Food Security & Community Support
The National Community Landscape Framework recognises that food security is part of community resilience.
Community Landscapes are not intended to replace agriculture, food retailers, charities or government support systems. Their role is to strengthen local capacity, encourage food literacy, reduce avoidable waste and create additional community benefit where appropriate.
Where Community Landscapes produce harvests, the guiding principle should be public benefit rather than commercial return.
Purpose
This page establishes the role of food security and community support within the National Community Landscape Framework.
Its purpose is to ensure that any food-related benefit generated through Community Landscapes is managed in a way that supports dignity, accessibility, local resilience and responsible community stewardship.
Community Support Pathways
Free Community Benefit
Where produce is made available to residents or recipients, the preferred principle is that it should be provided without charge.
Food Banks & Community Kitchens
Where appropriate, surplus produce may support approved food banks, community kitchens, neighbourhood centres or local support programs.
Seasonal Sharing
Harvests may provide seasonal support, educational value and community connection without creating unrealistic expectations of constant supply.
Food Literacy
Community Landscapes may help residents understand growing, harvesting, preparation, nutrition, seasonality and responsible food use.
Dignity & Accessibility
Community support should be delivered in ways that preserve dignity and avoid stigma.
Where food is shared through community programs, recipients should not be treated as passive beneficiaries but as members of the same community the Framework is designed to strengthen.
Access arrangements should be locally determined and should consider public safety, food safety, cultural expectations, accessibility and the needs of vulnerable residents.
Public Benefit, Not Commercial Return
Community Landscapes should not be treated as commercial food production systems.
Their value lies in the combined benefit they provide through environmental stewardship, education, participation, local resilience and community support.
Where produce is distributed, it should support public benefit, community sharing, education, seed saving, approved food support partnerships or other locally appropriate non-commercial outcomes.
Responsible Support
- Food sharing should remain consistent with local food safety requirements.
- Produce intended for food support programs should be handled responsibly.
- Communities should avoid making unsupported claims about harvest quantity or reliability.
- Food security outcomes should be viewed as complementary rather than primary.
- Partnerships should be transparent and locally accountable.