Enhancing Food Security of Underserved Populations in the Northeast through Sustainable Regional Food Systems

DESCRIPTION: The USDA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) project is a large-scale, multi-institution research and spatial analysis of regional food systems. Researchers will gather data and develop maps of agricultural production and distribution in the Northeast United States, including working with existing land-use and GIS databases.

OUTCOMES: Researchers are coordinating with local supply chain, non-profit, and government partners to: establish research protocols and ensure stakeholder support; participate in the ongoing identification of existing and emerging opportunities or strategies for regionally-based and scaled supply chains to increase food availability and access for disadvantaged populations; communicate the research plan to stakeholders and study participants at all project sites to educate individuals and help maintain continued engagement in the project; and develop visual communication tools to assist in the development of the research agenda and define relationships between the various components of the project.