Sources used in this document:

The demographics related to the problem are significant in demonstrating the specific poverty levels and racial discrepancies within the country. When food insecurity is therefore effectively addressed, minority communities can be uplifted to become part of the American way of life in a sustainable and viable way. The statistics demonstrate the demographic inequalities: According to the Food Research and Action Center (hereafter referred to as FRAC), as of 2005, 35.1 million people in the U.S. - over 10% of the population - were experiencing "food insecurity." Among African-Americans and Hispanic populations, this percentage is considerably higher, at 22.4% and 17.9% respectively (Adach-Vollinger, 2006). According to FRAC, the ten states where food insecurity is most likely include the West and South: New Mexico, Mississippi, Texas, South Carolina, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Utah, Idaho, North Carolina and Tennessee. Clearly, if the American Government were to be truly concerned with creating prosperity for all its citizens, these communities and their needs should be urgently addressed with sustainable programs.

PROPOSAL

In the light of the above, it is the objective of this document to propose ways in which a sustainable solution can be created for food insecurity, particularly in communities where this problem manifests itself most prominently. With sufficient funding, such a program can be greatly successful in addressing the problem of food insecurity in a targeted and effective manner. As such, the objective of the program (to be known as DEAL - DEcentralize and Localize) is to make low SES communities more self-sufficient. The ideal is to create ways in which such communities can cultivate a large amount of their own food products - particularly vegetable-based foods - by means of cooperative gardens and "mini-farms." These will exist in and around urban and suburban areas, with land provided through the program. The ideal is that such programs will be funded by direct grants to the communities that are affected. Initial seeds and equipment are provided, as well as an advisor/support person, who is trained in agricultural and environmental science, for each community. Such a program will have several benefits. In addition to the environmental benefits already mentioned, communities will be uplifted by a sense of self-sufficiency and the concomitant power of caring for themselves. This will have a tremendous impact not only upon the general outlook of such communities, but also upon their sense of self-worth and motivation. In this way, while directly providing employment and lowering unemployment levels, the program can also do so indirectly by motivating community members to start their own businesses - whether food related or not. Furthermore, cultivating land will result in rising natural resources and a sustainable way of providing communities with food. In general, the program can