Me hoki koe ki tōu ūkaipō.

Return to your source of sustenance.

Sometimes there’s a climactic shift in our reflections; a culmination to a series of events. Having trudged through all of the turbulence these last couple of years, Kore Hiakai return to our foundation of hope and health, and ask: How do we create pathways towards a food secure Aotearoa?

Walking ‘backwards’ into the future, beyond COVID but with those lived experiences of navigating the pandemic still in our sights, now more than ever there’s a need to return to our source of sustenance, so that all will have enough to thrive.

In part, this means whānau are connected and reconciled to their whakapapa and develop their own knowledge and skillsets to contribute to, and determine, the production and harvesting of their own and family’s kai.

Champion Story - Whenua Warriors Foster Kaitiakitanga

If you missed our latest Champion Blog please check it out here. In Aotearoa, those most impacted by food insecurity face social, health and economic inequities because they are unable to access quality and nutritious food.

“One solution for creating food security is growing edible gardens, accessible to every New Zealander, that feeds the community, educates the community to feed themselves, and empowers each other to teach one another as well,” said Kelly Francis, the instigator and one of the driving forces behind Whenua Warrior charitable trust. Read more

Fairer Future Report

The Fairer Future collaborators released a report at the end of last month on the benefit increases which kicked in this month.

With a call for further action from government to introduce livable incomes because increases still leave whānau "locked in poverty", their research updates the WEAG household modelling to 2022 benefit and expenditure levels. Read their report here or this article for a better understanding.

Food Rescue Explores Alternative Funding

Following a series of food systems dialogue last month supported by NZ Waste Champions 12.3, and the independent deep dives discussions about Food Waste, Better Nutrition, Food Sovereignty, Composting and Monitoring, many organisations continue to keep working on achieving responsible production and consumption. One collective - the Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance (AFRA), announced the food rescue sector was exploring potential ‘carbon funding’.

Considering ways it could receive carbon funding through voluntary mitigation, Engagement Lead Gareth Hughes said AFRA diverted 6 million kilograms of food from landfill – keeping about 22,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions out of the atmosphere. Aotearoa has “a huge waste problem”, he said, with about 300,000 tonnes of food going to landfill annually. Read more here.

Kiwibank Heroes 2022

Congratulations to all those recently named as Kiwibank local heroes for 2022, including Dave Letele who, amongst other initiatives, started the BBM foodbank.  Supporting others to navigate food secure pathways, and with nutrition education, Dave has opened a community kitchen in West Auckland, feeding up to 700 whānau per week through food parcel distribution. Nga mihi nui Dave! We appreciate all you do!

COVID Vaccine Pass Update

From 05 April, the government no longer requires My Vaccine Passes to be used to access businesses, events and services. Businesses can still choose to require My Vaccine Pass as a condition of entry if there are health and safety reasons for doing so. Some workers are still required to be vaccinated. Continue to keep up to date through Unite Against COVID-19. 

Kaihononga Hapori Kai Whānui – Community Food Networker

Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective are expanding our whānau mahi and are looking for kaimahi who has heart for a food secure Aotearoa. We are recruiting for a Kaihononga Hapori Kai Whānui – a Community Food Networker, to engage with community food organisations across Aotearoa, to champion local heroes, help build local food resilience plans, uphold the Mana to Mana practice model, encourage engagement in the Aotearoa Standard Food Parcel Measure and help our team strive for a Food Secure Aotearoa.

Read more about this opportunity, or apply for the role through Te Aka Kumara or Do Good Jobs.

Coming to the end of this year’s first quarter, Kore Hiakai invite you to return to the source of our shared kaupapa and to continue to acknowledge those who experience food-related poverty in Aotearoa, as well as our responsibility to be part of the change so all have enough to be food secure, in solidarity with humanity.

We signal us back towards mana to mana practice and ūkaipotanga. That being – the place we return to, identify with, and that which gives us connectivity.

Nga mihi,

The Kore Hiakai Team