LOCAL FOOD • EDUCATION • COMMUNITY
Food is everybody’s business. We’re building local, sustainable food networks in Alice Springs through food gardens, community engagement and education. Our food vision is a system that’s equitable, regenerative and supports connected communities and the environment.
Highlights
- ALEC has established two community gardens in Alice Springs
- Food for Alice is a social enterprise connecting local producers, growers and buyers through a weekly food market
- Resources on arid zone gardening support home gardening, which is an integral part of local food systems
- Arid Edge work to tackle food insecurity and address health issues in Indigenous communities through edible gardens and nutrition education
Growing a community garden network
Community gardens are places where Alice Springs residents and volunteers can grow fresh food, improve food literacy, develop skills in arid zone gardening, build community ties through shared activities, and enjoy a good local harvest together. Gardening is a way that people can participate in bringing biodiversity and helping to support populations of pollinators.
ALEC has a long-term vision for a network of gardens in Alice Springs that are supported by the community. By taking a community development approach, gardens can foster diverse and inclusive partnerships between garden groups and local businesses, schools, social service providers and community organisations in Alice Springs.
ALEC has helped to establish two community gardens in Alice Springs:
Alice Springs Community Garden, East Side
Westside Community Garden, Gillen
Food for Alice
Food for Alice is a social enterprise connecting local people with local produce and working toward food security for the Alice Springs community. Food for Alice runs a weekly market, Saturday 9-11 AM at the Alice Springs Community Garden – selling fresh, quality produce from local, ethical suppliers and backyard growers.
https://www.alec.org.au/food_for_alice
Volunteer
Volunteers are an essential part of the growing local food network of Alice Springs. Volunteering is a great way to make a difference to the environment and meet people within your community. There are many different areas that individual volunteers can get involved with: become a volunteer with Food for Alice, or participate in working bees at one of the community gardens.
Learn more
Amern Mwerr food security in Indigenous Communities
Arid Edge, ALEC’s social enterprise arm, builds food gardens in Indigenous communities to increase people’s access to fresh fruit, vegetables and bush tucker foods. The program combines hands-on gardening training with nutrition education to tackle food insecurity and support people to lead healthy lives on country.
