Food and Water for Life: working with indigenous communities to improve food and water security

Background

• Food and water insecurity are critical factors contributing to poor nutrition and impacting planetary health. When communities lack access to an adequate and diverse food supply or clean water, they often resort to consuming nutritionally deficient options, leading to malnutrition and its associated health issues.
• By tackling these interconnected challenges, we can improve nutrition outcomes and safeguard the health of both people and the planet.

Aim

• The overall goal of this five-year program is to mobilise communities and support them to transform local food systems.
• With a focus on remote communities in Australia, the Pacific Islands and India, this program will support communities to measure the impact of community-led initiatives to strengthen food and water security.

Research Methodology:

• The program will the Household Food Insecurity Access Index Scale (HFIAS) and the Household Water Security Index Scale (HWISE) which are internationally recognised tools, to measure food and water security in communities.
• Communities will be supported to establish evidence-informed food system transformation programs building on successful initiatives globally.