A new report from CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, is calling for a bold, "food bowl" approach to safeguard the nation's food supply.
The South East Queensland (SEQ) Food System Strategy – developed in partnership with the Council of Mayors South East Queensland (CoMSEQ) and regional stakeholders – sets out a clear strategy to boost the region's food security ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Lead author and CSIRO scientist Dr Cathy Robinson said the strategy marked a shift away from fragmented planning towards coordinated, region-wide action and was vital to respond to climate volatility, rapid population growth and increasingly fragile supply chains.
"Achieving sustainable resilient food goals can't be achieved with a piecemeal approach," said Dr Robinson.
"If Australia is to achieve reliable, affordable and sustainable food in the decades ahead, we need systems thinking where production, processing, transport, consumption and waste are planned together, not in isolation."
She said South East Queensland (SEQ) was a critical showcase.
"With the region's population projected to exceed six million by 2046, pressure on land, water, infrastructure and supply chains will intensify and be compounded by global uncertainties and events such as the Games, which will place unprecedented demand on food supply and logistics," Dr Robinson said.
"Feeding a growing region – and ensuring success for world events like the 2032 Games – won't happen by accident.
"It requires deliberate collaboration across the whole food system, from farmers and manufacturers to retailers, councils and consumers."
The document focuses on 11 local government areas across SEQ – Brisbane, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Logan, Moreton Bay, Noosa, Redland, Scenic Rim, Somerset, Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba – while offering a model that could be replicated in regions across the country where food is produced or manufactured.
Dr Robinson said the challenges were not insignificant.
"Mega events such as the 2032 Games will create a temporary surge in food demand and access issues, requiring careful planning, diversifying of markets and scale up of local production."
The strategy, which builds on the work of CSIRO's Towards a State of the Food Systems Report for Australia, was about more than economics, said co-author CSIRO's Dr Peggy Schrobback.
"The food system supports jobs, community wellbeing, cultural identity and people's access to healthy, nutritious food," said Dr Schrobback.
"Even the most productive regions are vulnerable if supply chains falter or planning is misaligned."
Council of Mayors (SEQ) Chair Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said food and agriculture were part of South East Queensland's identity, but local industries were under growing pressure.
"When people in South East Queensland can easily get fresh food, they're not just eating well, they're enjoying the health, jobs and economic benefits that come with it," Cr Schrinner said.
"We have an incredible opportunity to serve up the best of South East Queensland to the world with Brisbane 2032 on our doorstep, but planning needs to start now to make it happen.
"We can't solve these challenges alone, so strong partnerships with other levels of government and industry are critical to make sure our food system is ready for the future."
The SEQ Food System Strategy identifies three priority areas for immediate action:
- Strengthen SEQ as a resilient food bowl by protecting key agricultural land and infrastructure and ensuring affordable, nutritious food for all.
- Feed population growth and major events, including the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, while strengthening supply chains and showcasing SEQ's food identity.
- Build a globally competitive food innovation system by connecting data, research and industry, embracing circular solutions and elevating Indigenous food knowledge.
