The Northern Foodways Development Network (NFDN) is a project in collaboration with LFFC and northern regional partners that connects food leaders, innovators and stakeholders across Northern Ontario to improve food-related outcomes for the region. The network aims to be the hub of regional food development experts, resources, and information to develop resilient and sustainable foodways. See more on the NFDN website here
Northern Foodways Development Network
NFDN fulfills its mission by:
Improving equitable access to healthy and culturally appropriate food in Northern Ontario produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods;
Connecting eaters, growers, and producers to benefit equitably from value chains from seed to plate;
Empowering local food providers and enables self-determination for all through fair and sustainable food production and distribution practices;
Enabling people who produce and distribute also to influence the mechanisms and policies of food production and distribution;
Supporting people who consume to have access to food that is produced through ecologically, and financially sustainable production methods
What We Do
Northern Ontario's agri-food sector has diverse regional challenges and opportunities. NFDN connects food system participants, including government, organizations, businesses and communities, to expertise, resources, best practices, and capacity-building training to increase opportunities for collaboration and cross-disciplinary skills to provide a compelling change from the ground up. From the growth and development of food hubs to Indigenous foodways, agri-food infrastructure for production and distribution, education and training, and other activities, NFDN is essential to building a stronger Northern food system.
Resources
This Northern Foodways Development Network (NFDN) is an unincorporated network focused on supporting sustainable foodway solutions across Northern Ontario, recognizing the value of regional, local and traditional foods and their benefit on health, communities, the environment and the economy. Through the development of shared goals and action plans that are developed through a community consultation process, the NFDN will execute long-term collaborative projects to address challenges in Northern Ontario food systems.
The following reports demonstrate the research the NFDN has done over the past years of its development.
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2022 Spring Report (Full)
Acknowledging that the Northern Foodways Development Network (NFDN) was challenged with a large mandate and faced structural obstacles, the research in this report was undertaken to identify the most successful activities of the NFDN and propose actions for the next five years to advance the mission of the network to address food value chain challenges.
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2022 Spring Report (Executive Summary)
Spring 2022 Executive Summary: NFDN Evaluating Success, Planning the Future
Download our Executive Summary of this report below.
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Barriers + Bridges in Northern Ontario 2022 Report (Full)
This report is the culmination of research done in 2021 carried out primarily by our Northern Foodways Development Network Coordinator, Kelleigh Wright, and our Northwest Regional Coordinator, Jen Esposito Springett. This research informs about exploring the application of Food Value Chain Coordination to address barriers and create bridges between a diversity of food communities in northern Ontario.
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Barriers + Bridges in Northern Ontario 2022 Report (Executive Summary)
This Executive Summary of our 2022 Barriers + Bridges in Northern Ontario Report showcases some major highlights of our Full Report.
View our Executive Summary below
Get Involved
Are you passionate about building equitable, sustainable and resilient food systems in Northern Ontario? If you are a producer, processor, supplier, distributor, or other food actor passionate about Northern food, we want to hear from you!
