About Manawatū Food Action Network

Manawatū Food Action Network is a collective of social service and environmental organisations (and other community stakeholders) working together to increase collaboration, education and awareness to benefit our local community around issues of food security, food resilience and food localisation. 

Our activities include advocacy and education for food resiliency, food localisation, community-food initiatives, skills transfer and waste minimisation in the Manawatū.

Our scope of interest includes (but is not limited to) food security, food sovereignty, food banks and sharing sites, food waste capture, harvest capture, food resiliency, localising food, community gardens, community food education, crop swaps, seed banks, composting and more.

We work together to help close gaps, encourage better collaboration and awareness of services and activities of the members to the benefit of the local community. 

We seek to foster and assist food resilience projects which are successful in increasing the mana and sovereignty of food-insecure communities. 

Some of our MFAN network members include Just Zilch, RECAP (The Society for the Resilience and Engagement of the Communities of Ashhurst and Pohangina), Whakapai Hauora, Te Waka Huia, Supergrans Manawatū, Plant to Plate Aotearoa, Methodist Social Services, Massey University researchers in food security and more.

 

Contact 

Manawatū Food Action Network

Daniel Morrimire - Coordinator

Email: food.action@enm.org.nz 

(06) 355 0126

FB: www.facebook.com/manawatufoodaction

IG: @manawatūfoodaction 

 

MFAN's Background 

Formed in 2016, the Manawatū Food Action Network is a collaboration across social services, food resilience groups in the environmental sector, Massey academics and health organisations. The network arose from recognition there was the potential to better solve food insecurity and to empower people with food resiliency skills with increased networking and collaboration.

From 2016, the network was run on top of members’ core business as capacity allowed. In 2020, partially as a Covid-19 response, Environment Network Manawatū invested in a ten week mapping, research and development contract for the Food Action Network to conclude with a large meeting. After this June 30 2020 meeting MFAN secured a funding investment from PNCC to enable the continuation of a part-time coordination role. This has resulted in increased communications, networking, resource-brokering, cross-organisation collaborations and capacity-building of resilience groups. 

We acknowledge the mahi of Volunteer Central and Norelle Ward who initiated and housed MFAN from 2016-2018. 

ENM's Food Vision Statement

What vision do our members share? What are our objectives?

Our members have contributed to the development of the following shared vision:

As people of the Manawatū River catchment, we will receive our food in ways that enhance ecosystem functioning and the environment while also supporting human health and well-being.

Read the files below for our complete vision statement (Ā Tātou Kai me Tō Tātou Taiao) and for an accompanying discussion document (Te Mahi).

(In huge appreciation, we acknowledge the mahi of Sharon Stevens in faciliating the creation of our Food Vision Statement.)

Ā Tātou Kai me Tō Tātou Taiao: Our Food and Our Environment

Te mahi o te kai me te taiao: Key actions for enhancing our regional food ecology

Mahinga kai.
Local Food.
Community Food.

We are growing partnerships with each other and with the sunshine, rain, soil, and seed.

We are regrowing intergenerational food cultures, and doing so in ways that care for our planet's soil, water, and climate. We are conserving heritage varieties and respecting indigenous biodiversity and pollinator habitat.

We are learning together. We are partnering with other individuals and groups who wish to make home-grown, community-grown, and locally-farmed food more accessible to local people across the region.

 

ENM's Food Resilience Groups

ENM has many member groups involved in community food. Collectively, our member groups offer:

• Projects and research to develop resources associated with mahinga kai (place-based gathering and cultivation of food);
• Primary schools gardening and cooking programmes;
• Adult community education in horticulture, beekeeping, permaculture, cooking, preserving, and more;
• In-home, one-on-one mentoring in gardening, cooking, and preserving;
• Partnerships with groups and organisations serving children;
• Edible plantings in community reserves, schools, and other shared spaces;
• Produce sharing tables and support to get these going;
• Volunteer fruit and produce harvest and distribution;
• Farmer's markets, community markets, and support for growers' co-operatives;
• Local distribution for a community-supported farm;
• Land care advice for farmers;
• Funding for eco-oriented community food initiatives;
• Tie-ins with groups and organisations addressing hunger.

 

Get involved in growing our food action network!

Our member groups would be happy to have more volunteers! If you'd like help finding a group that is a good match for your skills, interests, and availability, please contact us. You can also browse or search (filter) our member group directory or fill in our volunteer interest form.

There are additional wonderful groups working with community food issues across multiple sectors: check out the wider Manawatū Food Action Network on Facebook.