Advocate, Educate & Support – Food Security

There are many opportunities for us to help ensure food security for all. Advocacy, education and support can happen at schools, between friends, at work, within organisations and at any level of government. Start a conversation in your local community, talk to your friends, colleagues and peers, share information or write to your local councilors and Members of Parliament. You can:

Talk to friends, colleagues and peers about:

• Raising awareness about local food security issues.
• What to do with surplus food and how to donate.
• Sharing knowledge and resources.

Talk to local businesses about:

• Donating surplus food to OZharvest or other food relief organisations.
• Offering low cost food to those in need.

Talk to school and university staff about:

• Beginning a school garden.
• Educating students about growing at home.
• Starting university organisations to engage with those in need.
• Providing volunteer opportunities to students.
• Student internships with food relief organisations.

Write to your local council or Members of Parliament about:

• Utilisation of vacant community land for food production, including promoting verge gardening, urban gardening and an increase the use of edible gardens in public spaces.
• Increased funding for promotion and education on how to establish food gardens.
• Ensuring that new private, community and business developments consider the planting of native and edible gardens.
• Conducting workshops or forums at preschools, childcare centres and schools on growing food, healthy eating, cooking and food wastage.
• Helping support bee populations and pollination.
• Assistance with setting up new community gardens.
• Programs to support businesses making rooftops available for vegetable gardens and beekeeping.