Food Security

Food deserts, neighbourhoods with no access to healthy seasonal foods, are a threat to food security as supermarkets have supplanted local grocers and after destroying local commerce pull out at the first sign of a downturn in profits. Home-based food-growing improves resilience in the face of such fluctuating supply. Supermarket supply is not threatened as of yet in the neighbourhoods studied and as a result, fears of supply problems are not listed as reasons for growing. This may change as climate change and peak oil begin to impact on food supply.

Food security, health, and fuel poverty are all linked. As incomes drop, if fast foods and processed foods are the cheapest alternative, then health suffers, similarly as choices have to be made between eating and heating, health is threatened.