Knowing You Make a Difference

Knowing You Make a Difference Community Food Security Assessment and Evaluation Vincent M. Smith , Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison Amanda Behrens, Center for a Livable Future, Johns Hopkins University Community Food Security Coalition Conference New Orleans, LA October 16-19, 2010

Presentation Overview
Workshop Purpose
What is “a difference” and what is success?
What role does evidence play?
What constitutes evidence?
Where are we going?

Why Collaborate?
Lack of interest or expertise
Third party credibility
Connecting to what others are doing
Possible cost savings

The Interview
Random vs. Non-Random
Structured vs. Unstructured
Qualitative vs. Quantitative
Don’t assume you know what others are thinking, what they are doing, or how they are changing.

The Questionnaire
Random or Non-Random
How are your questions being interpreted?
Have you asked the right question?
Frequently, a few cases of what we are looking for leads us to believe things that are not true.

5. Approximately how much will your household spend in 2010 directly raising food crops? Consider the following as you estimate your response:
Have you or will you purchase seeds or plants? □ Yes □ No
Have you or will you purchase fertilizers or other amendments? □ Yes □ No
Have you or will you purchase any new tools? □ Yes □ No
Have you or will you purchase any construction materials for □ Yes □ No
garden projects?
Have you or will you purchase any livestock feed? □ Yes □ No
Have you paid any fees for the rental of space or land? □ Yes □ No
Do you have any additional expenses directly □ Yes □ No
Related to growing food crops
Having considered the above expenses, please estimate how much you have or will spend on growing food crops in 2010.
□ Less than $50
□ $50.00-$149.99
□ $150.00-$249.99
□ $250.00-349.99
□ $350.00-$449.99
□ $450.00-$549.99
□ More than $550.00

Farm and Garden Data
Track everything!
Be sure you know your objective and track those things that will help you evaluate that objective
Doing good doesn’t always mean you have done it right.

Variable May 1 May 2 May 3 Time (in minutes) 15 5 10 Expenses (in US$) 25 0 0 Harvest Weight in lb Apple 0 0 0 Asparagus 8 0 12 Basil 0 0 0.8

Research Question
What is the socioeconomic value of community food production and how might this value be changing in a rapidly changing food system context?

Purpose of Study
To understand the socio-economic value of CFP and how this value is changing
To estimate the absolute and relative contribution of CFP in terms of food
To clarify the drivers and barriers to CFP as a component of community food security
To represent the CFP landscape spatially and analyze any trends in impact
To develop future scenarios for use in spatial configurations to understand the role of CFP in the future

Study Design
Economic Context
51 urban test plots
600 random plot estimates
Social Context
75 personal interviews
600 grower surveys
Spatial Context
CFP resource identification
Spatial analysis of resources
Future Context
Scenario development
Spatial depictions of scenarios

Distilling Data
What story do you want to share?
What decision am I trying to make?
What types of evidence do I need?
Can I do this quickly and honestly?
We don’t always come to know things in the same way.

Knowing You Make a Difference

by Community Food Security Coalition on Oct 28, 2010

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Knowing You Make a Difference — Presentation Transcript