998

INEQUALITYVULNERABILITY

Maternal Mortality Ratio (1995)(per 100,000 live births)

VERY HIGH - 600 or more HIGH - 300-599 MODERATE - 100-299 LOW - less than 100 No data

HEALTH FOR ALL BY THE YEAR 2000

Source: WHO,UNICEF, UNFPA, Maternal Mortality in 1995: Estimates developed by WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA. Geneva, 2001

SOMERISKING DEATH TO GIVE LIFE

So…What does food security entail?

Is the problem of food insecurity just found in improving access to food?

What about the circumstances regardinghow food is grown?

Scholarly articles on “Food” + “Health”

how decisions are made?

how people are involved?

“growing”

“eating”

growing/ eating

agri-business,marketing,sales

multi-scalar environmental, social context

environmental change

threats to traditionallivelihoods, cultural

continuity

occupational exposures

intake of contaminants

nutrition

Social determinants (agency, income, social

capital)

healthimpacts

political / economic regulatory

context

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linking global and local

UPCD TIER 1 UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP ($5 million, 6 years)

SUSTAINABLY MANAGING ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RISKS IN ECUADOR A community-based, intercultural and interdisciplinary initiative to promote human and ecosystem health.

MANEJO SUSTENTABLE DE RIESGOS DE SALUD AMBIENTAL EN ECUADOR :

Socio-cultural factors

Behavioural factors

Global change

Economic factors

Environmental factors

Understanding the Determinants of Ecosystem and Human Health

Societal ResponseTo Health and HumanDevelopment Needs

IMPROVED HEALTH

Natural ResourceManagement

Human Resource Management

Development of Policies

Knowledge

Empowerment

Source: Forget and Lebel, 2001

ECOSYSTEM APPROACH TO HUMAN HEALTH - our common vision -•Transdisciplinarity•Equity•Participation•Sustainability

A process for building equitable solutions

Key Achievements– 29 Community action research theses completed

• International master’s at 3 Ecuadorian universities• 15 communities; impacts being evaluated• Benefits to graduates documented

– 2nd Master’s initiated in 2009• Ecuadorian university led; UBC support• 18 students• Certificate program from modules

– PhD program launched in 2009• Collective Health, Environment & Society• 19 students• Base for Andean Commission on Social Determination of Health

– MOU with UBC / students– Workshops (e.g. mining, food, pesticides)– Certificate Programs

• (Ecosystem approach to Antibiotic Resistance)

– New Research partnerships• Dengue (3 years)• Food Systems & Health Equity (5 years)

Master’s at U de Cuenca

PhD at UASB

Project Example : Tucayta community (pesticides/water)

Indigenous Agricultural Community in the province of Cañar, projects addressed:1) Sustainable management of ‘paramo’

(upper highland) water sources;

2) Health and ecosystem impact of pesticide use; and

3) Evaluation of residual/waste water contamination and options for community response.

Impact:-Reduced Pesticide exposure

-Improved water managementOUTCOME: strengthened leadership

IMPERIALISMO - CAPITALISMOACUMULACIÓN

PACHAMAMARECURSOS

CAPITALISTA

SUMAK KAWSAY – BUEN VIVIRENMANUEL CHIMBO, TUCAYTA, ECUADOR Jerry Spiegel, SPPH 581, Sept 2011

GLOBAL DRIVERS

GROWERS

EATERS – GROWERS

EATERS

EFFECTS ON HEALTH EQUITY

Food Systems & Health Equity Research Program Overview

WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF FOOD SECURITY AND SOVEREIGNTY FOR:

Consequences for growers & communities from global

pressures?

How can negative pressures on healthy food choices & practices be countered ?

Does commodification of food alter cultural vitality?

HOW IS KNOWLEDGE APPLIED?

WHAT DO WE KNOW?

GLOBAL DRIVERS

Knowledge Synthesis

Canadian agro-production e.g. Okanagan, Fraser Valley

Northern BC Aboriginal Population

Think&EatGreen@School

GROWERScases

EATERS – GROWERS(indigenous)

EATERSschools

Ecuadorian agro-industry & small producers

Ecuadorian Indigenous communitiesTucayta / Ecuarunari

Think&EatGreen@School- Ecuador

Research to Action

EFFECTS ON HEALTH EQUITY

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5

Food Systems & Health Equity Research Program Overview

2a 4a 3a

2b 4b 3b

5 year research program on health equity funded by CIHR – one of 10 funded programs

Tim Takaro(SFU)GLOBAL DRIVERS

Jaime Breilh Jerry Spiegel Hannah Whitman (SFU)

Knowledge Synthesis

Anne Marie NicolAnnalee Yassi

Gerardo Otero (SFU)Margot Parkes (UNBC)

Laurie Chan (UNBC)

Jennifer BlackGwen Chapman

Sarah CartenBrent Mansfield etc.

GROWERSCases

Jaime Breilh – Annalee Yassi

EATERS – GROWERS(indigenous)

EATERSSchools

Alejandro Rojas

Jaime BreilhRamiro MerinoDario Cepeda

Rafael Alulema Wilma Freire

Jaime Breilh Jerry Spiegel Research to Action

Andrea Cortinois (U of T)

EFFECTS ON HEALTH EQUITYDeepthi Jayatilaka (PHSA)

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Food Systems & Health Equity Research Program Overview

RESEARCHERS

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5

GLOBAL DRIVERS

Knowledge Synthesis

United Food & Commercial Workers

Northern HealthAboriginal Communities Think&EatGreen@School

GROWERScases

EATERS – GROWERS(indigenous)

EATERSschools

UROCAL FENOCIN SIPAE Ecuadorian Indigenous communitiesTucayta / Ecuarunari

Think&EatGreen@School- Ecuador

Agriculture Dept of Health PHSAU of T Research to Action UBC

EFFECTS ON HEALTH EQUITY

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Food Systems & Health Equity Research Program Overview

ORGANIZATIONS

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Think&EatGreen@School

• Vancouver-based 5 year community based action research project (2010-2015)

• Partnership of academic researchers from UBC , Vancouver School Board, Vancouver Coastal Health, Vancouver Food Policy Council, non-profit food and environmental organizations , SFU & Ryerson University

• Funded by a Strategic Grant of the Environment of Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRCC) Community University Research Alliances (CURA) program

Think&EatGreen@School

• Project Objectives– Short term: To engage students in the learning

through the food cycle (growing, preparing, sharing food and managing food waste) at school

– Intermediate term: To promote the development of a healthy, sustainable food school food system in Vancouver

– Long term: To contribute to enhance regional food security, food system sustainability and institutional adaptations to climate change

Think&EatGreen@School

Activities• Focused work in 14 Vancouver schools (but involved through

university students in 30) through grants• Forms of Engagements with School Food System

– UBC student involvement• 400 UBC undergraduate each year and graduate students• 6 UBC courses & one youth internship

– Professional development for teachers and staff• 3-day Summer Institute• On-going workshops

– Policy and Board-level Support• VSB Sustainability Framework – Food Action Plan• VSB School Food Garden Policy • Procurement • Etc.

Closing observations1. Food is fundamental to health and health equity

– as is poverty

2. Food security & poverty must be viewed at a global scale - and not framed as individual attributes

3. To ensure security, food systems must respect sovereignty - and not framed as purely technical matters

Food sovereignty ….. taking control over food-producing resources, markets and agricultural policy.

-Wittman et al, Food Sovereignty in Canada (November 2011)