Healthy Foods For Sustainable Communities; Building Local Partnerships

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1 May 2012 Healthy Foods For Sustainable Communities; Building Local Partnerships Councillor Sandra McCarthy Mayor Kiama Municipal Council

2 Kiama Overview and Characteristics Population of 21,000 Total land area 259 square km 33% of land is rural Temperate climate Rainfall in the district is very high compared with much of NSW. Agricultural land is fertile and productive.

3 Food security National priority and local concern! What is food security? Is when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

4 Why is Food Security an Issue? Communities are increasingly looking to access local fresh food. This is because of many factors such as : rising costs of fuel and in turn food! ethical food production concerns - can we trust our food cultural issues health concern Food is becoming scarer! 7 of the 10 leading causes of death in Australia are diet-related diseases.

5 Role Of Local Government Ensuring a local food supply for the local community is an important role which Local Government can impact upon. Potential Avenues include: Planning LEP, DCP, Policies of Council. Economic Development Research (market basket survey, food supply mapping) Educational Activities and Events Community Gardening

6 Planning Local Environment Plan (LEP) Development Control Plans Council Policies Kiama Municipal Health Plan

7 Economic Development Dairy Deregulation establishment of the Kiama Produce Market Diversification Food Trail Produce Markets Tourism

8 Produce Markets 2 significant activities: deregulation of the dairying industry a lack of access to fruit and vegetables except through one large chain grocery store which was also very expensive. 12 month trial Council contractor Resulting in an ongoing successful market Markets now also in 2 other villages Jamberoo and Gerringong operated by community groups and private companies.

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10 Research Partnership with the University of Wollongong: 1. Market Basket Survey Identified the cheapest and most expensive grocery and fruit/vegetables available in the Municipality and surrounding areas. Finding: Majority of residents travelled out of the Municipality to purchase food. 2. Food Mapping Mapped all food sources and transport routes in the Municipality to analysis access and availability of food in local communities.

11 Educational Activities & Events Food Workshops - Cheese Making, Sour Dough Bread, Vegetarian Cooking, Pickling and Preserving. Gardening Workshops No Dig, Intro to Vegetable Gardening, Keeping Chooks, Permaculture, Worm Farming, Composting & Bokashi Bucket. Local Produce Promotion eg Australian Healthy Chapter Meeting, (Kiama) - Local Produce Dinner. Film Nights Low Cost Meals Directory

12 Educational Activities & Events World Environment Day Schools Network and Partnerships Garden to Kitchen Slow Foods Saddleback Food Fairness Illawarra Green Box Gerringong Grants Environment Trust Food and Biodiversity Sustainable Illawarra

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14 Community Gardens Demonstration Site Plots and Communal areas School Gardens Educational Activities workshops Council Policy Sponsorship and Partnerships Grants

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18 Conclusion... Kiama Council is continually analysising way in which we can improve access and quality of food from the farm to the table, for current and future generations. This will need to be done in partnerships with the community and other agencies. Maybe a person s time would be as well spent raising food as raising money to buy food.

19 Councillor Sandra McCarthy Kiama Municipal Council PO Box 75 KIAMA NSW AUSTRALIA 2533 Phone: