Although South Asian is the largest ethnic group in the GTA, their fruit and vegetable intake is lower than the other ethnic communities living in the GTA due to the low accessibility to their culturally appropriate vegetables6. Availability of farm inputs are the prerequisites for the successful cultivation of ECV. Although ECV market has been identified as a niche market in Ontario, the farmers reported the scarcity of inputs (seeds, fertilizers, insecticide) as a potential barrier. The government needs to provide logistic support in input supply, farmers training, awareness building and provide economic incentives to motivate farmers to grow more ethnocultural vegetables3. This area is being untouched in Ontario Food and Nutrition strategies.
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These vegetables can be successfully grown in the Niagara peninsula, the Holland Marsh, Golden Horse Shoe, Lake Simcoe or even region. Moreover, it can replace the cultivation of Tobacco in the Lake Erie which is suitable for cultivation of ethnocultural vegetables3 Although, ECVs are cultivated in a limited period of time; the produce needs additional storage so that it can be supplied throughout the year. The government should ensure the quality of ECV in the ethnic stores as well as monitor price to ensure the quality. Present policy is unable to explain this issue.The South Asian community is considered as a visible minority in Canada and has limited access to healthy foods4. Agriculture and Agri-food Canada and its various departments are encouraging for the production of diversified vegetable production to meet the demand of ethnic process foods7. The present policy brief is also compatible to the policy initiative of the federal government and it is also stated an important action area proposed by Ontario Food and Nutrition Strategy Group, 2017 to improve the access of culturally appropriate vegetables. Although South Asian and other ethnic communities have been considered as a visible minority in Canada, federal, provincial policy documents even Ontario Food and Nutrition strategies overlooked
These vegetables can be successfully grown in the Niagara peninsula, the Holland Marsh, Golden Horse Shoe, Lake Simcoe or even region. Moreover, it can replace the cultivation of Tobacco in the Lake Erie which is suitable for cultivation of ethnocultural vegetables3 Although, ECVs are cultivated in a limited period of time; the produce needs additional storage so that it can be supplied throughout the year. The government should ensure the quality of ECV in the ethnic stores as well as monitor price to ensure the quality. Present policy is unable to explain this issue.The South Asian community is considered as a visible minority in Canada and has limited access to healthy foods4. Agriculture and Agri-food Canada and its various departments are encouraging for the production of diversified vegetable production to meet the demand of ethnic process foods7. The present policy brief is also compatible to the policy initiative of the federal government and it is also stated an important action area proposed by Ontario Food and Nutrition Strategy Group, 2017 to improve the access of culturally appropriate vegetables. Although South Asian and other ethnic communities have been considered as a visible minority in Canada, federal, provincial policy documents even Ontario Food and Nutrition strategies overlooked