“One in five Tasmanians don’t know what dinner is like”: Eatwell TAS
Jessica Serna

Jessica Serna
Posted on 04 May, 2024

“One in five Tasmanians don’t know what dinner is like”: Eatwell TAS

Today at 12:30 seven organisations are getting together to talk about resilience in the food and farming system.

Food is something that many Australians take for granted, but the process of getting the products to the table takes time and a lot of effort. On the last day of Agfest experts are getting together to discuss how to improve this system. Here are some of their thoughts.

Leah Galvin, food system’s consultant, says during COVID we learned Tamania’s supply chains are vulnerable, which puts us in long-term risk. For that reason, Leah has been promoting the idea of increasing the amount of locally produced food.

Jennifer Robinson CEO at Sprout Tasmania concurs, saying “a lot of farmers are being forced into a system that makes them a price-taker rather than a price-maker; this shows that the system is relatively broken. If you’ve got farmers that can’t make enough money, and consumers and eaters that cannot afford to buy food, we need a change”.

Carl Saunder, state manager at Eatwell TAS, says this conversation will be an opportunity to hear a broad range of professionals who work across the food system. “We have one of the most incredible food producing areas anywhere in the world”, says Carl and emphasizes that besides that “one in five Tasmanians don’t know what dinner is like”.

The school sector will also have a voice on this panel. Julie Dunbabin, from School Food Matters says a good meal can improve students’ concentration. This organisation supports 30 schools by promoting and providing nutritious and locally sourced food.

The panel will be held at site 146 and includes Andrew Hillier, from Loaves and Fishes Tasmania, and the Tasmanian Produce Collective. They are convinced that together can achieve a change on the state’s food and farming system.

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