When the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown hit, food supply and transportation in Whangaroa appeared suddenly vulnerable. Local food supply services were sent into overdrive trying to provide for many in the community who were struggling to get food. Over seven weeks, 1,621 kai and 300 hygiene packs were delivered to 1,413 households.

Questions were raised about the resilience of the food supply system in this small rural community. Did food systems need to improve to increase food security and resilience? Could improved food resilience help the Whangaroa community to thrive?

Through Tupu Tahi – Whangaroa Growing Together, a local initiative led by Healthy Families Far North and supported by Mahitahi Hauora and other partners, the community started engaging with these questions and exploring solutions together. Using co-design, the project team explored people’s experiences of the food system and the idea of establishing a food hub to distribute surplus produce, teach, and support the building of small farms and businesses.

The project report provides an insight into the challenges and strengths of those living in Whangaroa and provides a starting point to explore the role of the food hub and how it might operate. It also helps us to think differently about the ways we can support the food system in Whangaroa and how we might draw on the strengths and wisdom of the community.

Read the report