Food Security in Newark in relations to Race Class and Gender - Research Paper Example

FOOD IN NEWARK affiliation FOOD IN NEWARK Introduction Human development and growth require access to adequate and consistent supply of quantity and quality food. Food security is defined as a social acceptable way of acquiring nutritional and safe food without shortages. Race refers to people who are related because of physical features like color. Class refers to social categorization according to socio-economic differentiation. Newark, with a mixed-race population of 277,140, is faced with inadequacy of food supply and poverty remains a dominant social issue despite government efforts to intervene .The paper will look into reasons contributing to food insecurity in Newark, strategic and operational issues, feasibility study, ethical consideration related to food security, social ecology of food and the interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships that contribute to food security. Finally, a proposition of preventive measures that can be taken to reduce food insecurity (Awokuse, 2011). Data collection an analysis A survey, conducted by USDA, to identify the percentage of people who are food insecure, who is food insecure and factors contributing to food insecurity in Newark revealed the following outcomes. Approximately 14.5% of the population was food insecure during that period. According to USDA, 5.4% of the 14.5% fell under the category “very low food security” category (America, 2013). According to USDA definition, this means that these people show multiple indications of non-continuous food eating habits and patterns with minimal food intake. In families that had children, reports indicated that more than 20% did not have access to adequate and healthy food. A longitudinal search was also done to identify the quantity of food grown in relation to output from other industries. It was found out that majority of people worked in industries and business firms (76.8%) while only 20% were farmers. It was found that geographically, Newark has a total land area of around 67.817km2. Land accounted for 62.644km2 and water 4.973km2, this is approximately 7.3% water. It current population is estimated to be 277140 and the population density 4424.1/km2 (Beatriz, Sherry & Alexandra, 2011). According to the outcomes, people who were predominantly food insecure, were women, especially those who are lactating or expectant and with low-income levels. Another category of group that reported high level of food insecurity was sick people, immigrants, sufferers of conflict, low-income metropolitan dwellers, old people and children who were under the age of 5. On the other hand, the people who had food security, continuous access to healthy food, were the educated and young generation (Brown, 2000.). An analysis of the results from the survey indicated that reasons to lack of food access and insecurity are too complex. However, poverty emerged to be the central cause of food insecurity to people. Through an inferential study, it was also established that food insecurity is not only caused by poverty but also by other social economic and political problems. Food insecurity is prevalent in low-income metropolitan dwellers because life in urban area is very expensive and one has to make priorities either of paying rent and other basic needs. This makes them have limited disposable income to buy healthy food. Low-income pregnant women and old people lack the strength to work and make money for their expenditure. This means they have to rely on donated food. This makes them vulnerable to food insecurity. Similarly, victims of violence and immigrants cannot easily get jobs, due to public policies and regulations. It they are lucky in finding jobs, these jobs do not pay them well meaning that they have little disposable income reducing their ability to maintain a regular dietary program (Beatriz, Sherry & Alexandra, 2011). The survey also indicated that food insecurity in Newark is a dominant issue because it cannot produce enough food to meet the demands and needs of the residents. A larger percentage of the population works in formal sectors like industries and business firms while a small percentage is composed of farmers. It was also noted that, farming practice is Newark is contributes to food shortages. There is large scale of fruits and vegetables production as opposed to food cultivation. Although it has led to increased in grocery supply, it has greatly contributed to decrease if supply of food (Billings & Cabbil, 2011). This increases the demand of food products leading to increase in their prices hence making the unaffordable to low-income people, as a result, food insecurity sets in. Finally, according to the survey, Newark’s geography cannot allow large-scale farming. It has a small geographical are as compared to its population. This leaves limited land for cultivation (McFarland & Erb, 2000). Strategic and operational issues The primary strategic issue and goal is accessibility and continuous supply of healthy food, from a central point, at an affordable price. This can be possible by forming more farmers’ cooperatives and warehouses. The US government has planned for five-year Growing Food Connection Policy Database program. The program that will demand $3.96 million of fund contain a database of more than 100 searchable innovative and food policies, related to the local government, which the community can borrow and share across the nation. Through the program, the government will diversify accessibility of healthy food by community hence bringing sustainability to farmers and local food producers (Chen, Chung, Heo, New, Shannon, Wen & Zhu, 2013). Moreover, the government is on the run in searching for more policies as strategic ways to strengthen the local food economy and provide access to healthy local foods. Finally, through this program, is meant to inspire new farmers who want to start developing their own food policy as it provides policy topics that span various things such as geographic regions, government size, availability of space for farming and policy types and topics. The United States Department of Agriculture has also embarked on a long-term research project, worth $75 million in grants. The aim of the program is to research, educate and diversify activities to guarantee food security in both in the U.S and outside world (Elbel, Gyamfi & Kersh, 2011). In order to achieve the strategic goals in ensuring food security, the government is undertaking a series of operational strategies as discussed in the subsequent paragraphs. Since the year 2010, there has been extensive establishment of food banks and good food boxes where people can have access of healthy food. The purpose of their establishment is to enable access of healthy food to people who have low incomes, either at a low cost or free. In addition, community leaders and volunteers have been set up to transport food in remote areas where healthy food is hard to come by (Heynen, Kurtz & Trauger, 2012). Newark has launched nutrition project for the elderly. This program enable old people have access to well-balanced nutritious meals. The age bracket being served by this program is people who are the aged of 65 and above. This program is currently operating in 13 different nutrition’s cites and it is available in all the five wards of Newark. The program has now expanded to providing meals to the disabled. This came as an initiative that recognized elder people as people who cannot support themselves and as a result, needed support. With this in mind, disable people were also included in the program (Kremer & DeLiberty, 2011). Furthermore, the have also risen other programs meant to offer food to children. These programs, referred to as SuNup Food Program feed the children of Newark with nutritious food. The program has two divisions: Summer and Children Food Program respectively. The Summer Food Program offers breakfast and lunch to children aged 0-18, this usually happens during summer months. Similarly, the Children Food Program support non-profit making organizations that support after-school children’s activity, especially to children aged 6-12 This programs donated snacks and dinner to these originations who then give to children after the activities. In addition to that, the program offers breakfast, lunch, and a snack to children, aged 2-5, in daycare centers (Johnson, 2003). In addition, humanitarian organizations have come up with a system referred to as a Food Security Monitoring System (FSMS). This system is meant to keep track of food security situations in a given locality. It alerts humanitarian organizations when a situation becomes worse and enables them to respond automatically and effectively to it. The FSMS system does so by gathering information on an individuals’ family like food use, their level of income and the strategies these people have that enables them deal with complicated situation. The system also tracks changes in the market prices and keep records of rainfall patterns. Coupled with the government’s disaster management strategies, the FSMS relays fundamental information pertaining to deterioration of a situation especially in vulnerable areas (Mansfield & Mendes, 2013). Other, operational issues at hand are the food stamp program which advocate for increment for the budget allocated to food security program. Though advocating for this program has not yielded fruits, the current mayor of New Jersey, Cory Booker is intensively campaigning for it. He as gone to the extent of publishing it on his blog .It is hoped that the government will consider reviewing upwards their budget towards programs meant to enhance food security (Johnson, 2003). Feasibility study The success of TRF in supporting construction of warehouses came because of a feasibility study on food distribution, conducted in 2011 for 15 months. The study, will be funded by the NGO’s, assumes a food security way out that will ensure relief in hunger and poverty to everyone across the income spectrum. It also explores the potential for additional complementary food programs like community kitchens and gardens (Godek, 2014). The primary aim of the study is capitalizing the city’s available resources in revitalizing food issues. It has three objectives which it aims at fulfilling: link up with people who will support development of more warehouses, establish community leaders of food council that will oversee development of these warehouses while serving community members and finally, giving a feasible report about food distribution and propose tactics to enable completion of the projects (Nicholson, Gómez & Gao, 2011). Ethical consideration The NGO’s and other organization that will fund the project are required to conduct themselves in conducts that are acceptable to society. They are expected to direct all the benefits that will accrue to community and regardless of national boundaries. Owing to the economic pressure for sustainable food security, farmers and organization may end up exerting too much pressure on the existing natural resources. One is therefore requested to manage available resources well for future generation. Finally, gaps that exist in Newark should be reduced to reduce conflict of needs between present and future generation. Some of this gaps include culture, different income and education level ( Redwood, 2009). Social ecology of food security This refers to the way man’s interaction with the soroundig to affect food security. This section will therefore analyze how individuals, community and culture affect the environment and measures that should be taken to enhance their relationships. Poor education, low levels of income, poor health and age are the main factors that contribute to food insecurity in Newark, in individuals. The government should allocate finances to farmers and through financial services to enable them carry out farming operations with ease. Vocational training should also be offered so as to increases skills in farming in other areas that affects food security. Poor health in people deprive them the strength and ability to work and engage in other economically productive activities thus impoverishing them. Government should ensure that individual, especially women, children and poor people, have access to medical interventions. The government should also create employment opportunities to absorb the large population of graduates to minimize urban unemployment. This will lead to a healthy people with sufficient source of income and abundant supply of food. With sufficient income, people have the power to purchase healthy food and as a result they are more likely to eat well (Schanbacher, 2010). To understand the reasons for dietary and food traditions in any religious conviction needs a brief direction of the foundation for such practices and regulations. Many religious ways of lives and laws may also be traced to untimely concerns for health and wellbeing in eating foods or liquids. In the past, religious leaders of the day did not recognize theories that promoted healthy eating, prevention of disease, and infirmity as they currently do. Therefore, religious leaders of this age should come up with rules about eating of foods and drinks. They should emphasize the importance of eating healthily, to their congregation. Attention should also be given to specific eating practices, for instance, people should be discouraged from overeating and any gluttonous behaviors. In addition to that, use of strong drink or oral stimulants should be discouraged as these are not healthy eating practices; they only put one’s health at stake. Finally, practices like fasting should be done moderately to allow people have access to food. Religious leaders should not impose too much restriction to it (Zabetakis, 2013). Schools and other educational institutions should instill pupils with knowledge about healthy eating. Institutions serve a large percentage of population, especially the young generation, and by teaching programs about food, they will impact many lives. It should be noted that, it is the same generation that is caught up with sweet and fatty food which are cheaply available. Learning institutions should therefore offer compulsory subjects that are meant to teach pupils on the danger of sugary and fatty foods while advocating the importance of consuming healthy food (McFarland & Erb, 2000). The inability to adopt good eating habits and maintain a lifestyle of eating healthy food comes from within a person. This mentality that one culture and cultivate. An individual should make the initiative of eating healthy food. Relevant information about food can be found on the internet. One is also encouraged to watch TV programs that talk about food for instance, the kitchen, chopped, cutthroat kitchen among others. One should also visits nutritionists for more information about food eating (Raja & Born, 2008). Interpersonal interactions also help in assisting people in understanding healthy eating habits. A good example is a person who has a problem of eating some kinds of food, deemed to be healthy; they are advised to stay with people who eat such types of food. By seeing other people eat what one dislikes; one develops the passion, desire and appetite for such food. In the long-run, one will adopt and adapt and will start eating those foods. Also, such kinds of people should attend seminars and workshops where people are taught on the importance of health eating. The environment of such seminars and workshops gives one an understanding of different kinds of food which they otherwise never had a knowledge of. As a result, one ends up with knowledge on healthy eating and additional information about different food types (Singh, 2007). The community is also another contributing factor to food insecurity. This deals with how the community is structured in terms of policies affecting it, infrastructure development, and environment among others. Natural resources fundamental for agriculture development should be improved, for instance, water for irrigation. Transport and communication network should also be improved. For NGO’s and other organization to find their way into remote parts of rural areas and donate food, they need well accessible road. In addition, farmers in the interior part of the district need good and accessible roads to transport their agricultural products to the market. Improved road networks mean well distribution of healthy food in remote regions. People in extreme rural areas will be able to access healthy food, which previously was impossible hence likely to eat proper and healthy food (Viljoen, 2012). A wide range of ethic groups ranging from black America’s, Lation’s, Whites, Indians and Asians dominates Newark. The existence of diverse culture, directly or indirectly affects food security. This is because, some cultures view food as a symbol and would not want to consume it else, they break a taboo. In addition to that, culture forces people to dictate how the land will be used and accessed. Culture also dictates how food will be prepared and consumed. In the end, people end up eating limited kinds of food and reject other, which may be healthy. Community and people are therefore urged to adopt cultures that do not hinder them in eating certain foods and that will allow these people to appropriately use land in economic productive activities (Peter, 2006). What can be done Newark should come up with policies that adopt a multi-sector strategy that will concentrate on the primary limitations to sustainable food especially those affecting low-income earners, women and other vulnerable groups like the aged. In order to achieve this, Newark will have to seek financial aid to enable it have enough so that it can allocate enough money on programs like Food Stamp. In addition, governmental organization that donates food should expand their links with other non-governmental organizations like FAO, agricultural institutions and civil society organizations. They should also ensure that their policies are focused on agricultural activities and rural development and enhance the effectiveness of these policies on food security. Newark has a small geographical area and therefore, the government does a lot of research on the districts’ natural resources to maximize its potential.Finally, the government should ensure that community has the knowledge and understanding of sustainable food security (Elbel, Gyamfi & Kersh, 2011). Conclusion As to conclusion, Newark if faced by food insecurity. Poverty, social economic and political factors have largely contributed to this. However the government and other non-governmental organizations are offering their best support to ensure that food security is well taken care of and as a result measures like warehouses for storing food and food distributors are being implemented so that people can have access to healthy and continuous supply of food. Feasibility studies have been conducted to evaluate the viability of the projects. It has been concluded that most projects are long term and require huge amount of investments in order to realize them. 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