COMMUNITY ACTION TEAM: West Marin

    West Marin Community – Equitable Food System Priorities

    1. Access to community gardens to grow fresh fruits and vegetables.
    2. Establishing land trusts for agricultural workers and other community members to own land to grow and procure food.
    3. Create a water catchment system to support people in growing their own food, even in drought conditions.
    Word Cloud - West Marin Action Team Interviews

    West Marin Interview Results

    1. Transportation, affordability, and cultural divides are the largest barriers between community members and healthy eating.
    2. Food plays a role of addressing political and power disparities, improving health for low-income families, and bringing people together.
    3. There is a desire for collective ownership over land and resources to support and expand mutual aid networks.
    4. Community food systems means local solutions to address wealth/racial disparities and reskilling the community to have agency over local foods.
    5. Community empowerment means interconnected skills for liberation, self-autonomy, and gathering different cultures.

    Food Production

    Food/ plant/ seed swap and sharing.
    Water collect for drought conditions
    People grow their own food

    Food Transportation

    No Recommendations provided

    Food Processing

    Community meals and gatherings
    Commercial kitchen
    Home caterers (become legit?)
    Hot, free, donation based meals

    Food Retail

    EBT acceptance at restaurant and farm stands

    Food Consumption

    Education linking diet to mental well-being that is cross-culturally relevant

    Food Waste

    Gleaning collection and coordinate
    Compost for livestock

    Community Empowerment

    Address wealth/race disparities
    Cross-cultural community parties with food sharing and music

    Economic Development

    Land ownership/collective for ranch families to be able to work the land
    Accountability tax to share the wealth
    Training programs for business start up and social enterprises
    Land trusts/lease for land access
    Ensure living wages for labor (shortage)

    Recommendations for a Comprehensive Community Food System in West Marin

    1. Engage in land trusts to secure land for agricultural workers to own and produce food
    2. Hold community gatherings and meal shares that are donation based with those with money sponsoring cooks
    3. Develop water catchment systems to coordinate community gardens for gleaning, food/plant/seed sharing.

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