North American Food Systems Network

“The North American Food Systems Network (NAFSN) was founded in 2015 to offer leadership and technical skills training, networking, and other professional development opportunities for the growing group of individuals supporting the development of equitable and sustainable local and regional food systems.

Members range from farm educators and community nutritionists to planners, activists, and scholars. The mission of this community of practice is to coalesce the current disparate group of practitioners, and build individual and collective capacity to solve pressing food and agriculture issues on the continent. Presently there are many innovative solutions and pioneering organizations working to address and understand the complex issues of food systems−for example, working to eliminate causes of food deserts, obesity, hunger, and other food-related human health issues as well as working to increase sustainable farming practices, ecological and economic health of farms and rural areas, and creating viable markets.

There is a need for a holistic collaboration and coordination between and among these efforts. Leaders are needed to guide and propel all these efforts, and NAFSN aims to provide the tools to build the necessary human capital and create a place for sharing and collective learning. NAFSN expects to see growth of competencies, increased best practices, and more effective targeting of resources as results of its efforts.”