Knowing You Make a Knowing You Make a Difference Difference

Community Food Security Assessment and Community Food Security Assessment and EvaluationEvaluationVincent M. Smith, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-

MadisonAmanda Behrens, Center for a Livable Future, Johns Hopkins University

Community Food Security Coalition ConferenceNew Orleans, LA

October 16-19, 2010

Presentation OverviewPresentation Overview

Workshop PurposeWorkshop Purpose What is “a difference” and what is What is “a difference” and what is

success?success? What role does evidence play?What role does evidence play? What constitutes evidence?What constitutes evidence? Where are we going?Where are we going?

Why Collaborate?Why Collaborate? Lack of interest or Lack of interest or

expertiseexpertise Third party Third party

credibilitycredibility Connecting to Connecting to

what others are what others are doingdoing

Possible cost Possible cost savingssavings

The InterviewThe Interview Random vs. Non-Random vs. Non-

RandomRandom Structured vs. Structured vs.

UnstructuredUnstructured Qualitative vs. Qualitative vs.

QuantitativeQuantitative

Don’t assume you Don’t assume you know what others are know what others are thinking, what they are thinking, what they are doing, or how they are doing, or how they are changing.changing.

The QuestionnaireThe Questionnaire Random or Non-Random or Non-

RandomRandom How are your questions How are your questions

being interpreted?being interpreted? Have you asked the Have you asked the

right question?right question?

Frequently, a few cases Frequently, a few cases of what we are looking of what we are looking for leads us to believe for leads us to believe things that are not true.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 DataFarm and Garden Data

Track everything!Track everything! Be sure you know Be sure you know

your objective and your objective and track those things track those things that will help you that will help you evaluate that evaluate that objectiveobjective

Doing good doesn’t Doing good doesn’t always mean you always mean you have done it right.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 QuestionResearch Question

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

Purpose of StudyPurpose of Study

To understand the socio-economic value To understand the socio-economic value of CFP and how this value is changingof CFP and how this value is changing To estimate the absolute and relative To estimate the absolute and relative

contribution of CFP in terms of foodcontribution of CFP in terms of food To clarify the drivers and barriers to CFP as a To clarify the drivers and barriers to CFP as a

component of community food securitycomponent of community food security To represent the CFP landscape spatially and To represent the CFP landscape spatially and

analyze any trends in impactanalyze any trends in impact To develop future scenarios for use in spatial To develop future scenarios for use in spatial

configurations to understand the role of CFP configurations to understand the role of CFP in the futurein the future

Study DesignStudy Design Economic ContextEconomic Context

51 urban test plots51 urban test plots 600 random plot estimates600 random plot estimates

Social ContextSocial Context 75 personal interviews75 personal interviews 600 grower surveys600 grower surveys

Spatial ContextSpatial Context CFP resource CFP resource

identificationidentification Spatial analysis of Spatial analysis of

resourcesresources Future ContextFuture Context

Scenario developmentScenario development Spatial depictions of Spatial depictions of

scenariosscenarios

Distilling DataDistilling Data What story do you What story do you

want to share?want to share? What decision am I What decision am I

trying to make?trying to make? What types of evidence What types of evidence

do I need?do I need? Can I do this quickly Can I do this quickly

and honestly?and honestly?

We don’t always come We don’t always come to know things in the to know things in the same way.same way.