Whenever you look at your phone, turn on the TV or talk to a friend, COVID-19 is on everyone’s mind. The uncertainty and fear among the general population has led to panic buying and hoarding of commodities. Many people can’t even comprehend what would happen if the current supply chain collapsed. The need to hoard is based on the fact that many in society have lost their independence and rely solely on the system. This now leaves us vulnerable.
We aren’t in a situation where there will be a complete collapse in the supply chain, but there will be bumps along the way. It is uncertain how food supplies might be affected and what kinds of prices will be associated with them but it can be quite certain that Saskatchewan will have a ton of oil, protein and empty calories. Most of our cultivated land is dedicated to field crops wheat, barley, canola and yes, we will have plenty to eat if our borders get closed. But how far will that take us without vitamin-rich vegetables and fruits that, according to the Canada food guide, should make up half of our diet?
The last time we had a crisis like this was the Second World War when many people ripped up their front yards to grow vegetables in order to alleviate the strain on the supply chain. The problem now is: How many of us truly still have the skill set to grow our own food? If we really look at what a massive interruption to our supply chain looks like, we just need to look at the North Korean famine. When the Soviet Union dissolved, North Korea no longer had its aid and could no longer feed its people. Many people starved as they relied on imports to sustain their population. This led to the development of Jangmadang, local illegal farmers’ markets, which fed the population. Even though vendors could possibly be punished for selling produce, the people who still knew how to grow their own food knew it was worth the risk. The Korean government has now made the Jangmadang legal; helping to restart their economy and as an added bonus using it as a revenue source.
Relying solely on the large corporate machine as we have leaves us entirely vulnerable. Some are coming to recognize this shortcoming. There are going to be a lot of people starting a garden for the first time because they are scared. We are already seeing an increase in interest in homegrown production and vegetable seed companies like Johnny’s Select Seeds are having to prioritize commercial growers in response to greater demand.
Inexperienced new gardeners are going to need help. It is a shame that Gardenscape was cancelled this year because that was an excellent way to spread knowledge and answer questions, especially those of amateur gardeners. In the past few years, we have lost a lot of resources and there seems to have been a drop-off in funding among granting agencies in Saskatchewan for horticultural research and a focus for more industrial farming endeavours.
In the short-term, Saskatchewan families would benefit from increased funding for extension in horticulture and, better yet, subsidy of online learning materials making them available to lower-income groups. This will help people grow their own nutrient-dense food, making feeding their family more affordable. Gardening could be a way to give people a chance to work from home keeping them active. Although the garden equity does not ever enter the monetary system, it will increase family’s expendable income by saving them from the exorbitant produce prices in the stores, keeping more Saskatchewan money in the hands of Saskatchewan families.
In the long-term, I hope there will be an increased focus on diversification of our food production systems and investment in infrastructure for these small businesses, including access to processing and value-added facilities. Growth of this nature will not happen without support. Recently, a grocery chain that has been implementing Buy Local, approached the Saskatchewan cherry growers wanting them to invest in equipment guaranteeing there would be no pits in their pie cherries. Growers were unable to source the capital and we won’t be seeing Saskatchewan-grown pie cherries on our grocery retailer’s shelves.
Horticultural businesses employ more people than in field crop production. Spin-off industries through processing and value-added will help diversify our economy and lead to a larger degree of food sovereignty.
Justin Schaeffer is a fruit research technician with University of Saskatchewan Plant Sciences.
