WEAVING FOR A THRIVING PLANET 31 System Change GIY attempts to change the global food system as it currently only serves short-term economic interests at the expense of human health and the planet. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) the current food system is responsible for 25% of global GHG emissions, 69% of biodiversity loss, and 70% of water use. At the same time, 20% of all deaths are associated with diet, while 2 billion people globally are malnourished. GIY aims to replace the current system with a more sustainable one. Frame Change: Mindset Shift Focus GIY is changing peoples’ knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes about food. This impacts how sustainably those people choose to live. GIY is convinced that food growing can help develop food-empathy and a better understanding of food, leading to more sustainable food consumption. As a result of GIY programs, participants are three to four times more likely to live on a plant-based diet than the average person. Community-based Approach GIY connects a community of everyday food activists to sustain and build the movement through programs in homes, schools, workplaces, and communities. The programs empower participants in their own role to address the issue; a political act without being political, aiming to resurrect the traditional Gaelic notion of a meitheal*, or group effort (similar to Amish barn-raising). *Meitheal: old Irish tradition where people in rural communities gathered together on a neighbour’s farm to help save the hay or some other crop. They acted as a team and everybody benefited in some way Scaling & Replication Scaling & Replication Strategy: GIY is targeting the population at large to get them to grow their own food. The portion of food the people grow might be only 5-10% of their consumption, but if many people are doing that this is still a significant impact. GIY developed itself as a movement and prospered through its programs, campaigns, and community work in schools, workplaces, restaurants, and cafés. Scaling & Replication History: GIY has scaled up and replicated its programs in Ireland and the UK, and there are several hundred GIY groups active in North America. Scaling Interest: GIY is interested in further scaling beyond Ireland and the UK. That includes schools, workplaces, and community settings. Scaling & Replication Needs: To further scale up, GIY needs additional funds. Challenges GIY faces 3 main challenges: 1. Questions arise on what aspects of GIY work can be scaled up efficiently, which territories across Europe would be best to scale up to and which scaling model should be used. 2. Local conditions and various languages are a barrier to GIY work expansion. 3. GIY has difficulties competing with for-profit companies in the retail space that operate in the area but do not necessarily have a social mission.
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