AFSA’s Work

Transforming our Food System

As a collective of farmers and individuals working together to achieve food sovereignty for all, our work covers ground-up movement building across farming, research, legal reform and legal support.

Our aim is for food and agricultural systems to be democratically determined by farmers and eaters, with access to knowledge and resources to feed communities with real food and heal Country.

First Peoples First

AFSA works to increase understanding of and appreciation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ connection to and care for Country and the ongoing impacts of colonisation and development on Country.

We aim to put First Peoples’ knowledge first as best practice for healing Country and sustaining life, and as an organisation we are committed to decolonial futures for food and agriculture systems.

Solidarity Sessions

Connect with and learn from others in these online information sessions across a range of food system topics.

Members Only Sessions Available.

Eating Democracy

We have launched our latest book, Eating Democracy: The True Cost of the Food We Eat, featuring the stories of eleven inspiring eaters across Australia who are doing things differently.

This book will take you on a journey with eaters to find out how they are helping to transform the food system in a time of critical change. Learn how they choose, source, prepare and pay for food while fighting for a more democratic system.

Agrarian Trust

AFSA is working towards the establishment of an Agrarian Trust. Our vision for an Agrarian Trust is:

Farmland held in commons, providing First Peoples and agroecology-oriented farmers secure tenure and equitable access to farmland, and promoting fair, just and sovereign local and regional agri-food systems

AFSA’s Agrarian Trust will be an entity that acquires agricultural land, providing secure farming tenure to small-scale agroecology-oriented farmers. Housing for farmers on the land is also envisaged. The properties will be governed by regional bodies, to provide for place-based stewardship and governance.

Farming On Other People’s Land

Assisting new growers and young farmers across Australia with resources to help facilitate access to land.

FOOPL also references that all non-indigenous Australian farmers are farming on other peoples’ land – First Peoples’ Country.

Members Only Resources Available

The Agroecology Action Research Network

Connects researchers, farmers and educators, to transform Australian food and agriculture systems and provide Agroecology Workshops to foster action-oriented and farmer-led scholarship in agroecology.

Member priority. Member prices.

Submissions

The Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance represents the interests of small scale agroecological farmers and eaters through policy recommendations across a broad spectrum of government activities.

Our submissions cover many different topics and categories relating to food production, distribution and consumption.

The Peoples’ Food Plan

We are in the process of updating the Peoples’ Food Plan, first released in 2013 and a founding document for AFSA.

The Draft of the updated version will shortly be going out for public consultation. Learn more about our food system and you can help fix it, and input to this important document which will help drive system reform.

Legal Defence Fund

Legal support for regulatory and policy issues.

Helps small-scale farmers, artisanal producers and the broader community facing unfair and inconsistent regulation, trial by media, and with legal reform and protecting eater access to local products.

Members Only.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

AFSA is building a resource base for those wanting to know more about Community Supported Agriculture.

Access case studies and examples to help you establish your own CSA or understand why you should become a member of a CSA.

If you have information to share or would like to contribute a Case Study please contact us.

Fair Food Documentary

Sharing inspiring stories of wonderful people already helping to transform the food system in Australia. Perfect for community screenings.

Free access for members.

Farming Democracy

In this AFSA published book, learn from Australian farmers sharing their stories about the problems we face under capitalism and the dominance of industrialised agriculture, and how we can instigate change.

Legal Guide

A knowledge and information repository consisting of legal research and advice obtained for farmers and food system activists to provide guidance not limited to planning provisions, food safety standards and legal requirements for supply of small-scale farm produce and artisan food.

Licence to Sell Lettuce?

In 2022, AFSA noted a campaign loss on behalf of its members as Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) announced increased regulation for berries, leafy vegetables and melons, which will come into effect in February 2025.

Join us as we launch a campaign to mobilise market gardeners against tightening regulations to fight for scale appropriate legislation for all.

Why should we need a licence to sell lettuce!