The Greater Bendigo food system shapes all aspects of our life. Learn more about how the City is working to strengthen our local food system.
What is a food system?
The food system includes all of the steps it takes to get food (and drink) on our plate. This includes how food and drinks are grown and produced, processed, packaged and distributed, marketed, sold, consumed and then disposed of. It encompasses all of the resources (e.g. soil, farm inputs, and infrastructure), activities (e.g. harvesting, marketing, waste disposal) and people (e.g. farmers, processors, retailers, chefs, policy makers) involved in providing and regulating food and drink to people.
The Greater Bendigo Food System
Greater Bendigo’s food system is shaped by and shapes all aspects of our life. This includes:
- The culture that informs our food and drink choices
- Our environment, and what can be grown, where and when
- The economic and political forces that impact food access
Building strong local food systems can significantly enhance food security and the health and wellbeing of communities by:
- improving the availability of and access to nutritious and diverse food
- strengthening the local economy
- revitalising urban and natural environments