Introduction
‘Food security is a situation that exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life’HLPE, 2020
The global food system is under increasing pressures to feed a growing population in a way that is environmentally sustainable. Globally, food systems account for 30% of greenhouse gas emissions and despite enough food being produced to feed our global population more than 820 million people are affected by food insecurity. As we face more intense and unpredictable weather events, pandemics and shifts in trade, Australia’s current and future food security is threatened. The 2019/2020 bushfires and global pandemic COVID-19 have shown the fragility of long food supply chains and demonstrated the need to build resilience in our global and national food system.
Solutions to improving food security typically focus on increasing productivity and technology efficiencies. While, many farmers worldwide are shifting their focus to regenerative and sustainable growing practices, there is an increasing call for local, urban food production, that not only reduces the need for long distance transport and complex supply chains, but also strengthens the connection between farmers and communities, improving the diversity and types of foods available and reducing our reliance on monoculture croplands. Looking back to First Nations land management practices and indigenous crops are also being shown to strengthen local and regional food security, making communities more adaptable and resilient to climatic and landscape changes.
This kit and teaching guide will allow students to practice geographical and historical skills as well as touch on cross curricula ideas from economics, civics, science, and visual arts. Using historical artefacts and events to build a foundation, students are encouraged to brainstorm and analyse how healthy and sustainable food systems can support our food security now and into the future.
References:
- HLPE (2020) Food Security and Nutrition: Building a Global Narrative Towards 2030
- Food Security and Food Production Systems — IPCC
- Victorian Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report 2019 (climatechange.vic.gov.au)
- VicHealth (2020) Life & Health Reimagined: Good Food For All
- Foodbank (2020) Hunger Report
- Foodbank (2019) Hunger Report
How do I use this resource?
We suggest that you allow a week for preparation activities prior to the arrival or use of the kit, and 2-3 weeks for investigation of the learning kit. The activities in each section are designed to be sequential but are flexible enough to allow teachers to skip ideas and content where required.
As you progress through each section, the activities increase in complexity and push students to engage in more critical thinking or cross curricula skills. The artefacts in the learning kit are great launching pads for discussion, investigation, and research.
Curriculum links: Year 9 and 10
| Strand | Curriculum | Resource |
|---|---|---|
| Geographical Concepts and Skills | ||
| Place, space and interconnection | Predict changes in the characteristics of places over time and identify the possible implications of change for the future (VCGGC127) | Before the Kit Arrives - Activity 1,2,3,4; Preparing for the Future - Activity 4 |
| Identify, analyse and explain significant spatial distributions and patterns and identify and evaluate their implications, over time and at different scales (VCGGC128) | Before the Kit Arrives - Activity 1,2,3,4; Investigating the Past - Activity 4; Preparing for the Future - Activity 1,2 | |
| Identify, analyse and explain significant interconnections within places and between places over time and at different scales, and evaluate the resulting changes and further consequences (VCGGC129) | Before the Kit Arrives - Activity 4; Observing the Present – Activity 4; Preparing for the Future - Activity 1,2,4 | |
| Data and information | Collect and record relevant geographical data and information, using ethical protocols, from reliable and useful primary and secondary sources (VCGGC130) | Before the Kit Arrives - Activity 5; Observing the Present – Activity 2,3,4; Preparing for the Future - Activity 1,2,4,5 |
| Select, organise and represent data and information in different forms, including by constructing special purpose maps that conform to cartographic conventions, using digital and spatial technologies as appropriate (VCGGC131) | Preparing for the Future - Activity 1,2,5 | |
| Analyse and evaluate data, maps and other geographical information using digital and spatial technologies and Geographical Information Systems as appropriate, to develop identifications, descriptions, explanations and conclusions that use geographical terminology (VCGGC132) | Investigating the Past - Activity 3; Observing the Present – Activity 1,2,3,4; Preparing for the Future - Activity 5 | |
| Geographical Knowledge | ||
| Biomes and food security | Distribution and characteristics of biomes as regions with distinctive climates, soils, vegetation and productivity (VCGGK133) | Before the Kit Arrives - Activity 1,2,3; Preparing for the Future - Activity 5 |
| Environmental, economic and technological factors that influence crop yields in Australia and across the world (VCGGK134) | Observing the Present – Activity 2,3,4; Preparing for the Future - Activity 4,5 | |
| The interconnection between food production and land and water degradation; shortage of fresh water; competing land uses; and climate change, for Australia and other areas of the world (VCGGK135) | Before the Kit Arrives - Activity 4; Investigating the Past - Activity 4; Observing the Present – Activity 2,3,4; Preparing for the Future - Activity 1,2,4 | |
| Human alteration of biomes to produce food, industrial materials and fibres, and the environmental effects of these alterations (VCGGK136) | Before the Kit Arrives - Activity 3; Observing the Present – Activity 4; Preparing for the Future - Activity 4, 5 | |
| Land and resource management strategies used by Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples to achieve food security over time (VCGGK137) | Investigating the Past - Activity 1,4; Preparing for the Future - Activity 4 | |
| Challenges in feeding the current and projected populations of Australia and the world, and responses to these challenges (VCGGK138) | Before the Kit Arrives - Activity 4,5; Investigating the Past - Activity 4; Preparing for the Future - Activity 3,4 | |
| Geographies of human wellbeing | Role of initiatives by international and national government and non-government organisations to improve human wellbeing in Australia and other countries (VCGGK154) | Before the Kit Arrives - Activity 1 |
| Interconnecting causes of spatial variations between countries in selected indicators of human wellbeing (VCGGK150) | Before the Kit Arrives - Activity 4 | |
| Economics and Business | ||
| Resource Allocation and Making Choices | Explain the links between economic performance and living standards, including the variations that exist within and between economies, and give reasons for the possible causes of variations (VCEBR022) | Before the Kit Arrives - Activity 3 |
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