Why aren’t we doing this now? Rethinking food systems for urban futures

“Why aren’t we doing this now? Rethinking food systems for urban futures”

Join us for a compelling panel discussion as part of the Edible Urban Futures exhibition, a must-attend event for academics, designers, policymakers, students, and changemakers passionate about the future of urban food systems.

This thought-provoking conversation will explore why promising solutions to urban food insecurity remain underutilised in Australia and what it will take to accelerate their adoption. Featuring leading voices in urban agriculture, design, and policy, the panel will challenge conventional food systems and highlight innovative global approaches that could reshape how our cities produce and distribute food.

Through this discussion, we’ll uncover the opportunities and obstacles facing urban food solutions, from rooftop gardens to community-led farming initiatives. Expect fresh insights, real-world case studies, and bold ideas for reimagining food resilience in our cities.

Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a vital conversation shaping the future of food in our urban environments.

Speakers:

The Hon. Jaala Pulford, Vice Chancellor’s Fellow, University of Melbourne (Moderator)
Jaala was a member of the Victorian Parliament from 2006 - 2022. She was Deputy Leader of the Government in the upper house and the first woman to serve as the state’s Minister for Agriculture.

Over her time in Cabinet from 2014 – 2022, Jaala was also Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Fishing and Boating, Minister for Roads, Road Safety and the TAC, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Employment, Minister for Innovation, Medical Research & the Digital Economy, and Minister for Resources. In these roles Jaala had responsibility for the administration of significant public funds, program and project delivery, legislation, regulation, and public sector performance. Throughout, she embraced complex reform and big public policy challenges.

Bjorn Low, Executive Director, Edible Garden City

Bjorn Low is a practicing urban farmer and a social changemaker. He is an Ashoka fellow, a young leader of the World Cities Summit and the co-founder of Edible Garden City an urban farming social enterprise. Bjorn’s practice and research focuses on identifying the value that urban agriculture brings to the communities of highly dense and food import dependent cities such as Singapore. He has a keen interest in how the shifts in social ecology and demographic changes, and how the rapidly aging population present a new opportunity for urban care farms to play a bigger role in the rejuvenation of cities.

Wendy Walls, Lecturer in Landscape Architectural Design, University of Melbourne

Wendy Walls is a lecturer in Landscape Architectural design, at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Wendy’s research and teaching focuses on the use of data and digital technologies for designing with dynamic climatic phenomena in external open space, innovative design methodologies and interdisciplinary practices. Her PhD addressed issues of thermal sensation in Australian cities where current climate change predictions suggest more frequent, intense and dangerous heatwaves. She was the recipient of the David Yencken Scholarship for Landscape Architecture and Ecological Sustainability. Outcomes from her research and teaching have been presented at a number of peer-reviewed international events including the Digital Landscape Architecture conference, the Architectural Science Association conference and Landscape as Necessity.

Kath Kok, Discipline Lead, Arup Melbourne and Landscape Architect

Kath Kok is an experienced landscape architect with over 15 years’ experience in practice, working both internationally and in Australia in garden design and landscape architecture. Kath’s broad project experiences in concept design to construction, across mixed-use development, heritage parks and gardens, landscape character assessments, urban guidelines, master plans and strategic planning allow her to work seamlessly across scale and project types. Kath’s horticultural training and experience with plants in Australia, the UK and the MENA region equip her with the skills to understand planting design, procurement and maintenance in the urban and natural environments, across ecological zones and continents, and a broad understanding of habitats and natural systems across various scales.

Image credit: Khye Loh

The Glyn Davis Building is wheelchair accessible. If you have any questions about your visit, email us at msd-exhibitions@unimelb.edu.au.

Parking is available at the Eastern Precinct Carpark

For your best public transport route, visit Public Transport Victoria