Permaculture Out West

Posts Tagged ‘food security’

Through the 3 Pillars Network a National Sustainable Food Summit was held in Melbourne on 5th and 6th of April 2011.

Speakers included:

Talks can be viewed through Vimeo link http://vimeo.com/23244839

A conference Report is also available through the 3 Pillars Network Website: http://www.3pillarsnetwork.com.au/p8_Knowledge-Base.html?&entry=444

You are invited to provide feedback on Maribyrnong City Council’s draft Food Security Policy 2010 – 2013.

The draft Policy has been informed by international, national and local research including local community consultations. Council is now seeking feedback on the scope and role of the Draft Policy, the identified barriers and strategies, potential gaps and priority issues.

Please find via the council website link:

• an overview of the draft Policy
• Background Paper, and
• the Draft Food Security Policy.

To assist in providing feedback, a short on-line survey can be completed via Council’s homepage –  – www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au.

Feedback can also be provided in person, via email, phone or post. Submissions need to be received by Friday 12 November 2010.

The feedback received will then be considered for inclusion in the final Policy. It is anticipated that the final Policy will be presented to Council for adoption in December 2010.

Please contact Jane Torney, Safer Communities and Health Promotion Project Officer on 9688 0182 or jane.torney@maribyrnong.vic.gov.au if you have any additional questions or feedback.

In coming decades the world faces the risk of major regional food crises leading to conflicts and mass refugee movements. This is driven primarily by emerging scarcities of all the primary resources – land, water, oil, fertilizer and R&D – required to produce food, at a time of changing climate. The lecture will outline key factors in emerging global food insecurity and proposes some solutions.

Julian Cribb is an author, journalist, editor and science communicator and principal of Julian Cribb & Associates who provide specialist consultancy in the communication of science, agriculture, mining, energy and the environment. His career includes appointments as newspaper editor, scientific editor for The Australian, public affairs director for CSIRO, member of numerous boards and advisory panels, and president of national professional bodies for agricultural journalism and science communication. His published work includes over 8000 articles, 2500 media releases and eight books. He has received 32 awards for journalism.

“I have known Julian for about 7 years and during that period I have benefited greatly from his experience and wisdom in the area of science communication. Julian has had a significant impact on my thinking and the thinking of many others within the CGIAR. Because of Julian’s collaboration with us, we have developed a new and effective communications effort. Julian is a clear thinker with a very analytical mind. He combines these characteristics with much experience in the area of science communications and a high level of motivation.”

– Dr Per Pinstrup-Andersen, former Director General, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Washington DC

“Mr Cribb has been a significant force in promoting science throughout the community for two decades…he is the author of numerous papers and books and has mentored a great many science communicators.”

– Hon. Peter McGauran, former Minister for AFF

Location: Elisabeth Murdoch Theatre (Building 134), grid reference F20, Parkville Campus.

Date: 28th April, 5.30 – 6.30pm

Click here to register

The Mayor of the City of Maribyrnong, Cr Sel Sanli, invites you to a food security forum

Date: Wednesday 3 March, 2010

Time: 11.30am – 2pm

Venue: Maidstone Community Centre, 21 Yardley

Street Maidstone (Mel Ref: 41, F1)

Maribyrnong City Council and VicHealth, as part of the ‘Maribyrnong Fruit & Veg for All’ program, will present an exciting forum food security issues. The forum will include practical information from three interesting and informative speakers and a delicious lunch from the woodfired oven.

This forum is designed for agencies and community groups that work with people who are prone to food insecurity. You will leave the forum with some new perspectives on how food security issues can be tackled. Speakers will discuss tried and tested methods of increasing food security in the community with long term solutions, provision of skills and access to resources.

Our speakers include:

Pablo Ermini: Visiting from Argentina where he works in a national program that addresses food security, funded by the Ministry of Social Development and INTA. He will describe how this program encourages people to grow their own food, provides site assessments, training, free packets of seeds and free chickens to raise for meat and eggs.

Neesh Wray: Local activist and the driving force behind many food based initiatives in the West, Neesh will discuss how food co-ops can be set up and the social and financial benefits to those involved.

Scott Hitchins: With many years of experience in community gardening and running community projects, Scott will speak about the success of the Planting Seeds Program. The successful program has led to the development of a fledgling ‘Community Nurseries’ project that hopes to provide support to potential home gardeners, and ‘Friends of…’ groups by tapping into the support of local gardening enthusiasts.

RSVP: To Jane Torney by Friday 26 February 2010 on 9688 0182 or jane.torney@maribyrnong.vic.gov.au

An article in the Maribyrnong Leader highlights the lack of access to fresh food for 59% of Maribyrnong Council residents.

Click here to read the article.

The final report on Land Use & Community Food Security in Victoria will be launched in the VLGA Meeting Room, 60 Leicester St Carlton on the 14th October 2009. Launch starts at 8.15am and finishes at 11.30am.

LandUse_Invite