Alaska’s Food System Data
The Alaska Food Policy Council, in partnership with the State of Alaska Division of Agriculture, the University of Alaska Anchorage’s Institute of Social and Economic Research, and Dewberry Engineers, is leading a multi-year effort to strengthen Alaska’s food system to establish a shared understanding of the current state of regional food security and food-related infrastructure in Alaska through creation of a common operating picture, or centralized compilation of information.
Alaska’s food system is often described as data-poor, with key gaps in tracking infrastructure, food flows, and food access across regions. To address this, AFPC and partners created a Food Systems Atlas and interactive Data Dashboards to centralize and visualize Alaska’s food-related assets and indicators.
This free digital resource with downloadable datasets will:
- Serve as a shared, statewide knowledge base
- Inform strategy, investment, and policymaking
- Support grant writing and project design
- Strengthen connections between food system sectors
By grounding efforts in shared data, Alaska’s food system leaders can make smarter decisions, strengthen partnerships, and work more effectively toward long-term food security.
Our Partners
The Alaska Food Policy Council is thankful to our partners Dewberry Engineers, the University of Alaska Anchorage’s Institute of Social and Economic Research, and the State of Alaska Division of Agriculture, for making the Food Systems Atlas and interactive Data Dashboards possible.
Get Involved
Do you have data to share or a food system challenge you’re exploring? If you’re working on a specific Alaska food system issue and don’t see the data you need—or if you have relevant data you’d like to contribute to the dashboard—let’s connect. This effort is collaborative, inclusive, and driven by real-world needs.
To get involved, email programs@alaskafoodpolicycouncil.org.
Background: From Planning to Action
The Alaska Food Policy Council is proud to be a two-time recipient of the USDA Regional Food System Partnership (RFSP) grant—first a Planning Grant in 2020, followed by an Implementation Grant in 2024. These grants have been instrumental in advancing collaborative, statewide efforts to improve food security, grow Alaska’s agricultural economy, and build a more resilient, equitable food system.
With support from the 2020 RFSP Planning Grant, AFPC facilitated 13 regional asset-mapping workshops in early 2022. These inclusive, community-based conversations highlighted both unique local strengths and shared priorities across the state. The result was the Alaska Food Security Action Plan—a multi-stakeholder roadmap designed to:
- Democratically address food system challenges
- Support local food producers
- Build lasting, community-led food security solutions
The action plan reflects a shared vision developed by stakeholders from every region of Alaska and is grounded in community knowledge, regional assets, and data-driven insights.
2024-2027 RFSP Implementation Project
Building on the work of our 2020-2022 project, along with our recent work in co-authoring both the Governor’s Food Security & Independence 2022 Task Force Report and the Alaska Legislative Food Strategy Task Force Report, two pressing needs have emerged:
- a centralized repository of food systems data and assets mapping, and the establishment and
- facilitation of a multi-stakeholder value chain coordination council.
Together with statewide partners, we have identified clear pathways to successfully launch these projects. Through executing our RFSP work plan, we will leverage our collective expertise to turn these needs into reality and make significant differences to increase food security, while supporting resilient local and regional economies, for all Alaskans.
USDA Statement
Support for the Food Systems Data Dashboard program comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service Regional Food Systems Partnership Program.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. For information, refer to the USDA Non-Discrimination Statement.