A new FOODpath is paving the way to food security and community wellbeing

The industrious volunteer gardeners planted a wide range of vegetables, including ambitious varieties such as taro, the South East Asian favourite that thrives in humid tropical conditions. The volunteers were eager to see if they can help the vegetable survive the dry Melbourne summer.

The Footscray FOODpath garden is the first of its kind in Footscray, a community that experiences food insecurity at twice the rate of the Victorian average. 'Members of the population most at risk of food insecurity include refugees, asylum seekers, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds,' says Dr Isabelle de Solier, FOODpath Program Manager. The program is specifically geared toward helping the growing population of refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants of African backgrounds settle into life in Footscray and empower them to improve their food security. FOODpath is also open to the broader community.

While many community gardens are divided into individual plots for each gardener, the crops at FOODpath will be communally shared. This will give inexperienced gardeners an opportunity to learn from seasoned gardeners and encourages the formation of strong social bonds. The program will also work with the community to offer workshops on topics such as gardening, composting, and healthy eating.

In addition to its mission to improve food security, the program also aims to increase knowledge and skills related to food, nutrition, urban agriculture and sustainability, provide a framework for healthy eating and exercise, and encourage social inclusion. A potential long-term goal is to turn the garden into a microeconomic powerhouse through activities such as food swaps or Farmer's Markets.

Dr de Solier will also conduct research on the project and examine its impact on the community, including factors such as physical and mental health, social connection, food literacy, and maintenance of cultural identity. 'We aim to develop an evidence base for governments, NGOs, and healthcare providers interested in using community gardens to address a complex range of health, environment, economic, and social challenges in the 21st century,' Dr de Solier says.

FOODpath is a collaborative project formed in partnership between the Brotherhood of St Laurence and Anglican Parish of Footscray's African Australian Community Centre, Victoria University's Centre for Cultural Diversity and Wellbeing, Foodbank Victoria, Cultivating Community, and the City Making Collective.

FOODpath is located at the African Australian Community Centre at 32 Pickett St, Footscray. Email aacc@bsl.org.au for more information on how you can get involved.