The Alliance’s discussion sheets are an educational resource about our food system and how we can improve it:

What is the Sydney Food Fairness Alliance

Who Are We?

THE ALLIANCE formed in Sydney in 2005 to coordinate the efforts of rural producers, health professionals, community workers and community-based advocates active in developing a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable food system in the Sydney region.

DOWNLOAD… What is the Sydney Food Fairness Alliance (pdf 543KB, Version 2: January 2009)

Why do we need a food policy?

order essay online

A food policy is a plan of action to meet a society’s food and nutrition needs, and a food policy is something we need in NSW. A policy would guide decision making on all aspects of the food system, prioritising the security of our food supply.

DOWNLOAD… Why do we need a food policy? (pdf 924KB)

Understanding Food Insecurity

FOOD INSECURITY is that constant feeling of anxiety that comes from trying to provide enough food for yourself or your family. The idea that food insecurity exists in an affluent nation like Australia might sound a bit far fetched.

DOWNLOAD… Understanding Food Insecurity (pdf 1.42MB, Version 1: August 2007)

Understanding Food Miles

THE ‘FOOD MILE’ is a measure of the distance food travels from where it is grown or raised to where it is purchased by the consumer. Increasingly in Australia, supermarket shelves are stocked with imported food and food products that have been hauled thousands of kilometres: kiwifruit from Italy, oranges from Brazil.

DOWNLOAD… Understanding Food Miles (pdf 1.93MB, Version 1: October 2006)

Options for an Alternative Food System

Save the world? Change the way you eat…

FOOD, IT’S MANY THINGS — but enjoyable though it might be, food has become the focus of serious concern over the way it is grown, processed, distributed and served.

DOWNLOAD… Options for an Alternative Food System (pdf 1.45MB, Version 1: October 2006)

What are Community Gardens

GROWING YOUR OWN fresh food in your local community garden is a new way to healthy eating practiced by increasing numbers of Australians.

DOWNLOAD… What are Community Gardens (pdf 1.14MB, Version 1: August 2007)

People Gather Around Food

Celebrating food and culture

FOOD NOURISHES and connects us. Every day, all over the world, people gather around food, whether for the simple satisfaction of hunger or to re-create the bonds that connect us — what the noted Australian chef and author, Stephanie Alexander, calls “the community of the table”.

DOWNLOAD… People Gather Around Food (pdf 846KB, Version 1: October 2006)

Sydney Basin Agriculture

local food, local economy

“SOME OF THE MOST fertile and productive agricultural land in Australia is found in the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment on Sydney’s western edge — the Sydney Basin.

DOWNLOAD… Sydney Basin Agriculture (pdf 431KB, Version 1: December 2006)

Food and Climate Change

Is climate change really occurring?

“Yes, climate change is a reality. According to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007), the warming of the climate system is unequivocal and is predominantly due to human activities such as fossil fuel burning and land use changes….”

DOWNLOAD… Food and Climate Change (pdf 1MB, Version 1: 23 February 2009)

Where Has All Our Food Gone?

Influences on the global food supply

“Price rises, grain shortages, crop failures… what’s happening to our global food system? What is happening is that a number of trends have converged to stress the food system…”

DOWNLOAD… Where Has All Our Food Gone? (pdf 1.06MB, Version 1: 23 February 2009)

Overweight and Obesity

the hidden role of food insecurity

Obesity is on the increase and in developed countries the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adults is thought to be between 50-65 percent. This is becoming a major public health concern through the link to chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardio vascular disease, osteoarthritis and various cancers.

DOWNLOAD… Overweight and Obesity (pdf 534KB, Version 1: April 2009)