Shining a light on food security for Northern Rivers
ISF researcher Fiona Berry is at the forefront of conversation around food security for NSW’s north coast communities.
The second half of 2023 saw several key events delivered as part of the Institute or Sustainable Futures (ISF)’s food systems peri-urban and regional research in Northern NSW.
On 18 September, Fiona Berry presented the results of the Northern Rivers Food Security and Resilience Scoping Study during a Regional Food System Resilience in the Climate Emergency webinar for Sustain: The Australian Food Network’s quarterly members’ meeting. Fiona invited a guest speaker from Lismore Community Garden to share their flood story, with the event raising $300 for the community garden.
On 2 November, the scoping study research was presented again by Fiona Berry to more than 60 stakeholders at an Adaptable and resilient food futures in the Northern Rivers forum at the Living Lab Northern Rivers in Lismore, a UTS and SCU collaboration space for conversations about redesign and resilience in the wake of the 2022 floods. The event was facilitated by Plan C and the panel included Fiona Berry, Sheriden Keegan (PhD candidate Griffith University) and Joel Orchard from the Wardell Community Organised Resilience Effort (CORE) project that provides food relief to the Wardell village post-floods. The event shone a light on the growing food insecurity in the region and attendees discussed key topics on food security during and outside of climate crises in the region.
Finally on 28 November, prompted by the Living Lab event and the Sustain Urban Agriculture Month, the Northern NSW Local Health District hosted a half-day Northern Rivers NSW Urban Agriculture and Sustainable Food Futures Roundtable at the Ballina Surf Club. Fiona Berry from ISF and Nick Rose from Sustain: The Australian Food Network co-facilitated the roundtable, bringing together a panel of government planners, farmers, food businesses and food relief agencies to discuss the challenges currently facing the Northern Rivers food system. A total of 65 stakeholders attended the Roundtable and a participatory workshop, using Socratic circles methods to engage attendees in dialogue about the key challenges facing the region’s food and farming system, as well as ideas on participatory and inclusive governance for food futures. The Roundtable featured on local radio, newspapers and ABC television’s Landline attended to cover the event.
