Having Researched Food security issues in my state of California, the results are startling.
California is a major agricultural producer for the country, yet we are dealing with a tremendous amount of hunger within our own borders. A recent study by UCLA revealed that about 2.2 million adults with low income cannot always afford to put food on the table. If this is occuring in California, how much more dire must the situation be in other parts of the world?
Current policy options being investigated seem uninspiring. While there are motions to lower restrictions on food stamps or to have government funded breakfasts given to kids at schools, these solutions are simply big government driven-they take power and responsibility away from local communities. The truth is that we need to take command of our situation ourselves and find ways to address the food problems.
Certainly Urban agriculture bears some of the greatest promise-Rooftop Gardens, park gardens, and backyard gardens. However, most Californians have no idea how to go about setting up such a garden. Some organization have begun setting up training programs or offering products and services related to this solution. Seeds in the City in San Diego compiles free cla**** and workshops on hydroponics and aquaponics, and they seem like a great source of info in order to free us from big AG distribution dependance.