Food security means different ways by different people depending on how they view the complexities of today’s food system and the challenges we face in supporting nutritional health of all population groups.  These varied perspectives must be considered in addressing policy that supports food security. 

Food security occurs when:
- all people at all times can acquire safe, nutritionally adequate and personally acceptable foods that are accessible in a manner maintaining human dignity (Canadian Dietetic Association, 1991; p.139); 
- people are able to earn a living wage by growing, producing, processing, handling, retailing and serving food; the quality of land, air and water are maintained and enhanced for future generations, and food is celebrated as central to community and cultural integrity (BC Food Systems Network.  On-line available: http://www.fooddemocracy.org/security.html).

In contrast, food insecurity is the inability to obtain sufficient, nutritious, personally acceptable food through normal channels or the uncertainty that one will be able to do so.  Food insecurity is a barrier to health faced by many Nova Scotians. 
There is a growing concern that the nutrition needs of many low income Nova Scotians are not being met.  A Food Security workshop hosted by the Nova Scotia Nutrition Council (NSNC) in June 2000 identified a shared concern for and interest in this issue especially among Family Resource Centers (FRC’s).  Since that time, the NSNC has been working with Community Action Programs for Children (CAPC) and Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP) - sponsored Family Resource Centres (FRC’s), AHPRC, and others to secure funding to support innovative research that will lead to the development of strategies for action and healthy public policy to build food security for all Nova Scotians.  A post-doctoral position has been created at AHPRC, supported for three years by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research.  To date four projects have been funded which will examine the issue of food insecurity and contribute to the development of healthy public policy. 

Participatory Food Costing Project – Phase I: 
“Building Food Security in Nova Scotia: Using a Participatory Process to Collect Evidence and Enhance the Capacity of Community Groups to Impact Policy”. 
This project will lay the foundation for food security research by examining the affordability of nutritious food throughout Nova Scotia.  Funding in the amount of $24,992 has been secured from Health Canada. 
What is the purpose of this project?
The project builds on the existing capacity of communities to address food security by working in partnership with CAPC and CPNP - sponsored Family Resource Centres throughout Nova Scotia.  Families who participate in programs offered through these Centres often deal with food insecurity on a daily basis.  Participatory methods will be used to facilitate partnerships with FRC participants in all aspects of the research.  This participatory approach to food costing is being evaluated as a model for the ongoing monitoring of food costs and the affordability of nutritious foods in Nova Scotia communities.

What has happened so far?
Ten FRC peer “Train-the-Trainers”, 47 FRC participants and 18 support people (FRC staff, public health nutritionists, and dietetic interns) were trained in a standardized method of food costing.  Working together, they completed spring and fall food costing surveys in 57 grocery stores throughout the province.  The food costing information is used to determine the average monthly cost of a nutritious diet. 

Where to from here?
Participatory Food Costing Project – Phase II:

Health Canada has also committed an additional  $25,000 from the Population Health Fund for a second phase of the Participatory Food Costing Project. This work will focus on a series of Story Sharing Workshops to explore issues surrounding experiences of food insecurity.  Participants of the food costing project will come together  to decide how best to use the stories and food costing evidence to strengthen our case for development of public policy that builds food security.  Phase II will help us move towards our goal of developing a model for ongoing monitoring of food costs and of using this evidence to support policy change.

National Environmental Scan: 
“An Environmental Scan of Strategies for Impacting Policy to Build Food Security”. 
An additional $74,238 was secured from Health Canada’s Canadian Diabetes Strategy for a four-month project to complete a national environmental scan of food security strategies that have been used to influence policy to build food security.  A National Advisory Committee (NAC) was formed to guide the completion of the scan and to work with the NSNC, AHPRC, and other partners and develop a proposal of national scope to further the research. 

What is the purpose of this project?
The purpose of the environmental scan was to identify strategies that have been and are being used by communities and professionals to influence healthy public policy related to building food security.  The NAC was established to: 1) guide the environmental scan; 
2) explore the regional proposal from the NSNC as a possible template for a national proposal; 3) provide consultation and communications between leaders from various sectors involved in food security within their region and the advisory committees; and 
4) position the role of the project and the issues being addressed within current provincial and national food security initiatives and structures. 

What has happened so far?
Since December 2001 almost 150 food security initiatives have completed surveys and 26 key informants have participated in in-depth interviews. A cross-section of different types of policy initiatives in the area of food security, including government initiatives, grassroots community organizations, food policy coalitions, professional associations, anti-poverty groups from 9 provinces/territories are represented in the scan.  Interest and contributions from across the country have been excellent and many groups are anxiously awaiting the resulting report.  Currently, we are completing qualitative analysis of the key informant interviews and hope to have the final report ready early in 2003. 
The NAC felt that in order to build upon the group’s capacity to do food security work a face-to-face meeting would be beneficial.  On May 23rd, 25 members of the NAC, NSNC, and FRC’s gathered together in Halifax for a 2 day workshop focusing on food security, policy, and the work of the NAC.  Activities included a presentation of preliminary results of the environmental scan and discussion of reactions to results, a presentation of the NAC evaluation results, and action planning for next steps. 

The environmental scan has been a springboard for further food security work by the NAC.  Building upon the Participatory Food Costing Project and the National Environmental Scan the NSNC, NAC, AHPRC, & FRC’s worked together to facilitate the submission of a proposal submitted for national CDS funding, which was subsequently awarded in the amount of $210,079. 

Where to from here?
“Enhancing the Capacity of Community Groups to
Build Food Security Through Healthy Public Policy”.
The commitment of $210,079 from the Canadian Diabetes Strategy will be used to support a 17- month National project to build upon our work.  This project focuses on the development, implementation, and evaluation of tools and processes to enhance community capacity to influence policy that impacts food security in Nova Scotia, and their subsequent utilization by community groups across the country.

Partners: 
· Atlantic Health Promotion Research Centre 
· Community Action Program for Children (CAPC)/Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP)   Family Resource Centres 
· Nova Scotia Nutrition Council (NSNC) 
· National Advisory Committee (NAC)