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New network to improve Cape York food security

Updated: Mar 25

A new peer-to-peer network has been established to strengthen food security on Cape York Peninsula.



The Cape York Food Security Community of Practice (CoP) brings together local councils, community enterprises, health agencies and technical experts. By supporting ongoing learning and information sharing, the CoP aims to:


  • Increase local food production

  • Help communities tackle isolation and fresh food shortages during the wet season

  • Reduce reliance on expensive and unreliable resupply routes


A collaborative approach


The group has been developed through Cape York NRM’s Cultivating Climate-Smart and Sustainable Agriculture in Cape York Peninsula project, in collaboration with the TNQ Drought Hub’s Sustainable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Enterprise (SATSIE) Program.


Meetings to establish the group were held in February and March and saw strong interest from across the region, with representatives attending from Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council, Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire Council, Cook Shire Council, Torres Cape Indigenous Council Alliance (TCICA), Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council, Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council, Northern Peninsula Area communities and Hope Vale Foundation.


Community Enterprises Queensland, which provides essential foods and goods across 31 stores in Cape York and the Torres Strait, also contributed to the discussions, alongside the National Indigenous Australians Agency, Health and Wellbeing Queensland and James Cook University.


Community-driven solutions


SATSIE Program Lead and Cape York NRM Chair Dr Jim Turnour said the strong cross-sector representation reflects a shared commitment to improving food systems throughout the region. 


“By working collaboratively with councils, community organisations, health agencies and local businesses, we’re reinforcing the importance of coordinated, community-driven approaches to achieving lasting food security outcomes for remote communities,” Dr Turnour said.

The meetings also provided an opportunity to hear directly from participants about their current food security situation, priorities and needs. Discussions focused on strengthening local supply chains, exploring opportunities for local food production and backing community-led solutions to build long-term resilience.


Find out more



This project is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Natural Heritage Trust under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program.




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