Community Gardens Australia Position Statement on Food Security

Community Gardens Australia (CGA) is the national peak body and networking organisation connecting community gardeners across the country. Our position statements respond to current issues aligned with our vision of connected, nourishing, accessible and resilient community gardens for all Australians.

Our statements include broad recommendations for positive change, offering practical options for improving the health and wellbeing of Australians through stronger policy and increased funding support for community gardens.

The issue: food security

Food is not only central to daily life but is recognised as a fundamental human right. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) defines food security as a state where all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and preferences for an active, healthy life.

Although Australia is broadly considered food secure, not all Australians enjoy equal access to affordable and nutritious food. Food security is vulnerable to economic shocks, climate change, biosecurity risks, and global instability. Strengthening local food security infrastructure is therefore essential.

The role of community gardens

Community Gardens Australia supports gardens that engage with and are created for and by the community. This includes city farms, school gardens, verge gardens, church gardens, nature gardens, play gardens, community education gardens, landcare gardens and even private gardens that are open to the community or community gardens that have been built on private land.

Community gardens are deeply rooted in place – growing food close to home, reducing carbon footprints, and strengthening neighbourhood connections. Together, they form a national network that directly supports food security and social cohesion.

Recent 2024 CGA survey findings highlight the growing impact of gardens:

• Volunteer effort: More than 339,000 hours are contributed annually, a 10% increase from 2023.

• Participation: Over 480,000 people visited community gardens in 2024, up 165,000 from the previous year. More gardens are attracting larger groups, with 17 reporting more than 100 visitors per week and 9 of those welcoming over 200.

• Supporting their communities: Over a third of gardens donate produce to food banks, soup kitchens, and charities – helping neighbours who face food insecurity.

• Health and wellbeing: More than 80% of gardeners reported improvements in their overall health and wellbeing since joining.

Beyond food production, community gardens:

• Provide healthy, affordable food in areas underserved by fresh outlets.

• Increase resilience in the face of climate shocks and severe weather.

• Support First Nations knowledge sharing and place-based growing methods.

• Act as hubs for composting, beekeeping, cooking classes, and sustainability education – teaching communities about food production, encouraging food sovereignty and growing culturally appropriate and non-commercially viable foods.

• Host social activities such as playgroups, yoga, and shared meals—strengthening mental and physical health, while fostering connected communities.

Despite this positive impact, most gardens are sustained almost entirely by volunteers. With appropriate support, this infrastructure could deliver far greater benefits at scale.

Opportunity for action

CGA calls on the Federal Government to accelerate action by embedding community gardens into food security policy measures and funding commitments. Supported at scale, community gardens offer a cost-effective, proven way to build resilient, healthy, and food-secure communities.

As the Federal Government develops a National Food Security Strategy, it must explicitly recognise and support community gardens as critical local food security infrastructure.

CGA’s national network already links urban, regional, and rural communities in every state and territory. With appropriate funding, this ready-made social infrastructure can be scaled quickly to deliver immediate improvements in food access, household cost savings, and community resilience—while laying the foundation for long-term food security outcomes.

With 60% of gardens reporting unmet funding needs, most rely on multiple small income streams such as plot fees, plant sales, donations, and grants – but chasing funds is stressful and unsustainable. Many report exhaustion from constantly seeking money for essentials such as insurance, water, and infrastructure. With national recognition and funding, CGA could rapidly operationalise a national community garden program to expand the reach and impact of gardens in every corner of Australia.

Proposed program elements:

Conclusion

Community gardens are ready-made, community-driven infrastructure for food security. With proper support, they can deliver immediate local benefits and long-term national impact.

CGA urges the Federal Government to partner with us in reimagining Australia’s food secure future—where every community, urban to remote, has access to nourishing, locally grown food and thriving, connected community spaces.

Let’s do it.