This project is a staged approach to strengthening the regional food system in the Northern Rivers Region for a resilient and food secure future. Several projects will be developed to lead incrementally to a better understanding of the regional food system – its gaps, constraints and opportunities-, a community vision for a food security and resilient future, a comprehensive regional plan to implement the vision, and grassroots projects to build capacity, develop & share knowledge around sustainable food, regenerative agriculture, nutrition and diets etc.

International best practice shows that the benefits of locally designed and run food systems are broad ranging in terms of social cohesion, community resilience, and enhanced health and environmental outcomes. It also indicates the importance of a strategic, whole-system approach to building more resilient and sustainable food systems, and a governance/ policy approach that integrates various domain areas – such as land & soil stewardship, climate/water/biodiversity, diversified diets/nutrition, community health & wellbeing and the local economy-, and the actors participating in the system. 

1. Project 1: Initial Scoping Project – Proposal for NRCF Grant Winter 2021
2. Project 2: Full Strategic Planning and Community Engagement
3. Project 3+: Implementation Projects

Potential Funder: NRCF Grant Winter 2021 and other grants

Requested funding: $10,000 and in kind donation of time from Wild Community Foundation

Proposal: To conduct an initial scoping study to understand the Northern Rivers’ food system, food system actors and an initial overview of the system’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to building a food security and resilience for the region. The scoping study will focus on 2 LGAs to deliver a high level map of the food system and an implementable project plan and collaboration partners (made up of key local and government actors) to conduct a full strategic planning and community engagement project as outlined in Project 2 below. We also hope to identify quick-win implementable projects that could begin immediately.

Scope: Byron Shire plus one or two LGAs as budget allows (we will finalise this before the grant submission)

Partners: 

1. Wild Community: project delivery and administration
   1. Dr Cristelle Maurin – International food governance and policy expert, Lecturer/Research Fellow at Monash Sustainable Development Institute
   2. Michael New – Senior project manager / project director, founder of the Wild Community Impact Fund and Foundation, Consulting manager 
2. Resilient Byron: Apply for the grant, collaboration with the Food Security Group

Cross-sector collaborations: The initial phase / approach will enable to identify /build collaborations and partnerships with key local food system actors and indigenous groups in the Northern Rivers

Potential Funding: Black Summer Grant, other grants

Requested funding: Guestimate $200 to $500k depending on scope and activities

Project Overview:  A 2 year project to build capabilities in the Northern Rivers to ensure a resilient and food secure future for the community. The project will:

1. Explore the Northern Rivers’ food system for a food security / resilience perspective: its strengths, weaknesses, gaps, needs, threats and opportunities 
2. Develop a framework to strengthen the regional food system to provide healthy food for all, focusing on sustainable food production/ regenerative agriculture, local processing facilities, transport and storage, distribution and access initiatives, diets and nutrition, knowledge sharing/ food literacy (school/ community program on environmental and food education)
3. Develop a strategic and implementable plan to improve coordination  and synchronized action between key stakeholders and drive institutional support and investment in infrastructure and resources needed for sustaining a regional food system (of interconnected local/ community food systems)
4. Implement some pilot projects for agri environmental innovation (to benefit communities, the environment and the local economy) (as identified in the scoping study)

The project will achieve this by:

1. Undertaking a comprehensive scoping study of current  approaches to food security and resilience in the Northern Rivers
2. Identify the key food system actors in the region
3. Identifying the gaps and weaknesses in policy frameworks and opportunities at the community level to build community food systems
4. Collection and analysis of data, semi-structured interviews and reference to best practice internationally

Scope: All seven Northern Rivers’ Local Government Areas

Potential Partners: Resilient Byron, Wild Community Foundation, Indigenous Clans, key food security actors in the Northern Rivers, Federal/State Government (Regional Development Australia), State Government (Resilience NSW and other agencies), 7 LGA councils, Monash Sustainable Development Institute, The University of Newcastle, expert in food security nationally and internationally as required

Follow up funding will be found to establish a number of projects led by different actors to implement the priority recommendations from the above studies including establishing a coordination function in the Resilient Byron Food Security Group.

Example projects that have been successful in other locations include:

• The creation of a community learning space [Food Knowledge Hub] to facilitate sharing knowledge, build capacity in sustainable food production, and build community awareness around food, agrobiodiversity, nutrition and health, and food production/preserving
• Developing farm to school programs (incl. providing local organic food meals at the canteen, food literacy, garden-based learning and practicing)
• Promoting agri-ecotourism development, appropriate capacity building programs on agri-ecotourism for local community and food producers.
• Setting up several ‘Regenerative Farm Hubs’ applying best practices in regenerative farming / integrated landscape management that focus on resource efficiency, land and ecosystems regeneration, soil organic carbon, agrobiodiversity and crop diversification.

Mike and Euvie at Future Thinkers are looking for investors into this village and contributor and residents of all sorts. Find out more at the link above.