In a significant development which AFSA warmly welcomes, the @Food Alliance has released the text of a draft Urban and Regional Food Charter. Collaboratively developed over many months of discussions in Melbourne, this document embodies many of the proposals in the Peoples Food Plan, as well as its vision: a democratic food system that works to enhance the health and well-being of people and communities, and supports the integrity of ecosystems. We encourage all our supporters to read the full document with appendices, at the link below; and send in comments and feedback. In this post we reproduce the main body of the draft Charter. foodalliance.org.au/food-alliance-publishes-text-of-draft-urban-and-regional-food-charter/ ‘Sustainable, Healthy and Fair Food’ Urban and Regional Food Charter May 2014 Preamble Food is fundamental to life and health. Increasing urbanization, the industrialization of agriculture and a changing climate are adversely impacting many parts of the global food system. This interconnected food system includes production, processing, distribution, consumption, and meaning-generation. It faces compounding global challenges and variable local issues. The scale of these challenges and issues is reflected in local concerns about food security, producer livelihoods, local economies, damage to ecosystems and biodiversity reduction. Many government policy areas—including health, planning, transport, infrastructure, economic development, trade, biosecurity and environment—are relevant to the food system. A coherent long-term food policy enables the integration of these different areas. Cities and regions need a sustainable, fair and resilient food system that provides dignified access to healthy food for all citizens, offers viable livelihoods for local producers, and engenders careful stewardship of regional ecosystems. Purpose To achieve a vision of a sustainable and fair food system, integrated action is needed from individuals, communities, businesses, organizations and government. The purpose of this Charter is to encourage such action through offering the following: • A generalized framework for policy and legislative changes; • A set of agreed principles; • A lexicon of agreed definitions and common language; • An orienting tool for mobilization and advocacy; and • An associated set of tools for assessment and analysis. Vision Signatories to this ‘Urban and Regional Food Charter’ are committed to, and share a vision of, a sustainable and fair food system. We see a thriving diversity of food production through our towns and cities and countryside, from networks of backyard, community and school gardens; to market gardens, ethical livestock rearing, orchards, vineyards and food forests in our peri-urban and regional areas. We see food producers valued as caretakers of the land and ecosystems, and as guarantors of our present and future food security. We see expanded and permanent farmers markets, a delightful pathway of farmgate shops and trails, and high streets revitalised with shops that burst with local and seasonal produce, all supporting a growing local food economy that generates jobs and livelihoods for local communities. Above all, we see that no-one is hungry or malnourished, and that our food system supports the health and well-being of all, because we recognise that access to good food is a basic and universal human right. Principles The food system is a complex set of practices—concerning production, processing, distribution, consumption and meaning-generation. This Charter and its principles is organized around four domains: ecology, economics, politics and culture—each with seven subdomains. High-level Principles Ecology: Our food system should minimally maintain the health and integrity of the natural resources on which it depends, wherever possible seeking to restore degraded natural ecosystems and enhance the health of existing ecosystems. Economics: Our food system should support, create and sustain local long-term employment, build a stronger local food industry, and underpin local livelihoods. Politics: Our food system should proactively engage with communities through public debate of policy, planning and legislative issues relating to land-use, health and wellbeing, and urban and regional livelihoods. Culture: Our food system should embrace the cultural significance of food in all its social dimensions, recognizing its central role in promoting social cohesion, life-long and intergeneration learning, and community wellbeing.
Posted on: Thu, 22 May 2014 07:36:58 +0000
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