Architecture, Building and Planning - Research Publications
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ItemBUILDING THE RESILIENCE OF MELBOURNE’S FOOD SYSTEM – A ROADMAP A Foodprint Melbourne Report May 2022(University of Melbourne, 2022-01-01)This report from the Foodprint Melbourne research project presents a roadmap of strategies and policy approaches for strengthening the resilience of Melbourne’s food system to shocks and stresses. It focuses particularly on shocks and stresses related to climate change and pandemic, but also considers underlying food system stresses, such as high levels of food waste and declining supplies of the natural resources that underpin food production. The combined effects of these shocks and stresses undermine the resilience of food systems, drive up food prices and increase food insecurity. The report identifies six key areas of opportunity for action to strengthen the resilience of Melbourne’s food system to future shocks and stresses.
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ItemRoadmap for a resilient and sustainable Melbourne foodbowl(University of Melbourne, 2019)This report outlines a vision and roadmap for preserving Melbourne’s foodbowl for current and future generations as a fundamental building block in a healthy, resilient, sustainable and fair food system. This vision and ‘roadmap’ was developed through a collaborative process involving a wide range of stakeholders. Key elements include: Planning for a sustainable and resilient city foodbowl requires an integrated policy approach Five key pillars of policy action underpin a resilient and sustainable city foodbowl – farmland protection, farm viability, water access, nutrient recycling and sustainable farming Farmland should be permanently protected on Melbourne’s fringe by maintaining Melbourne’s Urban Growth Boundary, mapping agricultural land and introducing a new agricultural ‘zone’ Promoting the viability of farming in Melbourne’s foodbowl is as important as protecting farmland Farm viability should be promoted by investing in infrastructure that enables small-medium scale farmers to gain greater control of supply chains, ensuring that peri-urban producers are able to access relevant funding streams and applying local government ‘farm rates’ to all actively farmed land Water reuse for food production should be increased to address water scarcity in a warming climate Water reuse should be increased by adopting an integrated water management approach to managing water assets in farming areas, developing integrated assessment frameworks to cost delivery of recycled water and investigating options for greater reuse of storm water City foodbowls offer opportunities to close the loop by returning valuable nutrients from city organic waste back to the soil Nutrient recycling on farm should be promoted by preventing contamination of organic waste streams, collaborating with farmers to develop ‘fit for purpose’ compost products and establishing a Melbourne Nutrient Recycling Network Sustainable farming should be incentivised in Melbourne’s foodbowl Sustainable farming approaches should be incentivised through local government rate rebates, direct payments and extension services aimed at peri-urban farmers A diverse range of sustainable farming approaches should be promoted to increase the resilience of the city’s food system, including regenerative and agroecological approaches as well as sustainable intensification and closed-environment agriculture
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ItemFood for thought: Challenges and opportunities for farming in Melbourne's foodbowl(University of Melbourne, 2018)This report identifies the policy challenges that need to be addressed and the opportunities that could be leveraged to strengthen Melbourne’s foodbowl. The report focuses on three key policy issues: protecting farmland, strengthening the viability of farming and increasing water access.
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ItemMelbourne’s food future: Planning a resilient city foodbowl(VEIL, 2016)Melbourne is surrounded by a highly productive foodbowl that currently grows a wide variety of fresh foods, but it faces challenges. • Melbourne’s foodbowl grows 47% of the vegetables produced in Victoria and has the capacity to meet around 41% of Melbourne’s total food needs. • As Melbourne grows to a population of 7-8 million people by 2050, it will need at least 60% more food. • If the city’s footprint continues to grow as it has in the past, the capacity of Melbourne’s foodbowl to meet the city’s food needs could fall to around 18% by 2050, due to population growth and urban sprawl. • Loss of production in the foodbowl is likely to contribute to higher food prices. • Melbourne’s foodbowl contributes $2.45 billion per annum to Melbourne’s regional economy and 21,000 full time equivalent jobs. • Melbourne’s food supply faces future challenges from the impacts of climate change, including water scarcity and extreme weather events. • Other major Australian state capitals also have productive foodbowls that contribute to fresh food supplies, but they are all under similar pressure from population growth and urban expansion. They are unlikely to be able to meet future deficits in Melbourne’s food needs. Melbourne’s foodbowl is an important building block in a resilient and sustainable food future for the city. • Ensuring a resilient food supply for Melbourne requires a precautionary planning approach that retains – or strengthens – the capacity of the city’s foodbowl. • The loss of Melbourne’s foodbowl is not inevitable as the city grows. If growth on the city fringe can be limited to existing growth corridors and strong targets are set for urban infill and increased urban density, the impact on the city’s foodbowl can be reduced. • Melbourne can plan for a resilient city foodbowl that provides healthy food for a growing population, promotes a vibrant regional food economy and acts as a buffer against future food system shocks. • Increased investment in delivery of recycled water from water treatment plants could create ‘drought-proof’ areas of food production. • A ‘joined up’ policy framework is required to plan for a resilient city foodbowl. Policy is needed to protect farmland, increase water access, reduce and reuse food waste, strengthen the regional food economy and attract farmers to farm in the city’s foodbowl.
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ItemMelbourne's Foodbowl: Now and at seven million(Victorian Eco Innovation Lab, The University of Melbourne, 2015)