Pittsburgh Farming Future and Liberate X working to tackle sustainable farming
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The Pittsburgh Farming Future tackled the question of sustainable farming and food insecurity.
The more than six-hour-long event was designed to help farmers of color confront barriers to accessing land and funding.
"It's important not to think about the urban farms and the upscale farms but to pay attention to the small urban farms that fight food insecurity in low-income areas," said Quyam Ansari, a co-founder of Liberate X.
The organizers of Liberate X said we need to focus on local farming and right now we're seeing the effects of only being focused on the macro level.
The past few years have shown what can happen when a supply chain breaks down.
"Everyone eats, everyone needs to eat, but not every single person plants," said Yusupha Ulomi, another co-founder of Liberate X. "Not every single person provides the access to land. Not every single person provides the funding."
For some communities that are low-income, fresh produce is not accessible. By breaking down barriers, farms in those communities can help people gain access to healthier food.
Right now, there is an economic, and in many cases racial divide, on who has the ability to get fresher and healthier food.
"It's very important if you want to find food in many Black and brown communities," said Ansari.
Organizers said this event was not a one-off. They want to continue these discussions on this to make sure no one goes hungry.