Most areas across Australian are dealing with food insecurity as food relief services say demand is growing. It comes as experts warn the price of groceries is likely to increase due to the war in the Middle East. Source: ABC News.
One in three Australian households have experienced food insecurity over the past year, according to Foodbank Australia.
Foodbank Australia’s Hunger Map shows about 30 per cent of households nationally are food insecure, with the severity ranging from relying on cheaper, less nutritious foods to going “whole days” without eating.
The food charity examined 89 regions defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Of those regions, 71 had more than 30 per cent of households grappling with food insecurity.
Foodbank Australia’s chief executive Kylea Tink said food insecurity has become both systemic and endemic across the country.
“Rather than being something that is marginalised, the fact is that one in three households across Australia are experiencing food insecurity on a fairly regular basis,” she said.
“What we’re finding is that more and more people are slipping into that circumstance.”
Nick Rose, who specialises in sustainable food systems, said the food relief sector was initially created as a temporary measure but has become the dominant policy response by governments.
He said there needed to be a different approach to addressing food insecurity, which started with understanding the issue.
Dr Rose highlighted Scotland, where there are plans to phase out food banks over the next decade in favour of allowing people to access an emergency cash fund.
The Albanese Government is developing a national food security strategy which will be designed alongside farmers and fishers, industry and the community.
In the wake of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision to increase rates last week Australia’s leading food relief organisations warned there would be increased demand for their services.
Australia’s peak farming body has also said the price of groceries were likely to increase in the coming weeks as producers and the freight industry grapple with diesel price hikes and supply issues as a result of the US-Israel war on Iran.
FULL STORY
Australians are struggling with food insecurity and the Iran war is set to make it worse (By Ahmed Yussuf, ABC News)
