Canada’s Food Policy Council Shows How Collaborative Governance Can Strengthen Food Systems
Affiliate Disclosure
Hey fellow impactful ninja ?
You may have noticed that Impactful Ninja is all about providing helpful information to make a positive impact on the world and society. And that we love to link back to where we found all the information for each of our posts.
Most of these links are informational-based for you to check out their primary sources with one click.
But some of these links are so-called "affiliate links" to products that we recommend.
Why do we add these product links?
First and foremost, because we believe that they add value to you. For example, when we wrote a post about the environmental impact of long showers, we came across an EPA recommendation to use WaterSense showerheads. So we linked to where you can find them. Or, for many of our posts, we also link to our favorite books on that topic so that you can get a much more holistic overview than one single blog post could provide.
And when there is an affiliate program for these products, we sign up for it. For example, as Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.
What do these affiliate links mean for you?
First, and most importantly, we still only recommend products that we believe add value for you.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission - but at no additional costs to you.
And when you buy something through a link that is not an affiliate link, we won’t receive any commission but we’ll still be happy to have helped you.
What do these affiliate links mean for us?
When we find products that we believe add value to you and the seller has an affiliate program, we sign up for it.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission (at no extra costs to you).
And at this point in time, all money is reinvested in sharing the most helpful content with you. This includes all operating costs for running this site and the content creation itself.
What does this mean for me personally?
You may have noticed by the way Impactful Ninja is operated that money is not the driving factor behind it. It is a passion project of mine and I love to share helpful information with you to make a positive impact on the world and society. However, it's a project in that I invest a lot of time and also quite some money.
Eventually, my dream is to one day turn this passion project into my full-time job and provide even more helpful information. But that's still a long time to go.
Stay impactful,
At Impactful Ninja, we curate positive and impactful news for you. Follow us on Google News or sign up for our free newsletter to get these delivered straight to your inbox—just like our expert roundup below!
📰 The quick summary: Canada’s collaborative Food Policy Advisory Council brings together diverse stakeholders to address critical food system challenges, creating a democratic model that offers integrated solutions for food insecurity, waste reduction, and climate impact.
📈 One key stat: Over 20% of Canadians experience food insecurity, with nearly 25% of those affected being children, highlighting the urgent need for effective food policy solutions.
💬 One key quote: “In this moment of crisis and uncertainty, this type of collaborative governance is essential.“
1️⃣ The big picture: Canada launched the Food Policy for Canada in 2019 as a framework to address critical challenges in the country’s food systems. The multi-stakeholder Canadian Food Policy Advisory Council was subsequently created to bring together diverse voices including farmers, grocery executives, and academics. This collaborative approach aims to tackle pressing issues like food insecurity affecting over 20% of Canadians, extensive food waste, and the substantial contribution of food systems to greenhouse gas emissions. The council represents an innovative space for finding solutions that involve civil society, the private sector, and Indigenous communities.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: The Food Policy Advisory Council demonstrates how democratic engagement can solve complex food system challenges through multi-sectoral collaboration. This participatory approach ensures diverse perspectives inform policy decisions, creating more effective and equitable solutions to issues like food insecurity and waste. Council members bring specialized knowledge from across the food system, enabling innovative approaches that might otherwise be overlooked. By fostering relationships across sectors and scales, this model builds consensus while strengthening civil society engagement in critical policy areas. This collaborative governance structure offers a valuable counterexample to the erosion of transparent governance seen elsewhere.
3️⃣ What’s next: The council needs to be prioritized by its members and the Liberal government with adequate resources to ensure its ongoing success. Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Heath MacDonald will ultimately decide the Food Policy Advisory Council’s fate. Improvements should include deeper involvement of council members in decision-making and establishing a more transparent feedback process.
Read the full story here: The Conversation – Canadian Food Policy Advisory Council: A collaborative approach to strengthening food systems
