What steps can you can take to improve food sovereignty and water security at home?

Food sovereignty is about communities having greater control over their own food systems. Water security is about having reliable access to enough clean fresh water to meet our needs. There are lots of things you do in your community and at home to improve food sovereignty and water security - both big and small. Check out these tips for using food and water wisely and reducing waste. They've been tried and tested by communities featured in the SBS Audio podcast Everything We Need.

Joselyne wanted to grow food when she arrived in Mildura from Burundi but it wasn't easy as she didn't own land. The Food Next Door Co-op came up with solution, matching property owners who had unused land with organic farmers. Credit: Food Next Door Co-op

The podcast Everything We Need shows how different communities in regional Victoria are tackling climate impacts head on by exploring new ways to work together.

In the regional city of Mildura, where water is traded for profit and most produce is exported, a co-op is helping to ensure basic food and water security for local people.

There are lots of simple ideas that you can take from their experience to improve food and water security where you live.

Tips to support food security

• Buy local.
  Research where your groceries come from and how many food miles items take to get to you. Substituting one product at a time for a closer version and deciding not to purchase some items because of distance will gradually get your food miles down.
  
• Reduce your own food waste.
  Creating a meal plan can be a useful tool - but only if you base it on foods that is both locally grown and in season. Experiment with substituting non-local ingredients for those that are closer to home. There are many great food hacks that can help with food waste too. Try keeping your veggie scraps in the freezer and then boiling up a stock every so often, or dice up the heel of your bakery loaves and keep in the freezer to make croutons with later.
  
  
• Choose fruit and vegetables that are good but don’t look perfect.
  Huge amounts of good food goes to waste because consumers avoid wonky carrots or fruit with spots (that is otherwise fine).
  
  
• Try preserving and storing food when it is inexpensive and in abundance.
  Making jam is a wonderful entry into the world of long term food storage.
  
  
• Be aware of how long your household can be comfortable without going to the shops.
  If you have space, bulk buying is a great way to counterbalance the inconvenience that can accompany the need to buy foods that are not available in supermarket chains - it also reduces packaging.
  
  
• Grow your own food.
  Herbs and micro greens like sprouts are easy to start with. Even just planting flowers will help your local bees and other pollinators. Joining a community garden and renting a small plot is a great option if you don’t have space to grow food at home.
  
  
• Buy in-season fruit and veg from small scale farmers growing for local consumption.
  Buy locally grown fresh food from farmers markets or food cooperatives. Sometimes community/ neighbourhood houses run markets too. Ordering a weekly, organic, locally grown food box can help you stay on track with eating in season.
  
  
• Get to know your closest farms and visit them.
  Many farms have open days and welcome consumer interest. Community supported agriculture (CSA) is a great way to support farmers to grow for local consumption. With CSA you purchase a regular subscription to food grown from a specific farm or group of farms.
  
  
• Always choose food grown organically or without chemicals when you can.
  Food grown in an organic way is better for the environment. It improves carbon and water storage in soils and also does not harm biodiversity.
  
  
• Support the non-monetary economy by growing and sharing food in your community.
  Volunteer to start or participate in a food garden at your local school or community centre, or even on the roof of your apartment block. Get to know your neighbours and swap food when it's in abundance.
  

LISTEN TO

Mildura locals innovate to safeguard food and water in a changing climate

SBS Audio

21/04/202419:20

Play

Tips to support water security

• Be aware of where the water you use comes from.
  Find out how secure it is and get political if you need to. If there is a creek or a waterway near you, join in with community clean-up events to keep your local waterways clean, and lobby the water authority if environmental flows are inadequate.
  
  
• Use less water at home, whether you rent or own.
  Fix leaking taps immediately and replace unfixable items with water efficient ones, such as water-efficient washing machines and toilets. Take shorter showers and keep a bucket in the shower to collect water for the garden.
  
  
• Harvest your own water.
  Install water tanks and consider possibilities for diverting grey water to where it can be productive.
  
  
• Soil is a great place to store water.
  Adding compost to your soil helps with water retention and carbon storage. For larger properties, swales and keyline ripping support water retention and reduce erosion.
  
  
• Choose native plants that prefer dryer, hotter conditions and use less water for gardening.
  Adding mulch on garden beds reduces evaporation. Use a drip watering system rather than sprinklers. Plant for pollinators and biodiversity. A birdbath can help feathered neighbours survive hot days.