Inspiring Community-based Food System Innovations
Wallace Center at Winrock International

Urban and rural communities across the country are rebuilding local food systems to be more equitable, where food is healthy, affordable, fair and sustainable.
These communities are applying innovation to address challenges within our current food system – from inhumane farmworker conditions to environmental degradation to soaring numbers of diet-related disease and illness.
Themes

Return to Roots
projects revive cultural food traditions so communities can self-determine how and where their food comes from.

Policy
projects encourage civic engagement and foster equitable conditions for local procurement and community-led food initiatives.

Social Enterprise
projects apply entrepreneurship, blending best practices from the private and nonprofit sectors, to build local food economies.

Multiple Points of Impact
projects connect the supply chain – farmers, processors and consumers – to benefit communities’ health and wealth.

Adaptability and Replication
projects creatively meet emerging community needs and serve as models that can be easily reproduced or expanded.

Investing in the Future
projects cultivate the next generation of food system leaders through education, training and entrepreneurial programs.

Networks
bring groups together to learn, share resources, build capacity and use their collective voices to influence policy.

Scaling Out and Up
projects expand or build capacity in ways that keep community ownership and strengthen the local food system.

DOWNLOAD REPORT
This report profiles community-led food projects that explore how people are creating equitable food systems and growing a greener tomorrow.