2015 Network Gathering — Adelaide
Our network — our future
THAT’S THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR’S annual meeting of the Australian City Farms & Community Gardens Network (ACFCGN) in Adelaide, South Australia.
It’s 20 years since Darren Phillips approaches us at Randwick Community Centre in Sydney with the idea that the time had come to create a national network or community gardeners, city farmers and those interested in the then-new initiatives of cities feeding themselves.
Since then, we’ve led the move to legitimise community gardening and other types of urban agriculture as valid urban landuses. The Network has produced instructional publications, assisted local government and helped in the establishment of new community gardens, and participated on state government advisory bodies on community food systems. More than that, we’ve created an online platform that stitches community gardeners into a national network geared towards self-help and mutual assistance.
Our future
At this annual meeting, we’re going to think about where the Network goes from here.
Community gardens and city farms form the DIY end of the emerging community food systems movement. Now we need to build on our accomplishments and consider how community gardens — and our Network in particular — will play a role in this new movement being built around diverse gardens, good food, fair food.
We invite you to join us in Adelaide as we consider how we go about doing this.
20 years since its modest start, now is the time for the next big step. Join us, so we can move forward together.
