The joint Food & Ag Systems Working Group between the Appalachia Funders Network and the Central Appalachian Network (CAN) worked together to conduct and publish six case studies of projects at the intersection of food access and health. Several members of the Network funded the work to document and highlight lessons from innovative projects around the region, and CAN conducted and compiled the case studies.
This plan outlines the proposal of the Food & Ag Systems Working Group to accelerate the growth of the regional food economy. It addresses the leverage points within the region’s food system and provides guidance for targeting investments that build on current momentum
Food & Ag Systems Working Group Overview
RCDI Project Summary: Building Food Systems Capacity in Central Appalachia
This one-pager provides a summary of the FASWG's Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) grant, including the project strategies, participating organizations, funders involved, community impacts, and resources leveraged.
Research Report: Food Security, Access, & Equity in West Virginia and the Appalachian regions of North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio
Authored by the Appalachian Foodshed Project for the Appalachia Funders Network, this report provides data snapshots related to food, agriculture, poverty, and health of the Central Appalachian region and suggests approaches to creating and utilizing data as a means of understanding and addressing food, health, and quality of life issues in Appalachia.
Video: The Vital Role of Food and Food Systems in Central Appalachia's Public Health
This video presentation by Dr. Randy Wykoff, Dean of the ETSU College of Public Health, provides a data-driven explanation of Central Appalachia's public health challenges, explores the most critical factors impacting our region's health, and proposes an integrated approach to improving Central Appalachia's health that emphasizes the role of food & food systems. The video was made possible through the Food and Ag Systems Working Group partnership with the Health Working Group, with the support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Webinar: Federal Food & Farm Policy: Farm Bill 101 with NSAC (April 2017)
This learning call featured a collection of leading practitioners and funders who work on agroforestry and forest farming around the region. They shared key concepts and definitions, highlighted current projects taking place across the region, and emphasized the economic potential, environmental impact, and cultural significance of this sector for Appalachia's communities and rural landowners. Click here to view slides only. Click here to view slides only.