The ACT Government has released the Canberra Region Local Food Strategy (the Strategy) which establishes a robust food and agriculture policy for the ACT and recognises the value of the ACT and local region’s food production sector, and the people working across these supply chains.

From September to November 2023. The Canberra community were invited to have YourSay on the Draft Canberra Region Local Food Strategy (formerly known as the Capital Food and Fibre Strategy) by completing an online survey, or by attending an online community information session.

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback. The Listening Report summarising the feedback received during the consultation period is now available.

The 2023 consultation followed an initial consultation in 2021 on the Capital Food and Fibre Strategy Discussion Paper. During this consultation we heard the community has strong support for the development of a food strategy for the ACT.

Farming and market gardening has remained historically smaller and less diverse in the ACT compared to other Australian city regions such as Sydney and Melbourne. The Canberra region, encompassing the ACT and Southeast NSW, hosts farms at all scales growing a diverse range of produce including beef, lamb, dairy, grain, and boutique crops of fruit, vegetables, nuts and wine. The South Coast also supports a local fishing industry.

Despite this vibrant production from the Canberra region, many producers sell primarily into and through Sydney due to its market size and infrastructure. This leaves the ACT with a high demand for increased supply of local produce. A 2013 study, Food in the ACT, found that the Canberra region could meet demand solely through local supply.

The development of the Canberra Region Local Food Strategy (the Strategy) supports a future for the local agriculture industry to increase supply for the Canberra community, and improve sustainability, affordability, and accessibility to locally produced healthy food. Through the Strategy, the ACT Government will look to empower and support the meaningful involvement of the Ngunnawal community and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the bush food and Traditional plant industry in and around the ACT.

The Strategy aims to encapsulate a vision that Canberra is part of a global community of city-regions working to strengthen local food systems by fostering urban and regional agriculture. This will result in increased community access to fresh, healthy and affordable food. It will see our greenhouse gas emissions reduce, will diversify the local food economy, will reduce and repurpose food waste, and will strengthen community wellbeing.

Adapted from the 5 proposed goals under the Capital Food and Fibre Discussion Paper (1,2, 3, 4, 5), this vision will be realised through 4 goals: