Professor Invited to Join Committee Focused on Food Security in NJ

Dr. Roxanna Ast, Assistant Professor in Social Work and Child Advocacy, has been invited to join the executive committee of the NJ Food Security strategic plan. The NJ Office of the Food Security Advocate (OFSA) is mandated, by legislation, to identify gaps and needs in New Jersey’s food security initiatives and to develop a plan to address these. OFSA has adopted the definition of food security from the United Nations’ High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE) on Food Security and Nutrition and found in the Food Security and Nutrition: Building a Global Narrative Towards 2030 report.

The ambitious goal of the strategic planning efforts will be to produce the first state-level food strategic plan in the country that is based on this definition and the six dimensions of food security (access, availability, utilization, stability, sustainability and agency). After considering many stakeholders and partners, and with the approval of the Governor’s office, OFSA believes that Dr. Ast’s experience as a researcher and evaluator in both the university settings and within a state agency would make her a valuable contributor to the executive committee.

If you’re interested in learning more about the dimensions of food security, please visit NJ.gov.