By Gabriella Payne
Looking for some fresh food ideas? Well look no further, because Cardinia Shire residents are in for a treat.
On Tuesday 9 November, locals are invited to join in on an exciting online community food forum, which will cover a wide range of topics (from farm to table) and feature many notable guest speakers.
The 2021 theme, “our actions are our future: food systems caring for country, a healthy community, farms and food enterprises” will promote a range of healthy discussions and will touch on the importance of maintaining a sustainable food system throughout the shire.
To celebrate the International Year of Fruit and Vegetables, the forum will be hosted by well-known fresh produce expert Thanh Truong the ’Fruit Nerd’ and will feature keynote speaker, a passionate advocate for nutrition and food systems transformation, medical doctor and the CEO of VicHealth, Dr Sandro Demaio.
With the shire being home to all aspects of the fresh food industry, from farming to food businesses, the Cardinia Shire Mayor Brett Owen said that it was going to be a great event for the local area and he encouraged community members to get involved.
“Cardinia is blessed with fertile farmland, innovative famers and food businesses as well as a diversity of food cultures, skills and knowledge,” Cr Owen said.
“The theme of this year’s forum is ‘our actions are our future’. That comes down to the food we eat, how it’s grown and produced and how far it travels to get to our table.
“We also want to draw attention to, and celebrate, the projects young people are leading and their role in continuing to build a resilient food system in a really challenging environment.
“Our young people are taking on the responsibility and stewardship of our food system, so we need to support them to help deliver on our aspirations for a healthy, delicious, sustainable and fair food system for all,” he said.
The online forum will include a range of speakers, news updates and panel discussions with Monash University Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, as well as young food leaders, young farmers and local social enterprises of The Lime Box Café, Siri Guru Nanak Darbar Urban Farm, Cockatoo Community House Sustainable Food Project and The Community Grocer.
The annual forum is organised by Cardinia Food Circles, a collective impact project based on the knowledge that individual actions and efforts are limited – however when we work collectively towards a common goal, we maximise our impact.
The online forum is free and open to the public, but ticket numbers are limited.
To register your place in the forum, head to https://cardiniafoodforum.eventbrite.com
For more information about the Cardinia Food Circles Project and Cardinia Shire’s Community Food Strategy, visit council’s website at www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/foodforum
