City of Geelong Urban Agriculture Policy Snapshot

• All members of the community have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their cultural and dietary needs
• Food is produced and consumed in ways that protect the natural resources and increase the resilience of Geelong’s food system
• Food growers and other food businesses in the Geelong region thrive
• We celebrate our cultural and culinary diversity
• People have the knowledge and skills to participate actively in shaping the region’s food system.

(City of Greater Geelong, 2015)

Urban agriculture is recognized as an important component in establishing and maintaining this resilience. An extensive definitions section reflects a complex understanding of local food systems as being not only about production and consumption, but food safety, access, waste, culturally appropriate foods, resilience and fairness. Action areas include;

• Land use planning
• Licensing and Regulation
• Facilitation, Advocacy and Leadership
• Partnership and Civic Engagement
• Information
• Workforce development

(City of Greater Geelong, 2015)

Actions in these areas will aim to promote, support and facilitate urban food production and local food networks, amoung other aims. An action plan was scheduled to be developed during 2015.

The Food Policy makes strong links to a number of other key Council documents that include; The City Plan (2013-2017), Geelong’s Health and Wellbeing Plan (2013-2017), Greater Geelong Planning Scheme 2014, Geelong Port City 2050, Rural land use strategy 2007, The City of Greater Geelong’s Environment Management Strategy 2013-2017 Regional Food System Alliance, (established in 2009), Geelong Food Assistance Network.

The Strategy identifies the key drivers of environmental change and future threats, which the Strategy attempts to plan for and contend with (2014, City of Greater Geelong). These forces are categorized into; Climate Change, Population Growth, Lifestyles – Consumption and Ecological Footprint, & Economic Model – Unsustainable Growth (City of Greater Geelong, 2014).

Particular attention is paid to agriculture, as approximately 49,236 hectares of rural hinterland in Greater Geelong is given to primary production activities (City of Greater Geelong, 2014). The productive capacity, sustainability, and ecological health of this land is under constant threat, and Council actions relating to agricultural land are guided by principles of restoration, protection and maintenance of the environment and its natural resources, reducing resource consumption, developing a culture of sustainability, and heightening the community’s capacity to care for the environment (City of Greater Geelong, 2014).

The document ties into the City Plan’s vision for “building our community through enterprise, opportunity and innovation in a quality environment” (City Plan 2013-17), and links to dozens of council policies that deliver the strategic outcomes (City of Greater Geelong, 2014).

Benefits of Urban Forests (City of Greater Geelong, 2015a)

In addition to the many benefits listed in the table, urban forests are an important food source, and a source that in the context climate change is becoming increasingly important. The resilience of urban forests to climactic pressures is emphasized throughout the document, a characteristic applicable to food forests and an area that is receiving increasing attention in the context of global environmental change.

(City of Greater Geelong, 2015a)