San Diego Food System Alliance

PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND FINANCIAL/BUSINESS SUPPORT TO FARMERS TO INCREASE CAPITAL AND MARKET ACCESS.

THE SAN DIEGO FOOD SYSTEM ALLIANCE (ALLIANCE),IS A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE MULTI-SECTOR NETWORK THAT WORKS ACROSS THE REGION TO PROMOTE COLLABORATION,INFLUENCE POLICY,AND CATALYZE TRANSFORMATION IN THE FOOD SYSTEM. AFTER A 2 YEAR PLANNING PROCESS ENGAGING WITH OVER 250 CROSS-SECTOR ORGANIZATIONS AND NEARLY 3,000 INDIVIDUALS-PRIMARILY LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS,TRIBAL COMMUNITIES,FOOD PRODUCERS,BUSINESSES,AND WORKERS-THE ALLIANCE IS LAUNCHING SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOOD VISION 2030 IN JULY 2021. FOOD VISION 2030,VISUALIZED THROUGH A REPORT AND A WEBSITE INCLUDING AN INDICATOR DASHBOARD (SDFOODVISION2030.ORG),OUTLINES 10 OBJECTIVES POSITIONED TO TRANSFORM OUR REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM TO ACCOMPLISH 3 GOALS: 1) CULTIVATE RACIAL JUSTICE,2) FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE,AND 3) BUILD RESILIENCE.TO ADVANCE SEVERAL FOOD VISION 2030 OBJECTIVES,THE PROJECT GOAL IS TO LAUNCH A "LOCAL FOOD ECONOMY LAB" THAT CENTERS EQUITY AND COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP AND WORKS TO IMPROVE THE VIABILITY OF LOCAL FARMS,FISHERIES,AND FOOD BUSINESSES. THE LAB WILL ENGAGE WITH A DIVERSE SET OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERS WITHIN THE FOOD VISION 2030 NETWORK,INCLUDING LOCAL FARMS,FISHERIES,FOOD HUBS,FOOD BUSINESSES,INSTITUTIONS,MID-TIER VALUE CHAIN BUSINESSES,TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS,GOVERNMENT,PHILANTHROPIC,FINANCING,AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS TO COORDINATE CUSTOMIZED BUSINESS AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE,MOBILIZE FUNDING,INFLUENCE POLICY,AND SCALE UP LOCAL,EQUITABLE,AND SUSTAINABLE VALUE CHAINS. THE LAB WILL ALSO FACILITATE THE ECONOMIC CASE-MAKING FOR INVESTING IN THE REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM. THROUGH DEEP COLLABORATION WITH PARTNERS,THE PROJECT WILL INVOLVE TWO PHASES: 1) CO-DESIGN THE LAB AND REIMAGINE VALUE CHAINS,2) IMPLEMENT THE LAB SERVICES.