Food unites where hunger divides

Food unites where hunger divides. This was the powerful message shared by Andrew Henderson from Agsecure in his recent Plant Health Australia presentation on the geopolitical importance of a national food security strategy.

Food is fundamental to human sustenance, social connection, and is at the heart of ‘the haves and the have nots’ - the basis of equality and world peace. Although considered fundamental, the world is still grappling with what constitutes food and its importance. What is real food? Do we have enough? What is the role of food in the treatment of major and chronic disease which is being asked by the growing Food is Medicine global movement.

It is therefore interesting to review the meaning of the word. If food is any nutritious substance that humans consume to maintain life and growth with the major source being plants and animals, then what do we call what is stocked in the rest of the supermarket? Shelves continue to expand with expensive, trendy supplements, pre-packaged meals, boxed ‘milks’, and processed foods – yet chronic disease continues to grow.

To us, a whole food, plant-based diet is an eating pattern that celebrates a variety of nutrient-dense, minimally processed vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, beans and legumes, nuts, and seeds. They should form half the plate, every plate! As consumers, we trust and assume the food we are buying is nutritious and, whilst some growers receive a premium for good quality produce, there is currently no avenue for a grower to receive a premium for nutrient-dense food. We ask, why not?

We are now looking inside supermarkets very differently after the many inquiries and political debate this year. So, as we walk through them in the lead up to the holidays, let’s stop to think about where our food comes from, who grows it, and how important it is for our general health and wellbeing.

At QFVG we are unashamedly horticulture obsessed, so we will continue to be strong, loud, and brave in promoting the vitality and value of the food grown for us to stay healthy and connected.

In 2025, we will also be loud in our call to bring back health promotion efforts stripped from the primary health care system over a decade ago. It’s time to elevate the message, and for innovative, place-based education and behavioural change programs for large-scale, long-term impact across the population.