Sara Edge

Sara Edge is the Arrell Chair in Food, Policy & Society at the Arrell Food Institute; and Associate Professor in the Department of Geography, Environment & Geomatics at the University of Guelph. Sara works with community groups, governmental organizations and other stakeholders to strengthen equity, justice and resiliency in food systems. She casts attention onto Canada’s “hidden food system” including novel examples of community self-determination, entrepreneurialism and collaboration and their role in strengthening food security, sovereignty and alternative food access pathways. More recently this work has involved making the case that the community food sector is critical infrastructure for Canada’s national security, sovereignty and emergency preparedness. Her research challenges the dominant narrative that views community food programs through the lens of charitable dependency, as it often overlooks the impact, capacity and resources encompassed in this critical infrastructure, and opportunities for future investment that will strengthen Canada’s food system resiliency in the face of disrupted supply chains. As a geographer Sara is also interested in how food justice needs, challenges and opportunities differ across rural, suburban and metropolitan communities, especially as they continue to diversify.