The Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming established the Food Sovereignty Fund in 2020 to provide families facing food insecurity with first-quality food grown in New York’s Hudson Valley while supporting small, regeneratively managed farms. The initiative is grounded in food sovereignty, which is defined as “the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agricultur…
Read moreThe Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming established the Food Sovereignty Fund in 2020 to provide families facing food insecurity with first-quality food grown in New York’s Hudson Valley while supporting small, regeneratively managed farms. The initiative is grounded in food sovereignty, which is defined as “the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems.” This paper describes the Food Sovereignty Fund model and shares findings from a multi-methods evaluation of the model which incorporated perspectives from farmers, food access organizations, and food access clients through surveys, focus groups, and in-depth interviews. Evaluation findings highlight how this approach enhances dignity and agency for both producers and consumers while bolstering the regional food system. By providing fresh, sustainably produced, culturally appropriate foods, the Food Sovereignty Fund upholds clients’ right to healthy food choices. Simultaneously, farmers experience greater control over their produce distribution and receive fair compensation, thus supporting sustainable livelihoods and investing in the regional food economy. The Food Sovereignty Fund offers a promising example of how food sovereignty is being applied in the United States and can serve as a model for creating more equitable, sustainable, and resilient food systems.
