Examples of how this investment in capacity building looks in practice include:
• In a community for which the very real impacts of disempowerment, dependency and historical trauma have defined the experience of the previous few generations, capacity building is the first and most fundamental need. It is a precursor to any positive change. The very experience of being empowered to define a community vision, develop a plan of action, and implement programming – even the experience of failing – is the most fundamental “systems change” that can be made. The belief in and experience of a collective ability to change a policy or institutional practice or community norm is more important than the successful implementation of any particular policy, practice or norm.
• Training a new generation of people with the skills they will need to successfully farm will ensure that currently underutilized community assets (e.g., farmland, water resources, diverse seed stock) will be developed and support a healthy local food system.
• Investing in teaching school children about cooking, gardening, traditional foods, nutrition and culture will set them up for life-long habits that will increase public health, drive the demand for local and traditional foods, and create interest in agriculture and other food system related careers.
