The formation of the Southern Lakes Kai Collective, a food resilience project, was announced at the first day of the Wānaka Wao Summit on Tuesday (October 29).

The Wao Summit is an annual, five-day event to address the region’s climate and sustainability challenges. This year’s theme, ‘Better Together’, refers to the power of collective action in building resilient communities.

Wao media spokesperson Arna Craig said the Southern Lakes Kai Collective “aims to deepen connections between the community and local food systems, fostering opportunities for growth, production, and community-driven food resilience”. 

The collective follows the completion of the Wao Food Resilience Project in 2023, which identified that 94 percent of food consumed in the Southern Lakes region is not locally produced.

The project identified five key challenges for the region, including over-reliance on importing food, insufficient local produce and lack of food diversity, and limited access for local producers to the local market due to prohibitive costs and regulatory burdens.

The collective comprises a team of local food system advocates to address these regional challenges, Arna said.

“This network is uniquely positioned to amplify efforts toward a sustainable, fair, and self-sufficient food system for the Southern Lakes region and beyond,” she said.

The Wao Summit opened with a focus on food resilience and the future of New Zealand’s food systems, highlighting the important of shopping locally, and encouraging participants to “vote for change” with every dollar.

“Speakers also addressed the unique challenges within New Zealand’s current food system, questioning why Kiwis often pay more for local produce than consumers of those exact products abroad. They advocated for a model that supports local farmers, reduces regulatory burdens, and prioritises sustainable, community-focused production,” Arna said.

The summit continues into Saturday (November 2). Find more information here.