Food Sustainability

How are we going to feed 50 million people, the estimated population of Australia in 2050? The Open Forum featured forum on Food Sustainability will address this and a number of other issues as we explore the potential crisis that will not just affect our country, but the world.

Australia is a major global supplier of food, exporting wheat, dairy, meat, fruit and vegetables. We are primed to become the ‘food bowl of Asia’ as the political discourse would have it. But how can we supply the fast growing consumer markets? We’ll discuss the need for more research, technology and logistics and the acute shortage of graduates in the agricultural industry. We will introduce different ways of producing food, from the grassroots level to big industry players.

Aiming to give a voice to all sides of the debate we’ll talk about the dynamics of the Asian market, new farming systems and technologies to improve productivity and agribusiness. We will look at the financial constraints on agriculture production as well as the infrastructure challenges at play in Australia and policy development on both sides of the political fence.

The featured forum will be a focal point for the Global Access Partners Annual Growth Summit in Sydney on the 19th and 20th of September 2013 at NSW Parliament House with speakers and participants featured in this area.

If you would like to contribute a blog to kick-start a debate or participate in the Summit, please contact Helen at hhull@openforum.com.au.

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RELATED CONTENT

• Report of proceedings from the National Economic Review 2013 Summit on Food Sustainability, International Food Markets and Agriculture

Blogs and Speeches from Summit speakers*:

• A new global food market: trends and opportunities for Australia – by Bruce Gosper
• Facing the realities of future farming– by Lisa Middlebrook
• Agriculture’s role in the NSW 2021 Plan – by The Hon Anthony Roberts
• Food Sovereignty – by Fiona Simson
• Vision needed for farming to be next mining boom – by John Brady
• The retail duopoly that rules the nation – by Peter Strong
• Investing in Agriculture’s future: The role of natural capital in enhancing productivity – by Martijn Wilder
• Field robotics coming to a farm near you – by Professor Salah Sukkarieh

Media from Summit

• Robotics will change market landscape – by University of Sydney News
• Top End key to Coalition’s food boom plan – by Bridget Carter, The Australian
• Exporting Australia’s Agricultural Know-how – by Lauren Power, Future Directions International
• Professor Salah Sukkarieh states robotics can benefit Australian agricultural industry – by AZoRobotics.com

Food Sustainability Blogs:

• Practical ways to help agriculture thrive – By Michael Schaefer
• Why agricultural productivity depends on food sustainability – by Laura Eadie
• The Australian cattle feedlot industry – by Dougal Gordon
• Australian cattle and sheep farmers on target for sustainability success – by Elise Vale
• Why we should be concerned about food security – by Sarah Norgrove
• What are the health aspects of food security? – by Susan McAlpin
• The world food crisis – by Professor Kevin Parton
• Ensure food security now and in the future – by Professor Deirdre Lemerle
• Grow it Local – by Jess Miller
• Buying local the key to sustainable purchasing – by Ian Harrison
• On the death of farming as we know it – by Emmanuel Giuffre
• Australia’s first Fair Food Week – by Nick Rose
• Global food security – play to the rescue – by Jonathan Marshall
• Sustainable agriculture and the culture of control – by Anthony Waugh
• Sustainable cattle farming – by Kylie Schooley
• Australians and their food – by Professor Jim Pratley

Previous summits:

• GAP’s National Economic Review 2010: Australia’s Annual Growth Summit – featured forum
• GAP’s National Economic Review 2011: Australia’s Annual Growth Summit – Population – featured forum
• GAP’s National Economic Review 2012: Australia’s Annual Growth Summit – Productivity – featured forum

Please check back as this area is being updated.

0 Comments

1. 

   OscarLloyd

   August 2, 2013 at 10:43 am

   Sustainable Development
   In order to survive, we must adapt to new conditions.

   However it is better ‘to prevent that to treat’, so we should ponder on the true meaning of the concept of sustainable development and apply it as best as possible.

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   • 

     Kaits Nutrition

     July 30, 2014 at 6:43 am

     Food Additives in Food Sustainability

     I'm not exactly condoning the excessive use of food additives in what we eat, but there's a huge hype surrounding their use. People want cheap, accessible and nutritious foods and it's possible that this demand cannot be sustained without the use of food additives. I just completed a small article on the use of food additives and their functions, you can read it by visiting 'Kaits Nutrition' on Facebook. -be well-

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2. 

   Infotales

   December 18, 2013 at 10:12 am

   Food Sustainability through technological augmentations

   It is my personal belief that technological advancements can help develop sustainability.

   There was this story about a food helmet that was created as part of an art piece that feeds you algae throughout the day. and can sustain you indefinitely. Let's take things one step further and turn ourselves into walking talking plants? 

   Theoretically you can create a symbiotic relationship with an algae, instead of crop sustainability why don't we as humanity pour our efforts and energies into doing this?

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3. 

   andrew12

   January 30, 2014 at 9:44 am

   All will be well…

   All will be well…

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4. 

   NMilliner

   July 20, 2014 at 1:41 am

   Food Sustainability

   The way I see it there is no problem. Food production at the moment is very selective and very inefficient. We are letting good food rot on the ground to keep up prices and tearing down established fruiting trees and vines because they are the wrong type and not popular anymore. Blemished fruit is just trashed, burned or fed to the animals. The second gripe I have is that there are not a lot of edible flora out there in the big wide world of ours. I'm a big fan of the food forest idea. If only half of the non-productive plants in the world were replaced with edible ones there would be such a glut of food…

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5. 

   dungdung

   November 6, 2014 at 9:19 am

   That is nice. Thanks for your
   That is nice. Thanks for your explanation

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