Food poverty amplifies health problems. A lack of money or access to healthy food increases health problems, healthcare costs and reduced self-reliance. The social cost-benefit analysis of food initiatives by New Economy grounds this finding. Without a calculation, the social value of informal food initiatives stays invisible, while the cost of inaction keeps rising.
A social cost-benefit analysis values the network’s benefits against public spending and avoidable social costs. This is relevant for municipalities, city districts and organisations working on food security, poverty and public health.