Kansas City Initiative Transforms Food Deserts into Sustainable Local Food Production Sites

Harvesting Change: Making Local Food Connections in the Heartland

The heartland of Kansas City is making sustainable food connections with the help of a new initiative, which is ensuring that food deserts within the city, undergo a green transformation. This is made possible by compassionate citizens like Star Nealy who grow fresh produce on their farms to distribute at no cost to the community.

Nealy began her gardening journey in 2009 out of love for fresh tomatoes. That hobby finally culminated into the 1.5-acre Global One Urban Farming site, where more than 30,000 pounds of fresh produce is cultivated every season.

The land that now houses green beds of vegetables was once an abandoned dumpsite. However, the fields are now robust with mixed crops ready for harvest. They get distributed among the community members, especially veterans, seniors, and low-income families.

Contribution to a Local Food Plan

Last year, the KC Healthy Kids initiative, in collaboration with several stakeholders, unveiled a regional food system action plan. The idea is to foster a healthy connection between local food producers and consumers while improving community food security.

In 2010, Kansas City reinforced the local food movement by introducing an urban farming ordinance. This facilitated local farming, laying a robust foundation for an integrated local food system.

Analyzing the efficacy of this ordinance, the regional food system action plan has called for further modifications, suggesting that farm businesses need support and that policy barriers should be addressed.

Emphasizing the importance of a diversified food system, the action plan has championed equity in representation from BIPOC groups and laid out four key goals:

• Advocate for consumer access
• Increase access to land and improve agricultural zoning regulations for producers
• Support mid-chain infrastructure through systems like the Kansas City Food Hub
• Make careers in the food system accessible and adequately compensated

Mitigating Food Insecurity

Recent USDA Census data suggests a decline in the number of producers of color nationwide from 2017 to 2022, with the population of Black producers decreasing by more than 8%.

Amidst these worrying trends, organizations like Kansas City Black Urban Growers (KCBUGs) are helping black farmers with microgrants, training, and farmer-to-farmer community support. 

The Need For Sustainable Food Chains

Research by Mary Hendrickson, a rural sociologist and associate professor at the University of Missouri, who studies food systems and the impacts of consolidation, emphasizes that sustainability in the food system is twofold.

On one side of the spectrum, it pertains to the longevity of farmers and farm workers. The other side of the spectrum is ecological, focusing on the relationship between food production, soil loss, and water quality.

Hendrickson points out that both elements of sustainability are holistic and operate together. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for this complex issue, but the combined measures of changing farming practices, support for urban agriculture, and a revamp of local, regional, and global food systems can bring about meaningful progress.

Future Action

As part of ‘Harvesting Change, sources have been asked to provide actionable advice for consumers. The responses have varied from voting with consumer dollars, buying local, asking questions about food, talking to farmers, contacting elected officials, and starting a personal garden. The goal is to empower consumers to take an active role in sustaining and supporting local food chains.

There is also an emphasis on reducing food waste and developing informed opinions about the food system. As awareness spreads, it stirs collective action and prompts significant changes across the food system.