From seed to soil - we cultivate change.

Nurturing healthy community food systems through locally-led, context-driven design and collective action.

The way we produce, distribute, and access food shapes the interconnected health of communities and ecosystems. Yet, global food systems do not prioritise health for all - contributing to food insecurity, health disparities, and the degradation of ecosystems. Despite being most affected, communities often lack the power to change the systems that shape their lives.

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Fundamentally changing food systems is essential for ensuring the wellbeing of all life. The good news? Across Australia, local governments, organisations, and communities are stepping up - developing policies, programs, and initiatives that create food systems rooted in shifting decision-making power to those most affected.

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As a food system design and planning practice, we specialise in creative, community-led projects that drive systemic change. We collaborate with local and state governments, non-profits, and academic institutions to shape food systems that restore and sustain the beneficial, reciprocal relationships between land, food, and communities.

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Food Systems Capacity Building

We’re excited to introduce our new service: group capacity building sessions designed for local governments and organisations. These tailored sessions aim to deepen understanding of food systems, promote collaboration on key agri-food challenges, and support actionable group planning to implement meaningful change. Led by an experienced facilitator, our sessions foster collective learning, share best practices, and help organisations design and apply effective, sustainable approaches to change food systems.

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Services

  • Black and white photo of a wheat field with trees in the background.

    Research & Analysis

  • Black and white photo of a wheat field with a blurred background of trees.

    Collaboration & Strategy

  • Black and white image of a wheat field with trees in the background.

    Governance & Networks

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Testimonials

  • Dheepa Jeyapalan

    I had the privilege of collaborating with Vanessa when the state government agency I previously worked for engaged her as an independent consultant on many food system-related projects. Her expertise was instrumental in co-designing frameworks, crafting complex policy positions, and conducting comprehensive research that shaped our investments. Vanessa is thorough with a collaborative spirit. She is able to adapt easily to evolving priorities and timelines. Working with Vanessa was always an enlightening and impactful experience, due to her profound understanding of food systems, systems thinking, policy development, and innovative research methodologies. Her contributions consistently exceeded expectations, which is why I frequently recommend her to others in my network and will continue to do so.

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Contact

Interested in working together?

Please share some information about your next project and we’ll be in touch within 1-2 business days.