Functional foods and urban agriculture: two responses to climate change-related food insecurity

Jane M. Dixon; Kelly J. Donati; Lucy L. Pike; Libby Hattersley

doi:10.1071/NB08044

RESEARCH ARTICLE

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Functional foods and urban agriculture: two responses to climate change-related food insecurity

Jane M. Dixon ^A ^C , Kelly J. Donati ^B , Lucy L. Pike ^B and Libby Hattersley ^A

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University

^B Melbourne School of Land and Environment, University of Melbourne

^C Corresponding author. Email: jane.dixon@anu.edu.au

NSW Public Health Bulletin 20(2) 14-18 https://doi.org/10.1071/NB08044
Published: 25 February 2009

Abstract

Affluent diets have negative effects on the health of the population and the environment. Moreover, the ability of industrialised agricultural ecosystems to continue to supply these diets is threatened by the anticipated consequences of climate change. By challenging the ongoing supply the diets of affluent countries, climate change provides a population and environmental health opportunity. This paper contrasts two strategies for dealing with climate change-related food insecurity. Functional foods are being positioned as one response because they are considered a hyper-efficient mechanism for supplying essential micronutrients. An alternative response is civic and urban agriculture. Rather than emphasising increased economic or nutritional efficiencies, civic agriculture presents a holistic approach to food security that is more directly connected to the economic, environmental and social factors that affect diet and health.

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