Audrey N. Maretzki

Local food policy coalitions: Evaluation issues as seen by academics, project organizers, and funders

Several different evaluation issuesare perceived as important by people involved withinnovative projects intended to improve local food andnutrition systems; particularly the establishment oflocal food policy coalitions. Several such coalitionshave been formed in North America, Europe, andAustralia with the goal of improving community foodsecurity and promoting sustainable local food systems.Pioneer coalitions have served as models, yet therehas been little systematic evaluation of thesemodels. A qualitative study was conducted to identifyfactors that may hinder evaluation efforts. In grouptelephone interviews, we sought the views ofacademics, project organizers, and funders, a total of24 key informants. Pressures to evaluate were assessed differently bythe three groups of key informants. Academics felt thefocus of evaluation should be on the effectiveness ofthe process used to discuss issues and formulatepolicies and plans. Project organizers and fundersperceived a need to assess project impact andoutcomes. A lack of suitable evaluation models andmethods was viewed as a formidable barrier. The use ofinappropriate methods and premature impact evaluationwere noted as potential threats to projectsustainability. External constraints and resourcelimitations were also said to inhibit evaluationefforts. It appears that several other factors may also beimpeding progress in conducting more (and more useful)evaluations including: (1) the apparent negativeconnotation of evaluation and the limited benefitsexpected from evaluation by stakeholders, (2) a lackof consensus about important evaluation questions,(3) insufficient evaluation expertise among projectorganizers, and (4) inadequate appreciation ofincreasing accountability pressures.

A Survey of Food System Knowledge, Attitudes, and Experiences Among High School Students

ABSTRACT Students were surveyed to assess food system knowledge, attitudes, and experiences. Participants are least knowledgeable about food system sectors, sustainability, and agriculture; more knowledgeable about nutrition and food origins; and most knowledgeable about food safety, local foods, and hunger. The majority of participants support both farmland protection and new land development. Student attitudes favor local food systems, but attitudes are not supported by behavioral intentions. Food system knowledge and attitudes supportive of sustaining the local food system are positively associated with participation in youth clubs, gardening, and food related activities at home. Knowledge is negatively associated with television viewing.

Involving Rural Kenyan Women in the Development of Nutritionally Improved Weaning Foods: Nutribusiness Strategy

Abstract This paper describes a participatory process employed by three collaborating universities to engage rural Kenyan women, who are members of organized womens groups, in the development of recipes for culturally appropriate, nutritionally desirable weaning foods. These foods will be processed on a small commercial scale in two rural locations, Bomet and Murang’a, using ingredients grown by the women on their “shambas” (garden plots). The weaning foods will be marketed as dry mixes in urbanized communities where women do not engage in agriculture. The processing and marketing will be accomplished through the mechanism of a nutribusiness cooperative run by the women in each of the districts. The phases in the weaning food development process include (1) a community assessment, (2) the collection and analysis of traditional weaning recipes, (3) the provision of feedback to the communities, (4) district-level product development workshops, (5) nutritional analysis and computer optimization of the products (Mixed Porridge and BASCOT), and (6) community workshops to prepare and evaluate the optimized products. Through their involvement with this project, women acquire nutrition knowledge and skills and have the opportunity to generate income for themselves and their households.

Couples Counseling: Native Science and Western Science

In this chapter, we compare and contrast Native Science and Western Culture Science and explore the contributions that Native Science can make to Western Culture Science. Case Study #1 is an example of the intertwining of understanding Native Science with Western Culture scientific training on the part of food scientists. Case Study #2 is about Indigenous knowledge (IK) that is well known among entomologists, but little known among early childhood nutrition scientists. Case Study #3 explores the perceptions of the academe to Native Science and its produce, Indigenous knowledge. The message is urgent: Native Science and Western Science need to go into “marriage counseling” as soon as possible. Native Science needs to learn self-respect and self-empowerment. On the other hand, Western Science needs to learn patience, respect for other ways of knowing, including a rigorous use of a continuous feedback loop incorporated into a time frame of multi-generational repetition..