Hokianga food programme with an appetite for success

A collaboration formed to tackle food shortages and hunger in the Hokianga has been granted more than $26,000 by the Kaikohe-Hokianga Community Board.

The He Kete Kai Food Security Programme incorporates four organisations addressing food insecurity as part of a long-term project to support struggling families. It applied for funding under the umbrella of the Hokianga Community Educational Trust.

The community board agreed at its 21 June meeting to grant a total of $26,566 from its placemaking fund to support the programme.

Moves to address the issue of food security in Hokianga came after local cultural centre Manea Footprints of Kupe carried out a survey following Cyclone Gabrielle. It revealed many kuia, kaumatua and elderly in the Hokianga were struggling with the rising costs of living, food prices, and having access to fresh food.

Four hubs – in Waimamaku, Ōpononi, Whirinaki, and Rāwene – have been established where locals can learn to grow their own kai, collect, gather, and redistribute food to those in need, and ultimately create sustainable long-term food security and resilience in Hokianga.

The programme, which will focus on feeding the area’s elderly in the initial stages, with any extra kai going to others in need, has three stages:

Growing places and distribution networks: Buying seeds, fruit trees and other resources to increase the amount of food that can be grown in the community.

Improve long-term sustainable food security: Contract a facilitator to manage food services, resources, needs, and opportunities, create a business plan to improve food access, and bring people and groups together to support existing kaupapa.

Feed the people now: Plan and set up a regular soup kitchen or similar, to feed those in need in the short term while the long-term project is developed.

The organisations under the umbrella of the Hokianga Community Educational Trust are Manea Footprints of Kupe, Waimamaku Community Garden, the Ara Rongoā Hikoi Whakaora at Hauora Hokianga, and Kai Manawa, Whirinaki. They are supported by Kainui Pack and Cool, who supply fruit, and 155 Whakaora Kai.