Food Security in Alaska: Assisting the Alaska Food Policy Council to Meet Their Strategic Plan Goals Through the Use of GIS Mapping Technology

Abstract

The Alaska Food Policy Council (AFPC) was established to examine how the Alaska food system functions, and to provide ideas and recommendations for improving access to healthy, affordable, culturally appropriate foods for all the state’s citizens. At the start of this project, AFPC did not have a resource tool that allows for the mapping of gaps, projects, initiatives, and strengths of the Alaska food system. Thus, this project focused on developing such a tool to assist AFPC with meeting their strategic plan goals, i.e., promoting the affordability, safety, accessibility and infrastructure of the Alaska food system. Secondary analysis of data relating to AFPC goals was conducted, and associated information was plotted using a GIS mapping tool. The creation of the map introduces a visual tool which can assist in providing an overall picture of the gaps and strengths identified in Alaska’s food system. This project can be used as a starting point for the future development of a real-time web-based GIS map that AFPC and other stakeholders can use to support recommendations to the state on food security related issues.