Achieving Our Moemoeā: Community-Led Food Security Strategy Development

Area of Science:

• Community-based participatory research
• Food systems analysis
• Public health interventions

Background:

• The 4412 neighborhood faced significant food insecurity, affecting one-third of residents in 2021.
• A collaborative approach was needed to address complex, multifaceted causes of food insecurity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and implement the 4412 Kai Resilience Strategy.
• To transition the community from food insecurity to food resilience and sovereignty.
• To foster local ownership and systemic change in food systems.

Main Methods:

• Community engagement and co-design of the strategy.
• Identification of six interwoven workstreams: education, food economy, community, food support, māra kai, and social enterprise.
• Balancing immediate food needs with long-term systemic change initiatives.

Main Results:

• The strategy fosters local ownership and commitment to sustainable change.
• It builds a broader constituency of support for food resilience initiatives.
• Empowers communities to create meaningful, lasting changes rather than relying on external aid.

Conclusions:

• A multifaceted, community-driven strategy is effective in addressing food insecurity.
• Local ownership and collaborative action are key to achieving food resilience and sovereignty.
• Integrating immediate needs with long-term systemic change fosters sustainable community development.