International Committee Webinar on Food Security and Sovereignty: Building Local Food Systems in Canada and Japan

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BACKGROUND
Local food initiatives can reduce the carbon footprint of our meals, create employment and strengthen local economies, provide tasty, nutritious produce, and help build community. It is a movement that is ‘growing’ across Canada. On February 16, CCEDNet’s International Committee held a webinar that sketched a portrait of the community food sector in Canada, examined one successful example from Peterborough, Ontario, and looked at Japan’s Seikatsu Club Cooperative Union. With 32 local cooperatives and 350,000 members, the Seikatso Club is a remarkable model of pre-order purchasing directly from producers.
 
Food Secure Canada
Food Secure Canada is a national voice for the food security movement in Canada.It is a nonprofit organization with individual and organization members across Canada. The organization is based in three interlocking commitments to:
  • Zero Hunger;
  • Healthy and Safe Food;
  • A Sustainable Food System.
Websites:
Food Secure Canada: http://foodsecurecanada.org
 
By the Bushel Community Food Co-operative
The By the Bushel Community Food Co-operative Inc. (the Co-op) was formed in the spring of 2009. Two years of community discussions lead to the co-op and the co-op purchased the former By the Bushel Home Delivery and is now focused entirely on creating a sustainable local food system.
 
Websites:
By the Bushel Community Food Co-operative: https://bythebushel.ca/
 
Seikatsu Club Cooperative Union
The Seikatsu Club Consumers' Co-operative Union, (hereafter SC or SCCU) which consists of an association of 29 consumer co-operatives active in 19 administrative divisions of Japan. The SCCU carries out the development, purchasing, distribution, and inspection of consumer materials (food, general daily goods, clothes, publications), operates a mutual assistance fund, and publishes PR and ordering information for pre-order collective purchase. In addition, the entire union works on problems such as GMOs and the environmental hormones issue by setting up committees and establishing projects which are run by SC members and SCCU staff.
 
Websites:
Seikatsu Club Cooperative Union: https://seikatsuclub.coop/english/
 
SPEAKERS:
  • Cathleen Kneen, Chair of Food Secure Canada
  • Paula Anderson, Production Coordinator at By the Bushel Community Food Cooperative
  • Yvon Poirier, Chair of CCEDNet’s International Committee, who has visited and studied the Seikatso Club
Watch the Webinar
The webinar was recorded. To listen to the recording and follow along with the PowerPoint presentations, click here.
 
For a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentations, click here.
 

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