In the land of the “fair go”: global food policy lessons beyond the charity model

Abstract

ABSTRACT Food insecurity in Australia is on the rise, yet it remains a serious and underappreciated policy issue. The demand for and expansion of food banks, community agencies, and school breakfast programmes in Australia has led to the emergency food relief system being referred to as an “industry” in itself. The COVID-19 pandemic, and the associated financial crisis, have only exacerbated the challenge of putting food onto the table. These unprecedented challenges expose the vulnerabilities of addressing the problem of food insecurity solely through a charity-based approach. Through key case studies of innovative local food governance models across the globe, this paper calls attention to the need to break down the disconnected, siloed, and fragmented policies and responses across public and private spheres in order to design more comprehensive interventions that better address the complex reality of food insecurity in Australia.