Food Challenge

Climate Connect Aotearoa is soon to launch its Food Challenge, supporting the transition to regenerative growing practices and access to low-carbon, affordable food in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

Creating a low-carbon, resilient and local food system

Food is one of eight priorities outlined in Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri: Auckland’s Climate Plan. Our current food system follows a linear ‘take make waste’ model that is unsustainable. Our production methods deplete soil resources, are dependent on fossil fuels, and contribute to excessive groundwater pollution. Each year, Aucklanders send 100,000 tonnes of food waste to landfills, while nationally the food system accounts for 24 per cent of Aotearoa’s consumption emissions.

Additionally, food insecurity is a prevalent issue in Aotearoa, with many people struggling to access an adequate food supply. According to a Ministry of Health (2019) report, approximately 19 per cent of children in 2015/16 lived in households experiencing severe to moderate food insecurity.

As the physical impacts of climate change intensify, our food system will face ever greater challenges, such as loss of crops due to extreme weather, disruption of supply chains, and an increasing prevalence of pests and diseases.

Better growing practices, less food waste

In our upcoming food challenge, Climate Connect Aotearoa will collaborate across sectors, value chains and communities to enable the uptake of innovative and scalable growing practices, while also developing new economic models that add value to the role growers play in protecting the environment and food security.

We are also proud to support Rescued Limited as they join XLabs: Future of Food. Together with a cross-industry team, Rescued will design an upcycled food ecosystem in Aotearoa, to reshape how we source, buy, and envision food.

Our challenge partner

We're collaborating with the food priority lead of Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri: Auckland's Climate Plan at Auckland Council. Together, we'll engage with wider partners to identify demand and run innovation challenges aimed at developing scalable food solutions.