Implementing a Growing Waterford programme would;
• Facilitate analysis existing food growing activity but critically, an evaluation of existing levels of knowledge and behaviour relating to food origins, food growing and the food system.
• Provide people across all sectors of the society with the capacity to learn, and crucially with the agency to play a role in Waterford’s journey to carbon neutrality as active, engaged citizens.
• Be a pioneer – within the broader context of initiatives such a net zero cities, etc – in evaluation of food growing & food system education as a targeted place-based climate action.
• Support climate resilience through the provision of local food supply and food growing capacity, as well as demonstrating how a place-based approach such as this can reduce reliance on imported foods (reducing food miles), mitigating against risks such disproportionate reliance on imported goods (as seen resulting from the crisis in Ukraine, for example).
• Climate adaptation by supporting soil health and biodiversity.
• Supporting personal health & wellbeing of Waterford’s citizens, as local, organic food supply provides a healthy, nutritious source of food. This also addresses food poverty, supporting capacity for all communities to have a source of nutrition.