Fresh Food for Food Deserts

Most of the communities where we focus our work are classified by the USDA as food deserts. A food desert is characterized as:

  • An area in the industrialized world where it is difficult to obtain nutritious, affordable food and is prevalent in poor and rural communities.
  • An environment that is not supportive of good health and is associated with a variety of nutrition-related health problems.

This is certainly demonstrated in our communities as American Indians experience the worst health status of any ethnic group in the US, including the highest rate of type 2 diabetes and the fastest growing rate of obesity.

In the United States, retail food distribution outlets are unevenly distributed. Retailers are less likely to operate stores in poor communities because the people have less money to spend, there is a higher rate of crime, and transport costs are higher. On American Indian reservations, land-use issues discourage development and further complicate access to food for the people who live there. In these communities, the food supply is characterized by less variety, more highly processed foods, and less affordable food. Food retailers in food deserts, which are primarily convenience stores and gas stations, have been shown to have a 30-60% mark-up on their food items.

We were so pleased to see that First Lady Michelle Obama recently announced an initiative to improve food security for the people living in food deserts as a part of her Let’s Move! Campaign. We are hopeful that the commitment of food retailers extends into rural Indian country.

We have been working with our partners on the reservations to till and plant gardens, deliver fresh produce, and set up farmer’s markets. All this work — the immediate relief and the long-term solutions are a mainstay to Native food sovereignty.

 

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One Comment

  1. Posted January 2, 2013 at 4:37 am | Permalink

    Aw, this was an exceptionally nice post. Taking a few minutes and actual effort to make a top notch article… but what can I say…
    I hesitate a whole lot and never seem to get anything done.

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