FOOD growers, producers, retailers and distributors across Bellingen Shire are being called to unite and collaborate to create a food resilience vision and plan for the future.

Driving the initiative OzGreen invited local stakeholders to a workshop to plan the actions that are needed before meeting with the community later in November.

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OzGreen’s founder Sue Lennox told News Of The Area, “Hopeful, encouraged and inspired were just some of the words used to describe our food resilience community engagement workshop at Cedar Bar and Kitchen in Bellingen on Wednesday 3 November.”

These are feelings and emotions we all need a little more of right now, she said
OzGreen’s food resilience community engagement workshop involved local food growers, retailers, and distributors and was the first of four workshops that will run throughout the month of November in Urunga, Bellingen and Dorrigo.

“Workshop participants were given the opportunity to express their local food system concerns and envisage a future where their concerns had been addressed.

“All participants conveyed a strong desire to move away from a food system based on profit and growth to a circular food system that respects nature, reduces waste and enables people to work together and share resources.”

Participants imagined a future where enough infrastructure was available to produce, process and distribute food locally and sustainable agriculture was actively supported.

They also envisioned a future that facilitates equitable access to healthy and affordable food where people are informed and educated about their food choices.

Following the visioning process, the food resilience workshop switched gear into action with participants breaking off into groups to discuss what actions needed to be undertaken to achieve their vision.

Conversations were rich as people shared local knowledge and discussed the food services and infrastructure that were needed to create the sustainable and resilient local food system they wanted.

Sue added, “OzGreen invites all members of the community to attend one of our workshops and have a say on Bellingen Shire’s Food Resilience Vision.”

Workshops will run from 4-6pm in Bellingen on 17 November, Dorrigo on 22 November and Urunga on 24 November.

To check in with OzGreen, you can email office@ozgreen.org.au, visit the website at www.ozgreen.org or call 02 5615 8108.

By Andrea FERRARI