Natural Capital Economics has been contracted to deliver a study into agriculture production and the food system in the ACT and local region to guide and inform the future of agriculture policy.
Minister for the Environment, Parks and Land Management Rebecca Vassarotti said the Agriculture and Food in the ACT study will aim to obtain a range of baseline information about the local agriculture and food system in the ACT.
"The 2023 draft Canberra Food Strategy is heralding a new approach from the ACT Government to how we value local food production as part of delivering on our vision for Canberra as a vibrant, liveable, affordable and climate-resilient city," said Minister Vassarotti.
"This study is ultimately about what we grow, where we're growing it and why we're growing it in the ACT. Armed with this knowledge, our aim is to provide opportunities for farmers to expand their local produce operations in the territory and connect Canberrans with local growers directly.
"As the first act under the new strategy, this study will provide baseline data about how our local agricultural and food industry operates by surveying local rural landholders on their businesses and goals for the future.
"It will also consider current supply chains and consult widely with those working in the food sector to get a deeper understanding of the current opportunities and barriers for increasing local food production.
"Consulting with the local Ngunnawal community and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the ACT about further developing the bush food and traditional plant industry in the region is also a key investigation area for the study.
"Last year we released the draft Canberra Region Local Food Strategy for community consultation to help guide the future planning and management of the region's rural and urban agricultural production.
"This study will help identify where our work needs to be focused and set goals to measure the success of future projects.
"Detailed local information is vital to help us reach our goals of increased local food production, better access to fresh, affordable local food for Canberrans, and greater climate resilience."
The final Canberra Region Local Food Strategy 2024-29 will be released later in the year. The value of the contract with Natural Capital Economics is $178,000.
