U R B A N

R O O T S 

in conversation with

M a r i a m Waliji

by Kerry S s e m u g e n y i

The global pandemic has lifted the veil on the extent of social inequities that surround us, and the onset of lockdown in many ways has revealed what was hidden in plain sight when it comes to food insecurity. Not only was it the first time we all experienced collective food insecurity, it also revealed the extent of deprivation that people within our communities face on a day-to-day basis. A devastating surge in unemployment has led to widespread panic-buying and, for some, inadequate access to food. All of these horrors have created a deeper empathy towards the social determinants that weigh on those most affected by this issue, and it places food equity as one of the most pressing social issues influencing the modern food system.

Urban Roots London is a non-profit organization that is shaking up the food system by tactically investing in the future of food and food equity in the city of London. Their work focuses on improving equity in the food environment, which encompasses where food is available, what kinds of foods are available, how much it costs, and how it is distributed. Urban Roots fosters equity in a very unique yet sustainable way, by using their model of thirds. With every harvest season they produce 33% of their organic produce directly to consumers and social enterprises at equitable pricing. No less than  33% is donated to local organizations, and no more than 33% is sold at full-price to private enterprises. They accomplish this by revitalizing underused land in the city of London for agricultural processes and educational efforts which aim to educate Londoners on the benefits of growing local affordable produce.

This model allows Urban Roots to effectively serve the community at a sustainable pace. This practice of intentional action could result in new and more individualized ways to address the varied needs of those living on the margins both today, and in a post-pandemic world.

Below is a conversation with Urban Roots London board member Mariam Waliji. We discuss the organization's goal to strengthen local food systems and enable more people to not only choose what they eat, but how their food is produced and processed, and how community partnerships are key to creating a society where people have food dignity.

The pandemic has lifted the veil on the extent of social inequities across the board. As much as this has been an incredibly tumultuous time to reconcile with, what are some positives that might result from this unveiling? What do you envision in our post-pandemic future, given this particular awakening?

With this unveiling came a clarity around just how systematically flawed our current food production and distribution system is. And with that clarity comes an ability to see the system for what it is and work to change it. At the outset, many of our donation partners like My Sister’s Place and Crouch Neighbourhood Resource Centre had to quickly increase their capacity to meet the demand of the folks who use their services. The need for all social supports increased. On our end, our model has always been a model of thirds with an understanding that the third being donated is just the minimum. Our first and foremost priority is to support equitable access to food. If there is a community need or want for more produce, we will fulfill that. And during the pandemic that’s very much been the situation.

But also I think something that has struck me as really important has been that more of our society has experienced food insecurity to some degree during this time.

There was a period of time when we weren’t sure when we could go to the grocery store, how frequently we could go, or how stocked the shelves would be when we arrived. The supply chain wasn’t equipped to handle the changes the pandemic necessitated, and some people had never experienced that scarcity before. They were scared. And they reacted. You know, we made memes about toilet paper as comic relief, but at the end of the day that was a real fear for people and the impact of that fear was directly on the folks who are most vulnerable. Surge pricing means that the people who are already struggling to make it week-to-week and afford regular groceries are struggling even more because our system isn’t set up in a way to really support them.

Looking at a post-pandemic future, my hope is that there is an understanding that our social services aren't sufficient. When you look at the nonprofit world, and you look at social services that aim to support issues like the housing crisis, addiction and mental health, and food equity, you have organizations like Urban Roots that exist because there is a need for them, but the real question shouldn’t be who is fulfilling that need? but why does that need exist? Things like food, clean water, and shelter are basic human rights. Why are private organizations having to advocate for the safety of people? Shouldn’t that be the government's job?

I’m hoping post-pandemic that it becomes more widely recognized that this system is flawed. Public social services are things that should be more appropriately funded, and that government funding should come from reallocations of the budget. And yes, I mean defunding the police. With more appropriate community intervention strategies and support, we can change the way we look at and respond to crime. You look at the current situation right here in London, and you can likely attribute a lot of that to desperation. There wouldn’t be theft of food, money, and items to sell if folks were getting the support they need — both financial and mental health and addiction support. To encapsulate it, post-pandemic, I’m hoping that there is more clarity on the fact that providing social services shouldn’t have to rest on the shoulders of private organizations wanting to make the world a better place. It should be the job of the government, and our roles as nonprofits and organizations should be advocating for appropriate budgeting and policy change, and being critical of the systems at work. We shouldn’t be so consumed by frontline action that we can’t work towards progressive change.

I am hoping that this period of time provides some clarity to the question of “what is the actual purpose of nonprofit and how does that exist in a way that creates impact for a positive change?” rather than just a band-aid solution to the issue.

What I’m hearing from you is we should definitely start at the root, otherwise these issues will keep repeating themselves. This means reevaluating things through our political systems.

When we look at addiction, food insecurity, and the housing crisis, no one wants to be in that situation. There are circumstances that are causing them to be in these situations. Sometimes it’s mental health, sometimes it’s systemic barriers. How do we look at that and truly address it? At the end of the day it’s got to come from an economic change.

They say money doesn’t buy happiness but it does provide a sense of security, and that sense of security allows you the freedom to be mentally well (or access support), to provide stability, and contribute to society in a really meaningful way rather than literally just trying to survive.

Issues of food insecurity and poverty are interwoven, and right now there are these small buckets of social services and issues that we’re looking at when it’s truly an intersection of all of it. Poverty contributes to food insecurity, which contributes to mental health problems, which contributes to addiction. They are all connected; Understanding how all these things intersect and how they contribute to one another, rather than tackling each issue in isolation, is vital.

Can you tell us me more about some of the programs that you collaborate with?

Urban Roots operates on a model of thirds. A minimum of one third of the produce grown is donated to organizations who use that to provide food to folks in need. A third of it is sold wholesale to restaurant partners or through our Farm Share program. When people purchase from this pricing tier, they do so knowing that they are supporting the financial viability of Urban Roots and in turn, our ability to donate to these community organizations.

We also have a middle tier which is typically 50% of our wholesale price. It is available to anyone shopping at our Farm Gate sales, and social enterprises like Growing Chefs, who are doing great community work and want to support local food security, but would benefit from a lower price due to budget constraints.

We have quite a few organizations that we partner with in terms of our donations. Crouch Neighbourhood Resource Centre is a big one for us. They are just down Hamilton Road from the farm itself and offer plenty of programming and resources for families in that area who are facing barriers. My Sister’s Place is the women’s shelter in Old East Village on Dundas offering warm meals and food for individuals coming through. We also have partnerships with Queer Events London, the Vegan Food Bank, and the London Food Bank. We’re hopeful that as the farm continues to grow and we increase our growing capacity, so will the number of organizations we partner with.

One thing that I truly believe sets Urban Roots apart is that every one of our partners, whether wholesale, accessible pricing, or donation, chooses what they would like to order. Each partner is given the same order form with the list of available produce for that week, and are able to choose exactly what they would like to receive. This means folks receiving donations are offered autonomy and choice in what is being provided. It allows for culturally appropriate veggies when possible, or being responsive to the needs or wants of their program participants. I believe there is something powerful in that.

That’s a diverse set of groups, and it invites the thought that this is something that almost all organizations can participate in by simply adopting the rule of thirds into their own organizations.

Honestly, something that I am incredibly proud of is that any program that runs through Urban Roots London aims to utilize the model of thirds.

It’s certainly still a work in progress for the educational side of things, but this model is one that can be applied to so many different programs and offerings, not just by Urban Roots, but any organization looking to offer a pricing scale.

For example, the aim with the educational programming is to offer corporate team building as our wholesale price, school programming through the school boards at a flexible rate, and after-school programming at no cost to community organizations like Crouch and Life*Spin. Employers can bring their team to the farm to foster a sense of community within their own organizations while actively contributing to the betterment of their neighbourhood and city through supporting URL.

There is something beautiful about people participating and paying for a product or service knowing that their contribution not only supports a local organization, but supports individual community members being able to access these same products or services.

As people who are on the ground and working full-time towards innovative ways of tackling food insecurity, I would consider you experts in this field, and people who should be looked upon in discussing solutions.

We should certainly be looking to the people who are on the ground, in the community, and being honest and truthful about the work they are doing, and the work that needs to be done. Paul Taylor is the ED (executive director) of FoodShare Toronto, and truly a badass. He is very open about the fact that poverty is a huge part of food insecurity, and that food insecurity cannot be solved by simply providing food to those in need. Yes, creating food access is something that needs to happen because there are folks in the community who don’t have access to proper food right now, but handing out care packages and providing meals isn’t a solution. We have to look further than that. We have to dream bigger than that. That is not going to solve it.

What role do you think creativity plays in some of the world's larger conversations like this one?

Personally, as someone who is an artist, an activist, and has a background in natural science, art and creativity have played such a significant role in my life, and in turn, the work I do with Urban Roots. I look to creativity in not only being innovative in our business model, but also in how we approach our work and how we look at design principles. We use creativity to look outside of what is normal; Our model of thirds has its foundation in ancestral practices which we have adapted to make sense for us, here and now.  

Beyond the structure of the organization, I believe in using creativity and art as a way to build relationships. That genuine connection that helps encourage empathy in others. Art is such a beautiful thing, because it allows people to find their own reasons for something to resonate with them. Even if it is something that a person may not know about, they can come to care about it because the essence of that issue can be conveyed with art. That emotion, the “why it matters”, is so much more powerful when conveyed through art rather than a pitch deck. Using music, film, photography, and storytelling to create connections: connections between the issue at hand, the people the issue impacts, and the folks who can do something about it. Without that connection, without creativity, the work is harder to do.

At Urban Roots London we often talk about the beauty of food, and how there is dignity in beautiful food even for — especially for — folks who are receiving the donations. When community members are in situations of receiving support, we risk creating a sense of feeling “less-than” because often what is being donated is what is leftover. In offering choice in what is being provided, we create space for excitement and creativity in food. Food is joyful. We want all folks who are receiving Urban Roots produce to experience that. Everyone deserves that.