RIG News – June 2013
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RIG News – June 2013 News from the Remote Indigenous Gardens Network – www.remoteindigenousgardens.net Its getting hard to keep up, with much change Food and other things… going on in Canberra and elsewhere, not least of which in the food sector. The Australian Government has released Australia’s development. Ministers agreed to release a paper first ever National Food Plan to help ensure that the prepared by the Expert Panel on these issues. government’s food policy settings are right for Australia over the short, medium and long term. The Ministers also noted progress achieved to implement National Food Plan is described as a roadmap that the Northern Australia Beef Industry Action Agenda sets the direction for government policy on food into and an update on the North Queensland Irrigated the future, providing one of the key pillars for Agriculture Strategy was also discussed. The QLD achieving the goals of the white paper, Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, the Hon Australia in the Asian Century. Nine new initiatives Andrew Cripps, indicated that results of this work due were announced as part of the plan. The Community by the end of the year will assist in informing his Food Grants program, that many RIG News readers decision about the possible release of more water have submitted applications to, is one of these. from the Flinders and Gilbert catchments. The National Food Plan was released by the Minister Debate continues about northern economic for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator developments, especially those that focus on the the Hon. Joe Ludwig, on 25 May 2013 at Rocklea food sector and the appropriate scale and focus of Markets, Brisbane. On July 1, the Hon. Joel possible developments and their respective viability. Fitzgibbon MP Federal Member for Hunter was The Coalition’s 2030 Vision for Developing sworn in as the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Northern Australia was released on June 21 and Forestry on 1 July 2013. includes ‘developing a food bowl, including premium produce, which could help to double Australia’s Against this background, the most recent meeting of agricultural output’ among highlights actions it the Northern Australian Ministerial Forum was held in proposes (to view the press release and download Cairns on June 13 and 14. Prof Patrick Dodson, the document here). Further fuel for debate and food Chair of the Indigenous Experts Forum provided for thought. Ministers with a report from the Second Indigenous experts meeting that was held in Jabiru, 30 April This edition of RIG News includes news about: 2 May and reported on April’s RIG News. Ministers The Gimuy Fish and Food Festival also received a briefing from the Expert Advisory Allan Savory, Holistic Management tour Panel, led by Prof Allan Dale, Cairns Institute, James Kids teaching kids, award winning Cook University on land tenure and water reform. indigenous environmental education The diversity of tenure types across northern New gardening & learning resources Australia has created considerable complexity and Two aquaponic training courses…& more. were noted as a potential barrier to economic THE PLANTSMITH ( Girraween Nursery) Wholesale growers of seedlings, herbs, advanced vegetables, paw paw passionfruit, chilis and more. Also flowers shrubs, palms and cycads. Supplying NT and WA Ph 08 89832001 fax 08 89111965 email [email protected] RIG News – June 2013, RIG Network’s Bi-monthly Newsletter, No.25 1 The Gimuy Fish and Food Festival 2013, August 15, Cairns The Gimuy Fish and Food Festival 2013 is a and other ingredients for the cook off challenge. celebration of culture, community and culinary delights. If you are working with the Gimuy community and other indigenous communities on conservation and Gimuy people (the Traditional Owners of Cairns) land management projects and would like to invite all who love and cherish this region to unite on participate by setting up a stall to inform people about issues of sustainability, indigenous biocultural your work please contact the organisers. They are diversity and natural wealth. It is important all particularly interested in food programs, gardens, understand that healthy land and sea means healthy native nurseries, rehabilitation projects and foods. indigenous employment initiatives. This year the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji community has invited Seith Fourmile and the Abriculture team to The day will round off with the Yidinji Corroboree coordinate the Gimuy Fish and Food Festival. The Circle bringing together Yidinji dancers from the Festival will be held at Fogarty Park on Thursday many different clans to perform the stories of the August 15, 11am – 6pm. There will be information landscapes and the history of the Yidinji people of stalls with opportunities to talk to people working on Cairns and surrounding areas. They will showcase practical grassroots projects in food production, the many different dances and customs of Yidinji conservation, rehabilitation and traditional land and people with the colourful systematic designs of the sea management along with childrens activities, Yidinji rainforest shields. traditional dancers and cultural performances. The Festival is sponsored by GBRMPA, Coles and Gimuy have invited three Chefs teams to battle for Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CAIF) and supported by the 2013 Gimuy Cook Off Crown. The 2012 Cook off the Turtle Rehabilitation Centre, DERM, DAFF, Challenge was snatched by Ochre Restaurant chef Girringun and Cairns Regional Council. There is no Craig Squire and this year it is up to the public to charge to have an information stall but donations are decide if he still meets the mark. There will be 200 welcome and will be used to support smaller free lunch tickets available to sample the sustainable community and cultural groups to attend. seafood feast and vote for who is the best Chef in To host a stall, donate or otherwise contribute town. Coles are supplying all sustainable seafood please contact [email protected] Allan Savory, Australian Tour - August 2013 Allan Savory is the Founder of Holistic day with Allan Savory – carbon, cattle and Management a decision-making framework used creating true capital, Tues 13th August 2013 at the world wide that mimics patterns in nature to pro- Mataranka Hall, NT. Thanks to Territory NRM there actively regenerate grasslands, watersheds and are 16 places available for NT Land Managers. rural community integrity. Contact Clair O’Brien (clair(at)bigpond.com) to discuss these opportunities or your Landcare or Advocates of this technique range from Professor Rangeland management about similar assistance. Tim Flannery to HRH Prince Charles. Over 2 million people have viewed Allan's recent TED talk Fellow participants at the Mataranka event will 'Greening the Desert: how to fight desertification and include key decision makers and influencers of policy reverse climate change' see http://on.ted.com/Savory and future direction across North Australia. Miners, and for more on Holistic Management see rangers, scientists, shire councils, farmers and http://www.savoryinstitute.com. cattlemen – anyone interested in the future prosperity of the North – are urged to attend and contribute to At age 76 Allan will not likely be returning to Australia an event that provides a unique chance to blend local too often. In August he will present talks and knowledge with proven innovation. seminars at major rural centres including Warwick, Lismore, Orange, Byron Bay, Dubbo, Mataranka The innovators from RegenAG® in partnership with in the NT and at Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Milkwood will present Allan Savory’s series of urban To access dates and details for each venue visit presentations: Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. See http://www.insideoutsidemgt.com.au/news-feeds http://regenag.com/web/. These talks and seminars are for city folk and farmers who are ready to engage Many people are making Alan’s Australian tour with a solutions-based, biological approach to repair possible. The O’Brien family from Coodardie & our planet and build resilience for future generations. Numul Numul Stations, NT, are part of the team welcoming Alan to Mataranka. Save the date! A As RegenAG says, ‘If you eat, you should come’. RIG News – June 2013, RIG Network’s Bi-monthly Newsletter, No.25 2 Pilot gardening program for asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants Putting Down Roots with Cultivating Community Peta Christensen is the Food Systems Projects and Partnerships Leader with Melbourne based NGO Cultivating Community. Peta has recently joined the RIG Advisory Group and I’m really looking forward working with her to expand RIG Network’s connections with innovative urban and regional food projects and people. Peta kindly provided the following story that illustrates how garden based programs can foster social inclusion and create connections to enhance wellbeing. Cultivating Community is a Melbourne based NGO who has been working on urban agriculture and community food projects including community gardens, school gardens, food waste and composting programs, community kitchens and a range of other sustainable food and social justice initiatives for over a decade. We’ve been part of many inspiring projects over the years however last year we got to work on a small but powerful initiative that really made us remember the deep rooted benefits of growing your own food. Cultivating Community teamed up with the Red Cross and CERES Environment Park to deliver Putting Down Roots, a wonderful pilot program dreamed up by two passionate young Red Cross Case Managers who could see the enormous potential of gardening and food growing to assist Asylum Seekers and other vulnerable migrants. Putting Down Roots aimed to increase the social and emotional well-being of participants and provide the means for people to have additional access to fresh and nutritious food. About 30 people took part in the program which involved attending an eight week horticulture course at CERES. The gardeners were then either connected with a plot in a community garden or a small garden was installed at the participant’s accommodation.