Achieving food equity: Access to good local food for all

Abstract

The increasing use of emergency food aid in UK communities has highlighted growing social inequalities, exemplified by a rise in the use of food banks, while food waste remains a persistent challenge. Meanwhile the policy debate on food security remains focused on international trade and global risks. This paper examines the rise in community-based and place-based responses to questions of food justice and security, focusing on Incredible Edible Todmorden in the UK and the network of food projects that share the ‘incredible edible’ ethos and approach. Drawing on the experience of Todmorden, the author asks whether community-based food schemes should be given greater prominence in questions of resilience and ‘place-keeping’.