Let children thrive in land of plenty
Growing our 24 Carrot Gardens project will help break the poverty cycle and make the most of Tassie produce, says Kirsha Kaechele
OVER the past decade and a half, I have run kitchen gardens. First in one of the most disadvantaged areas in New Orleans and now here in Tasmania where, since 2014, the 24 Carrot Gardens project has expanded into 15 primary schools and two communities, Gagebrook and Bridgewater.
The extent and insidiousness of poverty, disadvantage and food insecurity still surprises and pains me. I recently heard from a few teachers that parents avoid sending their children to school on days they don’t have enough money for lunch, for fear of a child safety notification.
This, on an island known for its exceptional produce and worldrenowned dining scene, is tragic.
Access to healthy food should not be the preserve of the wealthy. And where parents cannot provide, the community must.
Teaching children to grow and prepare their own food has benefits far beyond the happiness they experience in the garden. They learn about nutrition and establish healthy eating habits. They bring that knowledge home to their families, and often sooner than not, to their own children. They learn to share a meal with others, from proper use of cutlery to confident conversation, things that many of us take for granted but have dramatic flow-on effects in breaking down class barriers.
They learn self-sufficiency and resilience, and because 24 Carrot is designed to complement the curriculum, they learn science, entrepreneurship, culinary arts, creative arts, agriculture and sustainability outside the confines of the classroom. This invigorating environment allows for learning with new enthusiasm.
As we witness the impact of COVID-19 on livelihoods everywhere, with many Tasmanians experiencing a marked decrease in food security, we need to tend to and nurture our local food systems. This will help ensure children don’t fall into a cycle of disadvantage that they didn’t create and don’t deserve — but will perpetuate, without intervention.
The best way to intervene is with inspiring learning engagements. And the only place to do this is where children are, in their schools and communities. Children must be able to access programs independently, regardless of what may be happening at home. These should be beautiful and safe spaces where they learn and thrive, where they gain independence and determine their own futures.
The first report from the Premier’s Economic and Social Recovery Advisory Council (PESRAC) recognised the need for intervention in the food-poverty cycle. I am encouraged to see the $3m election promise for food security initiatives. It recognises the hard yards of 24 Carrot over the past seven years, thanks to the generosity of private donors, working with schools to deliver a program that helps children live healthy lives. And 24 Carrot ensures children, families and communities not only eat well, but learn the vital skills required to go beyond the school gates, into homes, and into the next generation. We look forward to working with the next government to build more healthy school gardens and extend the number of Tasmanians who will grow up enjoying what many take for granted. This work reduces the need, now and in the future, for emergency food relief and endless government handouts, ultimately empowering individuals and the communities they live in.
As I write, 24 Carrot operates only in primary schools. I hope that after this election we will expand into high schools. Older children should have the opportunity to benefit from the inspiring, hands-on learning. And it is sound economic policy. Chef, hospitality and small business skills are under-resourced in Tasmania. Isn’t it good policy to prepare the current generation for jobs in our burgeoning food and tourism industries? With many establishments finding it hard to fill positions, and so many young people unemployed, this just makes sense. Beyond the health and hunger crisis, expanding 24 Carrot into high schools is essential for the future of our state’s economy.
If the pandemic has taught us anything, localism should top the list. Smaller and more local food systems hold up in challenging circumstances. They build resilience into the social fabric and prevent people from falling through the cracks (I feel so strongly about this I am setting up a not-for-profit to help tackle these issues).
The world coming out of this might be a very different one, but old problems, such as the circular relationship between disadvantage, poor diet and bad health, will persist if we allow them to.
Disadvantage will not disappear by ignoring it. It will in fact increase — to costlier effect. Tasmania has an opportunity to break out of negative poverty cycles. The scale of our issues means that, with investment, they are actually solvable. If we intervene now in ways that are not Band-Aid solutions but actual preventive measures, we can transform outcomes for an entire generation, with positive impacts for their parents and communities as well. This is the Tasmanian future I would like to see. It extends beyond politics and into something we can all agree on: children’s health, happiness and wellbeing.