Columbia Valley Pioneer staff
A new coordinator has been appointed to oversee ‘food recovery’ in the Columbia Valley.
Columbia Valley Food and Farm has given the role to Priya Biswas as part of a “generous” grant from the Columbia Valley Community Foundation.
The program aims to enhance food security and reduce food waste in the valley.
Food and Farm thanks its various partners such as Family Dynamix, Groundswell, and many others around the table who understand the importance of food recovery.
“By working together, we can create a more sustainable and equitable food system and contribute to a resilient and thriving Columbia Valley,” said Biswas.
Biswas brings more than 15 years of experience driving innovation and efficiency in large-scale organizations such as GE Ditigal and ATB Financial. She is also deeply committed to environmental sustainability and plans to use this passion in the food recovery program.
Food and Farm, a non-profit group of dedicated directors, points to food waste as a significant global issue with far-reaching environmental and social consequences. By recovering surplus food it plans to reduce its environmental footprint by minimizing the amount of food that ends up in landfills, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Its goal is to strengthen food security by ensuring that everyone in the community has access to nutritious food.
As coordinator, Biswas will work to establish a robust food recovery system in the valley by:
• Building relationships by connecting with local businesses, farms, and organizations to identify potential food donors and recipients.
• Developing a streamlined process for collecting, storing, and distributing surplus food.
• Educating the community about the importance of food recovery and encouraging participation in the initiative.
Food and Farm says the program is not a replacement for the Columbia Valley Food Bank, noting that many food recovery programs donate to food banks as needed.
Local business, organizations or individuals can contribute to the program in many ways, such as donating surplus food, helping collect, sort and distribute food, and spreading the word to friends and family.