Food Security

Green Schools Challenge Activities:

STE(A)M Activity - Indigenous Farming Practices

CREATE YOUR OWN - Submit Lesson Plan here   or utilize a previous lesson created by DIG from our Lesson Library.

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Food Security Activity Submission Form Click Here

What's the problem?

Global food insecurity is at an all time high with around 2.3 billion people worldwide facing moderate to severe food insecure conditions. In the U.S, food insecurity affects over 10% of American households each year.  New factors such as rapidly increasing prices of groceries, higher living costs, and extremely low wages, along with not-so-new factors like systemic barriers which trap families in an endless cycle of poverty and hunger and food deserts, all limit families' easy access to fresh and nutritious food options. This food crisis not only strains families, but it puts a massive stress on the environment as it has led to a cycle where food insecurity forces communities and industries to use natural resources unsustainably. 

Why should we care?

Having proper access to nutritious food is an essential part of survival for any living thing. Not having that access significantly impacts individuals well being and quality of life. When people cannot afford or access nutritious food, they tend to remain trapped in a cycle of poverty and poor health. A lack of a reliable source of food also tends to hinder economic growth within affected communities across the world. It can lead to social injustice, social instability, and higher crime rates in both communities going through food insecurity, as well as surrounding communities. Across the globe, food security is an essential part of life for sustainable development, improving the health of society, reducing poverty, maintaining the economy, improving the well being of people, and supporting environmental sustainability. Food insecurity can also have effects at the national level, with it fueling international conflicts, increasing the migration of people in search of food, and destabilizing global security as food insecurity continues to rise. 

What can we do?

Food insecurity is a huge global issue that cannot be solved by one individual person, state, or even country. It would require lots of time, effort, and cooperation in order to completely wipe it out. However, there are some things that you can do in order to lessen your impact on food insecurity. The first thing you could do is reduce your food waste. This is critical as an estimated 30-40% of the food supply in the U.S. is being wasted or thrown away annually. You can reduce your food waste by only buying what you know is going to get eaten so as to not waste any food, donating unwanted, unopened food instead of throwing it away, and starting a compost bin, using that compost to help benefit your own garden or a community one. We can also promote nutritional education that helps empower individuals to make healthier choices, and teaches them how to stretch their limited resources. Together, we can help address food availability by investing in sustainable agriculture and better infrastructure within stores that helps to distribute food more efficiently, as well as supporting food assistance programs such as SNAP benefits. Lastly, advocating for governments to tackle the root causes of food insecurity such as poverty, climate change, and conflict is another way to help, as solving these issues is the only way to break the cycle and completely eliminate the problem of food security.