Improving food security through local food systems Lee Tozzi, Sustainable Food Officer Jackie Mansourian, Community Renewal Officer, City of Darebin
City of Darebin Improving Food Security through Local Food Systems Lee Tozzi and Jackie Mansourian The Future of Local Food - 8/9 September, 2016
What we will cover Lee: Local Food Systems (LFS): The Foundation for Food Security Principles of Practice Case Studies: Sylvester Hive Community Garden and East Reservoir Community Garden Opportunities Jackie: Addressing Food Insecurity through Place and Asset based Community Development in East Reservoir
Darebin City Council
Determinants of Food Security Food System Growing Processing Distribution Marketing Consumption Waste disposal Factors impacting supply Location / number of food outlets or sources of food Variety, quality, healthiness and cost of foods available Impact of climate change / extreme weather events Trade policies / Market forces Food Security Means food intake is: Sufficient Reliable Nutritious Safe Acceptable Sustainable Access to food (resources and capacity to acquire and use food) Mobility Time Financial resources Transport Infrastructure / Living Conditions Cultural Identity / food preferences and traditions Food and nutrition skills / knowledge Food preparation skills Health Status Social Norms / Attitudes Social and Economic factors Employment Income Education Housing
Local Food Systems Healthy: facilitates healthy diet and relationship with food, integral to healthy connected communities, thriving food culture celebrating diversity and multicultural food traditions Sustainable: is diverse, resilient, regenerative and has positive environmental impact Fair: facilitates equal access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food for all
Principles Integration Local or community based food systems are based on principles of collaboration, finding synergies and mutual social, economic and environmental benefits Connections Recognise and build on the existing skills and capacity in the community and facilitate relationships to strengthen food security
Case Studies: Community Gardens Pavilion School Sylvester Hive Community Garden East Reservoir Community Garden
Pavilion School Sylvester Hive Community Garden Description: Partnership between Darebin Council, Pavilion School and the local community to activate underutilised school land and foster connections between the school staff, students and the community Council funded infrastructure - fruit trees, 15 raised wicking beds for veges, storage container and shelter, seating, composting bays, children s sand pit.
Pavilion School Sylvester Hive Community Garden What has been achieved More than 30 members of the local community enthusiastically embraced the project - a welcoming space to meet with friends and neighbours, a place to grow local organic food Gardens and play spaces designed to be open and inclusive of the whole community, provide opportunities to build relationships and for joint activities between school staff, students and local residents over time Provisional handover July, Spring planting now taking place!
Pavilion School Sylvester Hive Community Garden Challenges Differing understandings / lack of clarity around how the partnership would work Collaboration / negotiation with Department of Education to establish joint user agreement Support for community to manage the garden sustainably
Pavilion School Sylvester Hive Community Garden Learnings: Vision / commitment of the school director essential - the importance and value of school / community connections for building equality and respect. How will we know it is successful? Capture process, progress and measure benefits.
East Reservoir Community Garden Description: Built in 2011 on Council land next door to the East Reservoir Senior Citizens Centre Part of the 8 year East Reservoir Neighbourhood Renewal project High level of resident participation in design and planning. Long term involvement from core members High level of Council and other organisational support (Council support worker 1-2 days per week, DHHS program funding, Community Renewal officer support) Statement of Purpose: Peaceful environment Community spirit Celebrate cultural diversity Health, well-being sustainability Assist the community be food secure
East Reservoir Community Garden What has been achieved: Well attended regular community events and celebrations 2014 Grow and Eat Together Program more than 120 involved, high degree of CALD participation. Links made between growing food, preparing and celebrating multicultural food traditions Members involved in organising gained sense of identity and purpose
East Reservoir Community Garden Challenges Number and capacity of garden members has not been sufficient to enable the group to self-govern and operate independently on an ongoing basis Program, workshop and events did not translated into new garden committee members or a significant increase in plot holders or gardeners. A suitable auspice organisation for the garden has not been identified
East Reservoir Community Garden Learnings: Food insecurity in areas with high levels of socio-economic disadvantage is highly complex and requires an integrated response. The East Reservoir Community Garden can only contribute to the long term food security of the community if there is: ongoing investment in the organisational development of its members close links and synergies with other local food initiatives and associations
Opportunities Myer Foundation funding has been obtained to explore a Community Food System Alliance model which includes the East Reservoir Community garden and Sylvester Hive Community Garden find ways to facilitate collaboration and mentoring Integration of communal food growing initiatives with community kitchens, healthy food skills, education and the celebration of multicultural food traditions Community Food Centre Model Support / enable community food enterprises (CFE s) eg. Lentil as Anything Urban Garden Project Better methods / frameworks for measuring impact and benefits
Place and asset-based community development to address local inequalities and food insecurity Two workers as part of Community Wellbeing Team with small but significant budgets to support local initiatives but also a key role in advocating across Council for neighbourhood based service and program development Focus in neighbourhoods that experience social, economic, health and wellbeing inequities - and have incredible stories and acts of resilience and initiatives Building on the skills of local residents, the power of local associations, and the supportive functions of local institutions - to build stronger, fairer, more equitable and sustainable communities for the future in East Reservoir
A little bit about East Reservoir East Reservoir a small part of Reservoir Indicator Vic Darebin Reservoir East Preston East East Reservoir Neighbourhood Renewal Project 2005 2013) Lots of good outcomes and also lots of not so good for meaningful, sustainable community-led community development Resident s own assessment of their own health and the health of their neighbourhood showing improvement did not change As part of Council s Health and Wellbeing plan (2013-2017) Council carried out own Neighbourhood research COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Volunteering ( once per month)* 34.3 1 22.6 1 20.3 12.6 Community acceptance of diverse cultures 50.6 1 54.8 1 32.4 34.7 Prepared to intervene in a situation of domestic violence 93.1 1 89.9 1 78.9 90.3 Feels valued by society 54.4 1 48.3 1 35.7 24.4 SAFETY Per cent of residents who feel safe walking alone during day 97.0 1 95.9 1 88.2 93.5 Per cent of residents who feel safe walking alone during night* 70.3 1 60.9 1 36.5 60.9 ENVIRONMENT Good facilities and services like shops, childcare, schools, libraries 79.3 1 89.9 1 67.7 83.3 Pleasant environment, nice streets, well planned, open spaces 83.1 1 71.2 1 55.7 72.5
Transformation East Reservoir Neighbourhood Renewal Steering Committee - Steer what? Future Action plan where none of the organisations were accountable for their actions Transformation to East Reservoir Community Advocacy and Action Group A group of local residents and workers from organisations and services in East Reservoir who: LISTEN, ADVOCATE WITH and FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS and TAKE ACTIONS Council s role to support the organisational development and actions of ERCAAG
Building relationships locally ERCAAG re-prioritised Community Safety as important to re-engage with other local residents Community Conversation on Our Community s Safety and Wellbeing 2015 Active local outreach At the community garden, people are jumping the fence and stealing produce. This is a security issue. Garden members don t feel safe. But it also highlights food security issues, people are hungry. At the follow-up ERCAAG meetings: one of the priorities for ongoing work was responding to people who are hungry The agenda and outcomes were not predetermined
Building relationships locally Over the next few months the small group of ERCAAG members who decided that local food security was important met, talked and mutually inspired each other to develop both individual actions and also to act and do something together - Council s role was to facilitate and provide the organisational and developmental support for discussions, planning and doing Individual actions: Food is Free Reservoir Keeping the support going to neighbours in the flats to grow food in their gardens Joint action: Food is Free Community Event
Food is Free Sharing our food and garden skills to make food fair in East Reservoir All welcome Great stories from local residents about making healthy, cheap food available for themselves and their neighbours Food Is Free table in Cuthbert Road, Small food gardens in our yards Table for sharing - Bring your home grown extra food or seedlings to share Gardening and Cooking demos Chance to meet and enjoy the company of neighbours who care about fair food
Building relationships locally Receiving fruit and vegie plants. Very beneficial for me when I can t afford to buy at Bunnings or Masters. Here it is close to home where we can exchange fresh fruits and veggies and other plants. Really fantastic idea to swap with others. Great to see our community. How the community can get together to share ideas was an eye opener to me. I learnt something from all aspects-growing food, composting, sharing food and cooking. Being involved in the community, accessing information from people and sharing knowledge, produce Chance to meet people, encourage people gardening. Interesting to learn from Carla about Food is free table. Good to share things. Event gives the sense of community.
The future is An ongoing commitment to place and asset-based community development - in 2016 Community Food Growing and Sharing Festival Supporting ideas and initiatives to flourish locally and local organisational capacity to strengthen Facilitating diversity and equity in participation, in objectives, in community advocacy, in social advocacy Integrating and linking local food initiatives and building alliances