Hume Food Forum tackles equity and sustainability

Hume City Council is working on strategies to remove the barriers to local food security, developed in discussion with community and experts for the recent Hume Food Forum.

The Council-led forum brought together representatives from the North Eastern Public Health Unit, and VicHealth to connect, share and learn about the local food system with food relief agencies, community gardens, local businesses, schools, community organisations and agriculture industry representatives. 

Council says the forum comes at a crucial time and brings attention to the need for equitable, culturally responsive, healthier and more sustainable food systems.

Keynote speakers included FoodBank Victoria’s Dave McNamara, VicHealth’s Dheepa Jeyapalan, and founder of Sustain: The Australian Food Network Nick Rose. 

Guests of the forum engaged in a range of problem solving and solution building initiatives that promoted tackled barriers to food security.  

Themes explored include the current challenges in accessing healthy and fresh foods in Hume and the complexities of food production and consumption, while attendees engaged in conversations about how to make food systems more resilient. 

Council says an important addition to the event was a contribution from Hume Elder, Aunty Jo, from Westmeadows Indigenous Community Gardens.  

She shared invaluable insights on resources that can be cultivated from indigenous plants for food, medicine, and bush tucker garden cultivation. 

Council thanked the community members, advocates and industry representatives that took part in the unique opportunity for networking and discussion.