Melbourne’s food system: challenges and opportunities

Dr Rachel Carey

2016 Local Food Launchpad, 28 June 2016

Improving Melbourne’s food system

Source: www.sustainablecitiesinstitute.org

Increasing food production in the City of Melbourne

Increasing opportunities to purchase local and regionally produced food

City of Melbourne Food Policy

Source: City of Melbourne (2012) Food City

Issues: food availability and access

Source: http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/food-policy-infographic.pdf

Issues: Melbourne’s food waste

Source: Sheridan et al (2016) Melbourne’s foodprint: What does it take to feed a city?

Around 40% of Melbourne’s household rubbish is food waste

But most food waste happens earlier in the food supply chain

Issues: Melbourne’s foodbowl

WerribeeYarra Valley

Baw Baw

Bacchus Marsh

Surf Coast

MorningtonPeninsula

Paving over Melbourne’s foodbowl

Food production in the city

2 & 5 in Norlane, Geelong

• A social enterprise • Aims to address improve

access to affordable, healthy, sustainable food

• Market garden • Sustainable approach • Internships & training

Bringing local food back to the city

Source: Queen Victoria Market

Healthy school lunches

Source: Sorghum Sisters

• How could you make healthy, local food more available in schools?

• Address social inequity? • Create employment? • Connect children to local

farms?• And ensure the farmers

are fairly paid?