Creating healthy food environments
Creating healthy food environments
Sydney Food Fairness Alliance
Set up in 2005
Working for access to food for all and sustainable food systems
Carry out research, education, networking,
advocacy
Members include: • health and welfare workers • primary producers • environmentalists • faith based and rights groups • educators • council staff • students • individuals
Aim
• To promote food security for all and sustainable food systems
• Advocating for an integrated NSW food policy
• Held a NSW Food Summit in Oct 2009
• Working in partnership on Food Security Conference October 2014
What is food security?
The ability of individuals, households
and communities to acquire
appropriate and nutritious food on a
regular and reliable basis, and using
socially acceptable means
“Hidden Hunger”
• National Food Plan 2013 2%
• NSW Population Health Survey 2009 -2010, for SWSLHD 4.7%
• National estimates vary 5-10% (1m – 2m)
• 3 low income suburbs SWSydney 22%
• Refugees from Burundi 87%
Why worry about food environments
• Low income areas have 2.5 x density of fast food outlets per person *
• Obesity in school –age children is significantly higher in low SES #
• * Reidpath et al. An ecological study of the relationship between
social and environmental determinants of obesity. Health & Place 2002
• # SPANS 2010. Schools Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey
Shopping in Warwick Farm
A chance to grow your own food
Stocking up in community market
Growing rosella in Villawood
Tharawal Aboriginal Medical Service, Airds: starting a garden
Tharawal
School-community garden Fairfield High School
Mini-farm at Fairfield High School
Mamre Farm (Penrith)
Healthy food at school
Cabbages in Hyde Park!
Vanishing resources
• Australia’s agricultural production will decline by up to 27% by 2080 if climate change is left unchecked
• The peak in global oil and gas production within 10-15 years will have a major impact on food systems
• Current long distance freighting of food relies on cheap fuel
• 97% world’s ammonia-based fertilizer derives from natural gas
• Peak phosphorus production is close
• Systematic land assessments and zoning are needed to protect and support agricultural production
• 8000 ha arable land estimated to provide for 50% Sydney’s vegetable needs (DPI 2006)
• Sydney’s market gardens and farms produce
12% of NSW ag. production on 1% of the state’s ag. land
• High quality ag. Land and veg farms on urban fringes are under threat from urban expansion
• Average house size in NSW is 3x that of UK & largest in world
• Projected population growth has not considered food needs
Avenues for advocacy
Submissions to:
• Save Chinese market gardens
• National Food Plan
• Our City Our Future – infrastructure plan
• City of Sydney 2020
• Sydney Metropolitan Strategy
Finding champions
Creating council champions
Taking it to Parliament
Bringing Parliament to us
Supporting farmers vs mining and CSG