Focus Groups Explore Food Security Issues

In the autumn of 2011, the Food Security Network of Hastings & Prince Edward Counties conducted six local focus groups to generate information about food security issues in Hastings and Prince Edward counties. The purpose was to explore issues of food security: where people get food, the barriers they deal with, their resourcefulness as well as their suggestions for how the community can work together to improve food security. Two focus groups were held in Belleville, and one each in Bancroft, Madoc, Picton and Trenton.

Focus group participants shared with each other and the broader community their struggles to have physical and economic access to an adequate supply of safe, affordable and nutritious food. They shared issues around food availability and affordability; they spoke of difficulties with transportation, high cost of nutritious food and the lack of availability of some foods in community food programs. They offered strategies to stretch one’s food dollar and the wish for more knowledge and skills around lower cost healthy foods and basic cooking. In general they spoke of worry and getting enough food as a constant struggle. Despite these struggles, participants demonstrated great resourcefulness and resilience and offered suggestions for both personal and community approaches and resources.

Our most sincere thanks are extended to the participants of these focus groups.