SAGE partners with Sydney University

The first week of May 2022 was a big one for SAGE. The Sydney Environment Institute (SEI) is conducting a study about how communities in Australia and India are developing initiatives to respond to or prepare themselves for the impacts of climate change on their lives. They are interested in how communities are trying to make their food, energy, agriculture, infrastructure, and other systems more resilient and appropriate to a climate changing world. SAGE is one of two community groups in Australia that have been selected to be a part of this exciting project. There are also two groups in India that are a part of the study.


The team from SEI joined in conversation with SAGE and some key local community members at the SAGE garden on a sunny First of May as they started a week of interaction and interviews. 


As Professor Danielle Celermajer says, ‘We are planning to create stories about community initiatives that will be told using different media, such as written narratives, podcasts, short films and photo essays. Our goal is for the stories of how communities are already taking action will inspire other communities, provide them with models and assist in creating a different picture of the types of future that are possible.’


The SEI team were overwhelmed with the passion and commitment from our SAGE community to supporting our local food system. Two researchers spent the week embedded in the Moruya community, interviewing farmers and growers, local government councillors and staff, many SAGE members, as well as attending the SAGE Farmers Market to see for themselves what a local food system looks like.


Having this kind of recognition from a major university is a very exciting development, and we hope we can inspire another community to embark on a similar journey to create a community driven solution to the impact of climate change on food security. 



Also in Sage Project News

Deep Winter Agrarian Gathering, Bellingen, September 2023
Deep Winter Agrarian Gathering, Bellingen, September 2023

Shani Keane, a local grower from Left Field Farm and Stepping Stone Farm, and a regular seller at the SAGE Farmers Market, attended this year’s Deep Winter Agrarian Gathering.

Shani kindly provided an interesting report for SAGE readers, including the Deep Winter Statement which was developed following consultation with the gathering.

2023 AGM reports
2023 AGM reports

Read the reports presented at the 2023 AGM held at the SAGE Garden on 19 August.
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  • Treasurer’s report from Jan Maitland
  • Stepping Stone Farm report from Mark Barraclough
  • Farmers Market report from Peter Heyward
  • Farmers representative report from Eliza Cannon
  • Education and Events report from Sandra Makdessi
  • Community food report from Alda Rudzis
  • Food share report from Alda Rudzis
  • SAGE Garden report from Stuart Whitelaw (on behalf of Adrian Cram and Wendy Jones)
New SAGE committee growing the local food economy
New SAGE committee growing the local food economy

SAGE members welcomed in a new committee at their annual general meeting on Saturday 19 August, after hearing that the organisation was in a robust financial position following the challenging years of bushfires and Covid, and well placed to continue its mission to grow the local food economy in Eurobodalla - food grown by local growers, provided to local people, at a fair price.

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