This project, titled CULTIVATE: Collaborative Food Security Solutions among Migrant Populations, aims to identify policy opportunities to combat amongst diverse migrant and refugee communities in Australia during the current cost-of-living crisis. Collaborating with researchers, governments and local communities, the project expects to generate new data, community engagement, and policy implementation tools for advancing national and local food security policies.
The need
There has been a global rise in food insecurity since 2019, with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimating that 31% of the world’s population unable to afford sufficient nutritious food. In Australia, 13% of households were found to experience food insecurity in 2023, with this figure much higher (i.e. 35%-90%) among refugee communities prior to COVID-19. Currently, we do not have sufficient data on the true extent or diverse experiences of food insecurity amongst most migrant and refugees. We also don’t fully understand how migrant communities can be better supported to self-determine food security solutions. This project aims to provide this evidence.
About
Over three years, Project CULTIVATE will:
- Develop and test more culturally sensitive and comprehensive food security monitoring tools among migrant communities in Australia.
- Identify migrant community policy priorities for advancing their food security.
- Identify what helps or hinders successful implementation of these policies locally, nationally and internationally.
The project will use quantitative surveys, interviews and policy analysis methods to provide a comprehensive understanding of food security policies that improve outcomes for migrant communities in Australia.
Impact
- This project will strengthen how Australia understands and tracks the food insecurity experiences of migrant and refugee communities.
- It will support communities to lead conversations with decision makers and bring self-determined strategies into food policy conversations through direct communication with decision-makers and community forums.
- By helping shape culturally informed food insecurity responses during the cost-of-living crisis, we hope to create social, cultural and economic benefits that reach across Australia.
Partners
Funding
Our funding is pooled from a number of organisations and research funds:
- Australian Research Council – Discovery Early Career Researcher Award