We cannot continue relying on food banks and the charities industry
The government must take the lead. Rachel was also a Research Fellow on the project “Regulating Food Labels: The Case of Free-range Foods in Australia, which was supported through The Australian Research Council.
In the immediate aftermath, there’s a fresh issue for many Australians who live in flood-hit regions. Along with the destruction of livelihoods, homes wat, supplies, and infrastructure, it isn’t easy to find food. Food stores are in a shortage of fresh food items. The major supermarkets have been ordered to set purchasing limits for certain food items.
Food stores are bare, and shelves are crowded. Temporary shortages of food are becoming more frequent in Australia due to disruptions in the food supply due to the COVID-19 virus as well as extreme weather conditions.
Australia is likely to experience extreme weather conditions, and catastrophes such as heatwaves, floods, droughts, and bushfires will get more frequent and worse, according to the most recent report from the world’s authority known as The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Food supplies are likely to be disrupted more frequently, and food prices will increase.
Our government agencies largely depend heavily on food companies to ensure that our supply chains are resistant to these risks. The government also relies on charitable organizations to provide food to those who are hungry following natural disasters.
As climate-related threats increase and the climate becomes more dangerous, our responses aren’t enough. Governments must become leaders.
The empty shelves of supermarkets are becoming more commonplace in the aftermath of flood and pandemic catastrophes. Mick Tsikas/AAP
These shocks impact the entire food chain.
Pandemic and climate shocks create serious challenges to the food chain from production through transport to consumption. In the last few days, flooding has destroyed or washed away vegetables in low-lying regions within the Lockyer Valley near Brisbane, which is a highly productive horticultural region.
Read more: To protect fresh food supplies, here are the key steps to secure city food bowls.
Fresh food has been damaged in warehouses, while the Brisbane Markets had to close due to flood damage.
The Pacific Highway between Sydney and Brisbane is blocked in some areas, which has impacted the distribution of food products to a few supermarkets and other stores. In contrast, food aid for emergencies is provided to residents affected by the floods. Also, food wastage is expected to rise due to the loss of crops, delays in food delivery, and power interruptions.
This calendar year, West Australia had food shortages described as ” the worst in memory” following the floods swept away 300 km of the single railway connecting it with Eastern states.
Food supply shocks have the most effect on those most at risk.
Floods, as well as the pandemic, impact a lot of people due to intermittent food scarcity and increased food costs. However, the most severe impact is for those who are already at risk of being afflicted by food insecurity, which means they could be unable to access a regular supply of healthy and safe food items to live a healthy lifestyle.
The rates for food insecurity across Australia are the highest for Aboriginal as well as Torres Strait Islander peoples, asylum seekers, and those who are employed but also households with low incomes.
For the first twelve months of the pandemic, Australian demand increased by a third for food aid. Many more people were forced into poverty, as well as people working casually who lost their jobs, temporary migrant workers, and international students.
