Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Increased awareness in improved nutrition
Many consumers are now more health conscious or want to be more health
conscious and are therefore prepared to search for healthier food options,
whether this be at a food store or farm.
Food deserts still exist in many cities, but this is also gaining more public
attention and action is starting to take place to improve health standards.
This serves to remind more affluent consumers about the importance of
health foods. According to the Food Empowerment Project,
12
a food desert
can be described as 'A geographic area where residents' access to affordable,
healthy food options (especially fresh fruits and vegetables) is restricted or
nonexistent due to the absence of grocery stores within convenient travelling
distance'. A report prepared for the US Congress by the Economic Research
Service of the US Department of Agriculture
13
estimated about 2.3 million
people in the USA live more than 1 mile away from a supermarket and do
not have access to healthy food.
Food publicity regarding food deserts has been promoted via urban
farmers such as Ron Finley in Los Angeles, California, Will Allen from the
US mid-west, who was voted one of the top
Time Magazine
100
in 2010, and
Robin Emmons, who is one of the CNN 2013 Heroes
14
(these are awarded
yearly by the CNN TV network in the USA).
An increasingly urbanized society
More and more people are moving to cities and the urbanization of the world's
population is taking place rapidly. Many more affluent urban dwellers are
Fig. 1.2.
Apple varieties for sale at a farm shop.
