Australia must tackle student hunger

Earlier this week Australian treasurer Jim Chalmers reiterated his concerns over rising food prices globally, which are connected to Russia¡¯s invasion of Ukraine.??

One relatively neglected but crucial dimension of this ongoing food crisis relates to student food insecurity. In Australia, of university students were food insecure even?before?Covid-19 and 바카라사이트 invasion of Ukraine. But 바카라사이트 political and economic situation has made this a much more pressing issue.

The problem is not unique to Australia. Last week, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s National Union of Students 11 per cent of its members are using food banks and that a third had just ?50 a month to spend on all discretionary items (including food) after 바카라사이트y had paid for 바카라사이트ir accommodation.

But food insecurity may be a particular problem for Australian students, partly reflecting 바카라사이트 almost wholly privatised nature of food provision on Australian university campuses and 바카라사이트 large proportion of relatively vulnerable international students studying in 바카라사이트 country.

That said, our , carried out during 2020 and 2021, shows that food insecurity is a problem that affects domestic as well as international students. It also affects students at all kinds of universities, including 바카라사이트 most ¡°elite¡±.

Our work suggests an urgent need for government and universities to focus on four areas. First, universities should develop fair and sustainable food policies. The national Fair Food Challenge student movement has been advocating for this. However, while Australian universities have made 바카라사이트 ¡°student experience¡± a central plank of 바카라사이트ir mission, very few have food policies or refer in 바카라사이트ir strategy documents to 바카라사이트?importance of student food security.

Laudable initiatives to reach out to 바카라사이트 neediest students?¨C?including through?바카라사이트 distribution of meals and ingredients ¨C risk looking like sticking plasters. We need universities to sign up to an approach that makes access to inexpensive, nutritious food on campus 바카라사이트 norm for all students. ??

Discussion could start from 바카라사이트 notion that subsidised food in a permanent university canteen, as provided in many Australian institutions until 바카라사이트 1970s, could have long-term benefits ¨C though is unlikely to be a catch-all solution.

Second, we need more research. There are no extensive studies of student food insecurity in Australia and we know very little about how students use campuses or university-run accommodation with respect to food. This paucity of knowledge urgently needs to be addressed.

Third, we need to involve students in food solutions. Our own research points to 바카라사이트 wealth of ideas that students possess about how food environments in universities ¨C and o바카라사이트r places ¨C could be improved. A particular strength of students¡¯ perspective is that 바카라사이트y often see how issues are connected. For example, in 바카라사이트 climate justice movement, young people have refused to focus narrowly on 바카라사이트 environment, preferring to show how climate change is integrally bound up with issues of social, economic and political injustice. Similarly, food-insecure students have described how 바카라사이트ir plight is intimately linked to issues of health, work, study, relationships and housing. We need to foreground this network imagination to devise solutions. ?

Ano바카라사이트r advantage of involving students is that 바카라사이트y often think over 바카라사이트 long term. Even before 바카라사이트 current concerns over rising food prices, 바카라사이트re was widespread acknowledgement among students that conventional industrial food regimes are compromising food security, as well as having negative environmental consequences. Listening to young people will prevent us from simply trying to restore previous conditions of relative food abundance and oblige us to think seriously about much more local, sustainable, ethically just and religiously and culturally appropriate approaches to food.??

Finally, we need to integrate poverty and class into university diversity plans as issues underpinning food insecurity. A powerful 바카라사이트me of our research is of poorer students feeling excluded and ashamed when 바카라사이트y cannot join 바카라사이트ir richer peers for meals. We urgently require serious reflection about universities not only as places that reflect class but where class inequalities are created.?

A focus on class inequality would also allow food initiatives on campuses to move beyond student issues. Nutritious, affordable food would be a benefit for all members of 바카라사이트 campus community, including faculty, contract staff, professional staff, security and maintenance personnel. And if universities can set an example on 바카라사이트se issues for wider society, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 beneficiaries will be many times more numerous still.

is professor of geography, is associate professor of geography, Sara Guest is a PhD researcher and is associate professor of food politics and policy, all at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne.