Tasmanian Food Insecurity
This project was part of the award-winning Food Hub project. In my role in the advisory group, a co-design methodology was used to identify gaps and pain points in the local community.
As the Community Facilitator for the Harvest Festival, I suggested the idea of setting up a pop-up fresh produce stall to address the issue at hand. With an approved budget of $1,000, I took the initiative to develop a prototype that would test the market, explore circular economy options, engage stakeholders, and promote local gardens and small producers. My aim was to make the locals proud of their veggies.
I researched, found, and contacted twelve small producers and gardens, offering them the chance to showcase/share/sell their produce in exchange for a small payment at the annual local festival Dover SeaFest.
RESULTS + BENEFITS
The process required a month of effort to seek the producers through advertising and face-to-face contact.
The pop-up stall creates brand awareness for the Huon Valley Food Hub and Eat Well Tasmania.
The project employed three local freelancers (job opportunities).
The stall involved excited volunteers to help make the stall so welcoming and fun.
The income from the day trade was $700, where $250 was donated to the following year for the local food security group. The surplus was donated to the Local School Breakfast Club and Food Pantry at the end of the trading day.
The prototype's success inspired other community members to replicate it the following year in the same and other local markets after
Tourists and locals were delayed with the set-up and surprised by the abundance of fresh local produce.
SDGs 2 - 3- 8
Conclusion:
To create food resilience, heavy involvement with the community through co-design, design thinking, and understanding system thinking is needed to work harmoniously to help develop prototype solutions that resonate with the area and community members, discover innovative income avenues beneficial for your village, and, most importantly, inspire other local agents to take ownership and replicate the prototype. This is an excellent example of how a tiny budget of $1,000 can create such a significant impact.
Feedback
“Milca demonstrated strong leadership, helping develop the Huon Valley Food Hub and delivering the Harvest Festival program.
She identified and managed partnerships with various organisations and groups that were leveraged to build rapport and networks, leading to new relationships forming and positive and innovative initiatives taking shape and progressing afterwards.”
Michelle Gledhill | Manager Economic Development | Huon Valley Council
