WFF Australia Youth Chapter hosts film screening and panel on climate and food security in Melbourne

On Thursday, 19 March 2026, the World Food Forum (WFF) Australia Youth Chapter, in collaboration with the United Nations Association of Australia (UNAA) and the City of Melbourne, co-hosted a public event in Melbourne.

The event brought together over 120 participants including university students, academics, representatives from local and state government, and young professionals from diverse backgrounds, all with a shared interest in agrifood systems. It formed part of the 2026 Climate and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) event series.

The event opened with a welcome and Acknowledgement of Country by Carlisle Richardson, Board Member at UNAA, followed by remarks from Davydd Griffiths, Councilor of the City of Melbourne, who outlined the city’s ongoing food-related initiatives. The highlight of the event was the screening of the documentary, Hidden Hunger, winner of the Best focus on women in agrifood systems at the 2025 WFF Youth Film Festival.

Following the film, director Orit Novak offered a brief reflection, setting the stage for a panel discussion featuring Rachel Carey, Associate Professor (Food Systems), School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, University of Melbourne; Yee Zhao, Founder, Gnositkoi; Jasmine Sibree, Agrifutures Australia 2025 World Food Fellow and Abe Ropitini, Executive Director of Population Health, The Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organization (VACCHO). The panel was moderated by Lauren Dickins from the Chapter. The discussion explored the issues raised in the film alongside broader challenges and opportunities within agrifood systems. Participants highlighted concerning trends, with nearly 47 percent of the city’s residents reporting experiences of food insecurity in 2025, underscoring the need for coordinated action across policy, innovation and community-led responses.

Among the many issues explored, the conversation touched on food deserts: geographic areas in Australia, often low-income, where access to affordable, nutritious food, particularly fresh fruit and vegetables is limited.  Speakers noted that this challenge is present in urban centres such as Melbourne and across Australia more broadly and is particularly acute in rural, regional and remote communities.

The discussion drew attention to the disparities in access to food, particularly for Indigenous Peoples in Australia and people living in remote regions. Speakers emphasized that these inequities stem from interconnected challenges including geography, income, infrastructure and historical and systemic disadvantages.

Innovation and entrepreneurship were also highlighted as part of the solution. One example discussed was Gnositkoi's technology, which aims to make growing food at home as accessible and intuitive as owning a fridge, reducing the skill, time and space barriers that often prevent people from producing food themselves. This highlighted how technological innovation can complement policy and community-based approaches to food security.

The role of government featured prominently throughout the evening, with discussions exploring measures such as free school meals and other policies that address affordability, accessibility and availability.

A recurring theme was the importance of ensuring underserved voices are reflected in agrifood systems solutions. Participants emphasized the meaningful inclusion of young people, culturally and linguistically diverse communities and First Nations peoples, noting that solutions are most effective when co-designed with those most affected. Attendees left with both broader reflections and practical takeaways, from engaging in advocacy and community action to making informed food choices in their daily lives.

The event demonstrated how community-based gatherings can bridge the gap between technical discussions and people-centred solutions, making complex agrifood systems challenges more accessible, relevant and actionable.