The University of Wollongong and Food Fairness Illawarra are partnering on a major project to reimagine the way we source and grow food.
The Australian Research Council Future Fellowships scheme has awarded more than $1 million in funding to the project, which is called “Creating a sustainable, healthy, and equitable food system”. Professor Karen Charlton, a nutrition scientist and research dietitian at UoW's School of Medical, Indigenous and Health Sciences, is managing the project.
The funding will allow Prof Charlton to work exclusively on the project for four years and also support two PhD scholarships: one focussing on 'love local' campaigns and food literacy; the other on co-designing solutions with different stakeholder groups.
The aim is to develop a regional food strategy for the Illawarra and Shoalhaven, with an emphasis on availability and access to a sustainable local food system. It focusses on partnerships, people and policy to change our approach to food provision and is informed by a successful agribusiness farm to plate model in Vermont in the US.
Prof Charlton says the timing is right for this project, with Covid-related supply chain problems and weather-related disruptions to food supply shining a light on the potential for empty supermarket shelves.
“We are going to work with lots and lots of key stakeholders in the region to come up with some strategies for residents to have a greater access to more locally grown food,” Prof Charlton said.
“We are going in with an open mind to all stakeholders to ask for solutions. The first year will be gathering evidence from people’s experience in the region, ranging from farmers, retailers and community organisations.”
A survey will be done at the beginning and the end of the project to assess the success of the strategies that are implemented.
Prof Charlton is hopeful that there is movement within government to support a new way of food production.
“We can’t continue with business as usual because not only are we going to run out of food, we are going to deplete our natural resources," she said.
”The time is right for the Illawarra and Shoalhaven to shine.”
For more information, visit the Food Fairness Illawarra website or contact Prof Karen Charlton
