Challenge Australia’s food system is at a critical juncture, facing complex challenges such as population growth, environmental pressures, changing consumer expectations, and global market dynamics. Addressing these challenges requires more than incremental changes to agriculture or food production alone, it demands a holistic, systems-based approach that spans disciplines and sectors. Without cohesive integration across research fields, future food systems risk being fragmented, inefficient, and unsustainable.
Solution This project highlights the need for interdisciplinary research to shape a resilient and innovative Australian food landscape. It brings together expertise from agriculture, sustainability, circular economy, marketing, science and technology, and supply chain logistics. Crucially, it also incorporates urban and regional planning to ensure that the physical and social environments are conducive to thriving food systems. By aligning food production with community planning and environmental design, this approach supports not only food availability and accessibility but also broader goals of health, equity, and sustainability.
Impact By fostering collaboration across traditionally siloed disciplines, the research will inform the development of future-ready food systems that are sustainable, adaptable, and community-centred. These systems will be better equipped to meet consumer needs, reduce environmental impact, and enhance food security. Importantly, urban and regional planners will play a key role in shaping infrastructure and policy that support food innovation, from urban agriculture to regional food logistics. This interdisciplinary vision positions Australia as a global leader in creating integrated, circular, and sustainable food ecosystems.
