Food producers, eaters and community-based food organisations across Australia will celebrate Fair Food Week this year from October 16 to 25, led by the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance (AFSA).
In 2015, the International Year of Soils, nationwide activities will have a strong focus on healthy and regenerative agriculture in both rural and urban areas, with community gardens playing a key role.
AFSA President Tammi Jonas announced this week that the Australian City Farms and Community Garden Network would be contributing its support to Fair Food Week 2015.
“Community gardeners are at the forefront of the connected food system – the Fair Food system – that millions of Australians want and are embracing” said Tammi.
“Fair Food is fundamentally about people connecting with where their food comes from. And one of the best ways of doing that is by growing or raising some of your own food.”
Many community gardens and city farms have taken part in Fair Food Week for the past two years with garden lunches, workshops, seed swaps and movie nights.
This year Australian City Farms & Community Gardens Network (ACFCGN) President Jane Mowbray is urging even more members to participate.
“Community gardeners and city farmers form a large part of the Fair Food Movement across Australia. They enthusiastically choose to grow and eat fresh, local fruit, vegetables and herbs and are keen to share their skills, and knowledge, making many community gardens and city farms vital centres of community education.”
For Jane and other members of the ACFCGN Fair Food Week is a welcome opportunity to applaud those who are offering local, socially and environmentally just alternatives to unhealthy food produced through industrial methods.
“Ethical farmers and the markets and businesses that supply and use their sustainable products provide us all with more choice about the production of the food we eat.”
Established in 2013, Fair Food Week provides an opportunity for local communities in every state and territory to showcase how farmers, gardeners, chefs and community-based food enterprises are working hard to ensure access to fresh, local and affordable produce to all Australians.
Communities are encouraged to organise events according to local priorities. In previous years events have ranged from slow cooking and underground restaurants to free training in skills such as making sourdough bread and butchering.
AFSA President Tammi Jonas sees Fair Food Week 2015 as a “unique opportunity for the food movement to come together, recognise and celebrate each other and our many achievements”.
“And this year we look forward to working closely with the ACFCGN to make Fair Food Week 2015 a particularly outstanding success” she adds.
Media contact: AFSA President, Tammi Jonas, 0422 429 362, tammois@gmail.com
To promote your event contact: AFSA Communications Officer, Alana Mann, alana.mann@sydney.edu.au
Photo credit: © Russ Grayson www.pacific-edge.info
ACFCGN President Jane Mowbray and friend during national meeting of Australian City Farms & Community Gardens Network in Adelaide, 2015.