RIG Update - November 2016

The Report confirms that up to 30% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander households in remote Australia are food insecure, paying up to two thirds more for food through remote community stores than in Darwin or Adelaide. Read the Media Release for more at http://ruralhealth.org.au/news/people-can-ill-afford-food-insecurity-rural-and-remote-australia and you can download the report in full at https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/items/16-053.

Salt Bush Farming at the Aboriginal community of Scotdesco, South Australia 
At Scotdesco, spanning 25,000 acres on the edge of the Nullarbor, Robert Larking manages the tiny Aboriginal community where he and the community's residents are embarking on an ambitious project to commercially sell saltbush, a hardy native, in a bid to create jobs in the remote area.

To create employment, Mr Larking and the community is pinning its hopes on saltbush."Our process now is to go into a different stage where we can grow our saltbush, and feed our lamb saltbush and hit a different market," he said. The community has planted hundreds of saltbush plants, to be harvested commercially in three years' time. To learn more visit http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-25/aboriginal-community-scotdesco-turns-saltbush-to-create-jobs/7875286?pfmredir=sm

Learn more about healthy food and hydroponic initiatives underway in Ramingining with ALPA's leadership and support at  https://www.facebook.com/481600991938654/videos/1048846178547463/
or at https://www.facebook.com/Remote-Indigenous-Gardens-Network-113023852105829/

Events in November - Growing the Urban Food Movement wherever you live

Urban Agriculture Forum - Melbourne, Nov 19-21 
The Urban Agriculture Forum is on in less than two weeks away in Melbourne, organised by SUSTAIN: The Australian Food Network in conjunction with their friends and partners. RIG Network will be there contributing to a panel and sharing a Case Study about EduGrow that has helped grow 'urban' and school food initiatives in remote and rural australia since 2012. Read on for more...

Urban agriculture has an extensive and well-recognised role in many parts of the world. An estimated 800 million people are involved in urban agriculture globally, producing as much as 20% of the world’s total food requirements. In Australia however, urban and peri-urban agriculture lack strategic support and recognition from state and federal governments, and from most local governments. This is despite city foodbowl regions producing large amounts of our food requirements, especially of our healthy, fresh fruit and veg: in the case of Melbourne, more than 40%, even as urban sprawl continues to devour fertile farmland.

Alongside the Forum there will be an Open Garden Day on Saturday November 19 and a Forum dinner on Sunday evening. Join leading practitioners and policy-makers from across the urban and peri-urban food landscape to build a shared understanding of what urban agriculture is, and the benefits and opportunities it can offer in the Australian context, from expanding access to healthy food, to addressing environmental and sustainability challenges, to building thriving and diverse local and regional economies. 

Delegates will learn, discuss and plan the next steps required to strengthen and expand the urban agriculture and city foodbowl movement in Melbourne, Victoria and the country as a whole. Visit Urban Agriculture Forum for information about all activities and how to register for the Forum, Open Garden Day, and Dinner.

“Cities feeding themselves is an idea that can change the world. It’s an idea whose time has come.”  - Dr Nick Rose, Executive Director, Sustain.  All tickets purchased go in draw to win a Biofilta food wall valued at over $500. 

The Next 200 Years of Food? Urban Agriculture and Food Security Forum - Sydney, Nov. 24
As part of the above, a national urban food tour and program of events has been planned. In Sydney, please join and help celebrate the Royal Botanic Gardens 200th Birthday year, by visiting the site  of Australia’s first European farm for a special forum on urban agriculture and food security into the next 200 years. The forum will bring together practitioners and policy­makers from across the urban food landscape to build a shared understanding of what urban agriculture is and the benefits and opportunities it can offer in the Australian context.

When and where: Thursday 24th November 2016, 6:00 ­ 8:00pm Moore Room, the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.  $20 adult, $10 student/senior. Bookings: https://urbanagricultureforum.eventbrite.com.au 
Contact: Philip.Pettitt@bgcp.nsw.gov.au

Inspired?! Get involved - Gardening Job opportunity with Red Cross at Tennant Creek - Job Description & Project Pics below 
Our friends at Red Cross have asked us to share the following Job Opportunity with the Network. Please consider and share with people you know who may be interested. 

As always, please  be in touch if you have news or stories you'd like to share, and please circulate RIG News and Updates to your friends and colleagues and visit (and Like) Remote Indigenous Gardens Network on Facebook.