NEW STRATEGIC PLAN TO GUIDE REGION’S FOOD & FIBRE GROWTH

Food & Fibre Great South Coast Inc. has unveiled an ambitious new Strategic Plan to guide the organisation’s actions over the next four years.

Food and Fibre Great South Coast is the representative body for food and fibre production businesses and their vast supply-chains in Southwest Victoria, encompassing five local government areas, Corangamite, Glenelg, Moyne, Southern Grampians Shires and Warrnambool City.

Chair, Oonagh Kilpatrick, said the organisation’s purpose is to grow the value of regional food and fibre production, thereby improving prosperity and the resilience of
our local communities.

“Southwest Victoria is Australia’s top agricultural production region, delivering over $4.6 billion in output annually*. The food and fibre sector is also the region’s largest, contributing 60% of the region’s GRP and 21.6% of all jobs,” Ms Kilpatrick said.

“Whilst these statistics are impressive, we know that we are only touching the tip of the iceberg and that this region is capable of producing so much more through the sharing of knowledge, adopting best practice, government support – and by that I mean reviewing any barriers that inhibit the growth of our sector – and embracing innovation.”

Ms Kilpatrick said the new Strategic Plan prioritises collaboration, engagement, and outcomes.

“Our primary audiences are our food and fibre sector and stakeholders. We are a public-facing organisation, and we take opportunities to assist our partners and members to proactively engage our wider communities and consumers.

“The Plan emphasises that as a cross-sectoral body we collaborate, facilitate, convene, and empower people and organisations to innovate ideas in a way that fundamentally assist our region to grow and develop through four strategic pillars.

“These are, to drive value-add across the Great South Coast region; advocate for regional sustainability, wellbeing and adaptation; champion the Great South Coast as Australia’s premier food and fibre region; and, sustain our organisation to serve our communities in the longer term.”

Ms Kilpatrick said the new Strategic Plan will guide the volunteer Board, which is comprised of enthusiastic individuals representing the different food and fibre sectors from across the wider region, in their actions to drive regional value-add and advocate for regional sustainability and wellbeing.

“We are passionate, energised and focused on delivering for our local food & fibre sectors and, ultimately, the wider community,” she said.