Knowledge hub

In 2015 Melbourne's foodbowl produced enough fresh fruit and vegetables to meet around 41 per cent of the city's food needs. However, by 2050 that figure could plummet to 18 per cent. How will Melbourne continue to produce the quantity of fresh fruit and vegetables it needs to feed itself when faced with such threats?

Five years ago, Dr Rachel Carey and colleagues Kirsten Larsen and Jen Sheridan at The University of Melbourne began a comprehensive research project known as FoodPrint Melbourne to investigate the future of Melbourne’s food growing capacity and its ability to feed a rapidly growing population.

Over the years, the project has developed significantly and is influencing current government policy on protecting the future of Melbourne’s foodbowl.

 

Unprecedented rainfall, unpredictable fire seasons, extreme drought. Whether it’s the Black Summer bushfires, devastating floods in Lismore or another mass bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef, climate change is leaving an indelible mark on our country.