The power of food to unite

Tread ISSUE 2 THE POWER OF FOOD TO UNITE

WORDS ELLIE STROHM

Food is powerful. How we grow it, process

it, cook it, eat it, waste it, and share it has a profound impact on the health of our planet, our bodies, and our communities. It’s also an important avenue for young people to start businesses and engage with their local peoples and place. And food is at the heart of rural places – the land from which most of our food is borne.

As a nation, we are perhaps more connected to our food than we have been for decades. With greater climate awareness, nutritional understanding, and experience of food scarcity; we have seen people wake up to the power of their consumer choices, local supply chains and the food poverty that exists within our communities. Everyone has a right to access healthy, nutritious food and feel welcomed around a table to eat alongside others.

For three months during the start of the pandemic, everyone was touched in some way by food insecurity. The fragility of our global food system was illuminated by the pandemic, and it forced us all to look at our local food systems very differently. For many, it was a time where they felt greater connection, reliance, and safety in shopping locally, compared with taking the risk of going to the supermarket.

Food helped people forge relationships they didn’t have before, and, perhaps, develop empathy for their local food producers, fishers, and chefs.

Amazing initiatives have been born, and in many ways, we have seen the absolute best of society as people have risen to take care of one another - ensuring key workers, the vulnerable, and our neighbours get enough to eat.

Food is emotive. For me and many others, the ache of not being able to freely share and celebrate food with loved ones and strangers, highlighted how far beyond basic sustenance food runs in our culture and relationships.

When we can slow things down, the simple joy of sharing and celebrating good food that has been lovingly grown, harvested and cooked, creates often profound and lasting connections - not only with others but with our bodies and with the earth.

In the following pages, we hear from individuals and organisations with inspiring stories to tell of how food is at the heart of connection and community in different places. They are young people who have been called to question – how can we build better food systems for our planet and for society?

Their stories demonstrate how food can be a powerful vehicle for change, bridging social, economic, and cultural divides; building stronger connections between producers and consumers; delivering experiential education around nutrition and soil health; and providing safe spaces where the marginalised in society feel included and cared for. These young people are community leaders helping foster more resilient local food systems and inclusive communities to build a better tomorrow.

“The fragility of our global food system was illuminated by the pandemic.”