Inspiration
Change-making initiatives we take inspiration from locally and globally.
Oakhill Food Justice Farm
Oakhill Food Justice Farm is an 800m2 site in Preston, owned by the Melbourne Anglican Trust Corporation. When Sustain started work on the site in mid-2021 it was semi-abandoned and vandalised. With the support of Darebin Council and philanthropic funding, Sustain have turned around the site completely, converting it into a community space and food forest. All food grown at the site is donated to DIVRS to support their weekly food hampers for families in need in Preston and Reservoir. A range of other programming takes place including a whole-of-school collaboration with Preston Primary School.
Incredible Edible Todmorden
Incredible Edible Tormorden began as guerrilla gardening by local residents, and has since grown into a UK-wide movement, with residents negotiating with councils, private land owners and the rail network to bring forlorn spaces to life. Think cemeteries, police stations, railway stations and council housing, transforming into spaces where fresh fruit and vegetables are tended to by the people in the community.
The Compendium for the Civic Economy have published a concise and fascinating case study around the key successes of one Incredible Edible activation in Todmorden (see page 89, link below).
futurefoodsystem
Imagine a home that produces zero waste, farms its own fish, processes its own organic waste and generates its own energy. Joost Baker has brought to life this exact concept that – in his own words – “has the potential to tackle food security, malnourishment and environmental degradation … all whilst turning our urban areas into the most biodiverse on earth.”
There are so many wild and wonderful features of futurefoodsystem, excellently captured on their website along with the all the information you would need to adopt measures to build your own resilient home. Watch the clips, take a virtual tour and get inspired!
Singapore 30:30
Currently over 90% of Singapore’s food intake comes from imports, making the country incredibly vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions which we are seeing more and more of due to climate change. To stabilise the country’s access to fresh produce, Singapore has committed to the goal of producing 30% of the country’s nutritional needs by 2030.
They will diversify the roster of countries from where they import, support Singaporean agri-businesses to expand overseas and export back to Singapore, invest in the development of urban agriculture throughout the city, and financially support innovation and progress within the food systems community.
Participatory City
The Participatory City model works on the theory that practical participation is at the heart of building a regenerative society. Participatory City Foundation’s Every One Every Day project is a leading example of a participatory ecosystem: a growing network of locals participating in practical projects to shape the neighbourhood in which they live, work and play.
Check out articles and published research for deeper insights into what drives the model.