1/ Tell us a bit about the story behind Afri-Can FoodBasket and how it came to be.

Afri-Can FoodBasket was co-founded in 1995 by husband and wife Community activist Anan Lololi and Anyika Tafari, who did research in the early 90’s looking at how food insecurity was impacting Toronto’s African Caribbean, Black communities and launched a collective food buying club that ran for over 10 years.

2/ What does food security mean and how does it tie in to Afri-Can FoodBasket?

Based on the 1996 World Food Summit, food security is defined when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

Food Security has been central to Afri-Can FoodBaskets existence and mission.

Now we are committed to advancing Black food sovereignty which is the right of people of African descent to access healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems. Food sovereignty is, therefore, a holistic, healthy and sustainable approach for communities to address chronic food insecurity.

3/ What is the mission and values behind Afri-Can FoodBasket?

Afri-Can FoodBasket’s mission is to provide leadership in urban agriculture, and foster collaboration to advance food justice, health and social enterprise in the African Canadian Community.

VALUES

We are a B3 organization that is Black Led, Black Serving and Black Mandated.

We believe that everyone has the right to healthy food.

We are equity oriented.

We believe that it is important to strive for Black Food Sovereignty and that BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of colour) and low-income communities must play a central role in defining food justice and reducing hunger.

We recognize that cultivating youth leadership is vital to achieving our mission and goals.

We believe sustainable urban farming is vital to long term food security and food sovereignty.

We acknowledge the existence of various forms of systemic oppression and work to challenge them.

We believe that all bodies have a right to exist as they are.

Our guiding values include the Nguzo Saba Principles which were originally developed to reinforce aspects of African cultures which contribute to building and supporting family, community and heritage among persons of African descent.

5/ What are your current projects and initiatives that focus on the youth (18 to 25 years of age) ?

The main program that engages youth 18-25 is our Cultivating Youth Leadership (CYL) urban farming skills training program. This program focuses on developing leadership, healthy self esteem, and sustainable urban farming skills. This program takes place at Ujamaa Learning Farm, a 1 acre urban farm in Toronto’s North West where we promote and teach sustainable urban farming.

We have seen and cultivated youth engagement in our Black Food Toronto emergency food access program that heavily relies on volunteers, and donations. Youth have been in all aspects from conducting food drives at their schools and within community to volunteering at our warehouse to pack foodbaskets.

6/ What are some things people can do to help in their own communities to support food security?

One way people can support food security in their own communities is to support local farmers, farmers markets, and small food businesses. People can also support local food access and hunger reduction programs and services. Lastly people can support community initiatives that protect green spaces and encourages urban and backyard gardening.

7/ What does “nurture” mean to you and to Afri-Can FoodBasket?

At Afri-Can FoodBasket “nurture”means to cultivate, develop, prepare, support the growth and development of “an individual, community, idea or movement”.