Inquiry into food production and supply in NSW

Healthy Cities Illawarra Program Manager & Food Fairness Illawarra (FFI) Coordinator, Berbel Franse, and  FFI committee member, Belinda Gibbons, hung out at Parliament House in Sydney on the 9th May, to give evidence for the NSW inquiry into food production and supply. It was a thrilling experience to represent FFI’s recommendations on how to build a food system that is more resilient, sustainable, local, healthy and equitable.

The inquiry Committee is looking at improving food security and equitable access to food, and reducing food waste and destruction. It is examining technologies to bring food production into cities, and ways to preserve productive land and water resources, as well as how food production impacts the environment. The Committee also considers Indigenous food and land management practices; workforce challenges and skills development; developing the food industry as an export; and implications for quality control and labelling of processed/manufactured food.

FFI urged the Committee for the development of a state-wide, integrated, and comprehensive Food System and Food Security plan. One that sets objectives and targets at state and local level on priority food system issues. This plan should be accompanied by sustained funding for local governments and non-government organisations to develop place-based solutions that will improve access to healthy, affordable food for all.

“This would enable us to work together in coordinated way to make healthy and sustainable food available and affordable for all.” said Berbel Franse.

Let’s hope our words didn’t fall on deaf ears.