Waste Not, Want Not - The Opportunity of Food in Crisis

In the very same state where a bounty of fresh produce grows, 26 million meals were provided to Queenslanders facing hunger in the last year. It’s a stark and deeply troubling contradiction.

At the heart of this issue is the volatile intersection of food production, distribution, and the economic pressures Australians are facing. Food insecurity is a growing problem here and across Australia, driven in part by the rising cost of living.

In recent years, rent, mortgages, energy, and fuel costs have surged, stretching family budgets to breaking point. For many, nutritious food has become a ‘luxury’ item, the first thing to be sacrificed when money is tight. Subsequently, community food banks and charities report record demand – a need that continues to outpace resources.

Of course, our farmers have been generous contributors and members of hunger relief charities. This generosity is highlighted in Food Bank’s 2024 Impact Report where farmers donated $33 million of fresh produce. This isn’t a long-term solution, particularly when QFVG and others are advocating for less waste in the system.

Surely this crossroads of unprofitable food production and increased food insecurity issues requires the need to think very differently.

This dilemma is not simply about logistics or profitability; it’s a symptom of systemic inefficiencies that prevent fresh food from reaching those who need it most. If we want to tackle hunger, a stronger collaborative network between farmers, government, and non-profit organisations is needed.

Programs that subsidise the distribution of surplus produce to local food banks, for example, could help reroute these resources to Queenslanders facing food insecurity. For growers, tax incentives could encourage the donation of surplus crops, making it economically viable to contribute to the cause without facing financial strain themselves. But even this should not be the end game.

For us, the end game looks something like this.

No longer talking about food waste – instead we talk of unallocated food and finding it a home in need.

No longer talking about oversupply or surplus crops – instead we talk about underconsumption where nine out of 10 Australians are not eating enough fruit, vegetables, and nuts to sustain health and wellbeing.

Learning from other countries where successful models already exist. Initiatives that have worked to redistribute food surplus, with governments stepping in to absorb distribution costs. Such approaches could help us transition from a wasteful system to one that prioritises sustainability and social welfare.

Embracing these opportunities is not just about reducing waste – it’s a chance to address the root causes of hunger and improve resilience against cost-of-living shocks. The same inflationary pressures that push families into poverty affect farmers too, who bear rising costs in labour, fuel, and inputs.

We have both the need and the resources to tackle the issue head on. All that’s missing is the will to transform our food systems. Now, more than ever, there is an opportunity for Queensland’s agricultural sector and policymakers to work together, transforming so-called waste into nourishment and crisis into opportunity.

In a world where waste is a choice, there is no excuse for want.