Building A Sustainable Local Food System & Food Sovereignty

Do we have enough local food?

With the advent of the Covid Lockdowns, and panic buying of various commodities, I have spoken to media, different groups and with individuals about food sovereignty in the Nth Rivers. and how we can increase our resiliency. The facts are that we do not have enough local production of the things that we consume as a community to be sustainable in the long-term.

Why don’t we have more local farms?

I was shocked at what I discovered when I entered the local food economy 5 years ago, and I am still trying to find ways to bring authenticity, and integrity into this space. The odds are stacked against local growers: they are often not given access to their local farmers markets, (despite resellers, and value adders being allowed). Many local restaurants, cafes and small businesses prefer to buy from wholesalers, as they can purchase everything they need reliably on one invoice, with one delivery, at the cheapest price...which is perfectly understandable!

A new way…

I have been talking about the idea of a Grow-operative in the area for 5 years now, as an alternative solution. We need a minimum of 2 (ideally 10+) other farms to work with to grow, brand, and distribute local produce together, as a realistic alternative to the way things currently stand. I would love to see local farmers stocking our own shop / shed in each town with our produce, so that it is easy to access for the community, and for local distribution to businesses.

The Reality

My intention in starting a farm, is to grow for, and feed my local community. The majority of the produce sold in our region is bought from distributors, and wholesalers who purchase from Rocklea Markets in Brisbane (The produce being imported and freighted from all over the country). To me this seems insane...still does! We have an incredible climate, good rainfall, and fertile lands yet we import so much fresh produce into the area. Because of the food miles that the produce does, it is often old, and in poor quality...this is the advantage that we have as small scale farms, to be able to provide fresh produce into the local food economy which is picked within 24 hours...this of course has an enormous benefit for our health and our Earth.

Why we need to support local farms

When I investigated more deeply why there is so little local food in our economy, I realised that there are very few local commercial farms still in existence, and with only 1-5% of the local population buying local, organic produce from independent producers  many farms must sell outside the local region to keep their businesses sustainable. Over my time in the local farming sector I have watched small farms start up in my area, and within a couple of years close down :( It is very difficult to bring a farm into existence in the current climate, and many of these farms, whilst doing great in  environmental sustainability could not make them financially sustainable. Small farms are small businesses first, with all the same requirements of start ups + needing to learn production, find customers, plus adjust for our changing climate.

How do we create a resilient local food economy?

To set up a small scale farm, you will need to invest in infrastructure, set up your business structures, and have a plan to pay wages for yourself and your employees. It takes a lot of energy and resources to start a farm, and approx 90% fail within the first 5 years. The only way we can re-build a resilient local food system is by having sustainable local farms financially, socially and environmentally.

Many new farm business's underestimate the income that they need to generate in order to be financially sustainable - for a small scale farm of 1 acre, as a rough guide (give or take a million variables), you will need to turnover approx $3K+ per week as a business (less if its a hobby, or part time).

Why Farms need a Skilled Labour Force

This is right about the point of the conversation when the farm, or group, I'm talking with suggest using volunteers for farm labour, as a long-term solution. I have a HUGE problem with this!

Farming is a skilled trade, and just like other trades we need a skilled workforce of tradespeople. Imagine if we suggested that plumbers, carpenters, electricians etc. use volunteers as their workforce, so they can make their businesses financially viable. Or other small businesses like retail, and health rely on volunteers for labour...

Food has been deliberately devalued by large scale industrialised agriculture over the past 50 years, which produces cheap food at the cost to our environment and communities. Whilst not providing enough income to farms to be financially sustainable - this is not about making enormous profits for the farmer, it is about the farmer being able to support themselves and their families, and pay their employees fairly, just as we would in any other industry.

A lot of the work on farms is repetitive labour, which requires skill and speed, and therefore not well suited for a volunteer workforce. Working with volunteers on the farm, often means that you are needing to train and supervise constantly due to the high turnover of people, (which significantly impacts the profitability and efficiency of your enterprise. Volunteers may have different expectations of farm work. And some volunteers may not be committed with times, thus being unreliable as a workforce (as they prioritise paid work first - as they should). There may also be hidden expectations on either side in these employer / volunteer relationships that can break down, due to the lack of clarity.

Offering volunteering opportunities on your farm, is however, a great way to connect with your local community, and have fun working together, whilst getting some of the work of the farm done. My workforce plan in the past has meant that I work on the farm, and I offer paid employment to 1-2 others, as well as receiving volunteer support for 2 hours each week, or on special occasion. This is a good balance for me, and I very much appreciate and am grateful for all the loving assistance, and friendship that I have attracted along my journey as a farmher in the way of volunteer support.

Copyright 2019 Sheia Kalima Kironn