Case Studies
Food for Thought Festival

Design Feature

Type of project
Festival
State
Western Australia
Location
Regional
The Food for Thought Festival in Albany aims to promote sustainable, healthy, vibrant and fair food systems, with a focus on strengthening and supporting food networks in the Great Southern region. The Festival fosters community connectedness by bringing communities together to celebrate the existing local food economy in an educational and fun environment.
Celebrating local food production
The Food for Thought Festival was created in 2015 in response to a community desire to have the local food and agriculture scene developed. Seven of the 11 Shires of the Great Southern Region (Albany, Plantagenet, Denmark, Cranbrook, Kojonup, Katanning, Broome Hill - Tambellup) participate in the Festival. It takes place during the October school holidays, is in its third consecutive year.

The week-long Festival includes soil health and whole food cooking workshops; field days and a long table dinner celebrating the regions food and agricultural innovators. The Festival culminates on the final day with a family friendly community event that includes talks from industry leaders, live music and market stalls.
The Festival recognises cultural factors that may predispose people to obesity and dietary related illnesses, such as type 2 diabetes. Through connection with food production and local food producers, and learning basic cooking skills, the Festival aims to promote a healthy eating culture to improve individual and community health outcomes. For example, in 2016, the Food for Thought Festival was the Great Southern’s first ‘Soft Drink Free’ Event. The Festival also has a basic food policy, which encourages food vendors to supply healthy whole food choices.

The Food for Thought Festival is galvanising the communities’ vision for a sustainable, resilient, healthy and fair food system for the Great Southern.
Project team
  • Community Food Events (Lead)
  • ‘Food for Thought Festival’ Steering Committee
  • Sustain: The Australian Food Network (Partner)

Project Cost
$200 000 (annually)
Health Value
  • Promotion of programs that encourage food literacy i.e. Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program in Primary Schools and the Paddock to Plate Program.
  • Increased participation in local food initiatives i.e. Community Garden and Food Networking Group.
  • Increased community understanding of the health benefits of locally sourced and low input foods.

Economic value
  • Increased awareness of local and regional produce availability raises the regional profile of local food producers and manufacturers.
  • Increased participation in local food initiatives i.e. farmers markets and food swaps.
  • Increased regional food/agri-tourism, which supports the regional tourism destination branding ‘clean green natural choice.’

Environmental Value
  • Promotion of sustainable food and agricultural industry development.
  • Increased understanding between consumers and producers of the importance of soil health for carbon sequestration and the nutritional integrity of food.
  • Promotion of low input farming systems lead to improving environmental health outcomes.
  • Training landholders in sustainable innovative farming methods, using low cost inputs.
  • Supporting the Region to manage its natural resources sustainably through community-based management.
  • Exploration of best practice agricultural methods for premium food production.

Social value
  • Increased participation in local food initiatives i.e. community gardens and food networking groups.
  • Supporting cultural and biodiversity tourism.
  • Celebrating local food culture - the diverse range of local farms and food producers.
  • Raising the regional profile of local food producers and manufacturers.
  • Building Food System Stakeholder Networks and supporting supply chain relationships at local, national and international levels.
  • Fostering community spirit and social inclusion by providing opportunities for community members to socialise and interact.

Use value
  • Provides a platform to weave sustainable food systems into the lives and businesses of individuals, groups and organisations to facilitate connectedness.
  • Facilitates opportunities for farms to connect with retailers and consumers, fostering local food security
  • Addresses farming practices, allowing the agricultural sector to share and evolve in the current climate.

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