Locally grown, sustainable family farms focus of SWGA Project conference

ALBANY — The Food, Ag and Equity Conference, organized by the Southwest Georgia Project for Community Education, an organization promoting local farmers and sustainable agriculture, wrapped up on Friday at the downtown Hilton Garden Inn after a big turnout.

“We had a great turnout,” said Devynne Starks, the project organizer. “I am so glad that it was a variety of individuals from the community that came because people who were not interested in agriculture were able to learn about this industry. They were able to learn about the little things that they can do to help themselves or their family to become healthier, as well as learning how to help the Southwest Georgia region become more green.”

According to project officials, the goals of SWGA Project and the conference are to promote locally grown food as well as local famers and producers in order to ensure access to healthy, affordable food for the community. One way SWGA Project intends to accomplish those goals is with a local food hub.

“The food hub is still in the planning phase,” said Starks. “We hope to determine how it will be most beneficial for this area. In the past, Southwest Georgia has been considered a food drought area, so bringing the hub here would be fantastic, not just for Albany, but for the entire region.”

In October of 2015, SWGA Project, an endeavor made possible by a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, was given the long-vacant Winn Dixie Supermarket on the corner of Oakridge Drive and Radium Springs Road with the intention of turning the 46,890-square-foot facility into a regional food hub.

“It would be like a farmer’s market,” said Starks. “But, we hope to have some cubicles in there for businesses looking to branch out and for it to become a resource location for the community.”

According to Starks, the hub would be similar to a farmer’s market serving as a central location for fresh locally grown food, marketing and other agricultural issues, such as the many issues discussed during the two-day conference.

“This conference was geared toward farmers, community members and stakeholders, but we wanted to reach out to everyone,” said Starks. “A lot of our community members have the perception that we solely work with just farmers, but we really are here for everyone. In order for farmers to be able to work effectively or for the community to work as a whole, everybody has to come together.

“The conference was a big success, and we hope to do more things concerning healthy living and healthy eating.”