Food Secure Communities Programme
Initiative Sponsors: Ministry of Social Development
Description: This initiative provides $15 million of funding for one year to continue supporting and maintaining:
- national and regional food distribution infrastructure to cost-effectively distribute purchased and rescued bulk food to community providers at low or no cost and during emergencies and disruptive events
- food security initiatives that increase community food resilience and self-sufficiency
- food providers and hubs to source and distribute food via foodbanks and community centres to meet the increased demand for food support.
The continued investment will maintain regional and national infrastructure and its support for families and communities who struggle with ongoing cost-of-living pressures. MSD’s national partners, as key parts of the infrastructure chain, support more than 500,000 people, on average, by distributing over 4.5 million meal equivalents per month.
The investment complements other programmes, such as FamilyBoost and KickStart, to support families and children. It also aligns with Government targets including increased student attendance and achievement and reduced net greenhouse gas emissions through food rescue.
Financial Impact:
Vote Social Development Opex:
|
($m) |
2024/25 |
2025/26 |
2026/27 |
2027/28 |
2028/29 & outyears |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total |
- |
15.000 |
- |
- |
- |
15.000 |
What is the funding for?
The $15 million investment for 2025/26 will support and maintain national and regional food distribution infrastructure, food security initiatives, and food providers and hubs. The table below provides a more detailed overview of the investment:
|
Amount of Funding |
Purpose of Funding |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
$7.9 million |
Infrastructure |
Maintain a national and regional food distribution infrastructure to cost-effectively distribute purchased and rescued bulk food to community providers at low or no cost and during emergencies and disruptive events. |
|
$1.0 million |
Food Security Initiatives |
Maintain and invest in food security initiatives that increase community food resilience and self-sufficiency. |
|
$6.0 million |
Community Food Support |
Continue to support food providers and hubs to purchase and/or distribute food via foodbanks and community centres to meet the increased demand for food support. |
|
$0.1 million |
Evaluating impacts |
Assess the impact of the programme within the wider food eco-system to enable decisions on supporting more enduring outcomes in food security for communities. |
Who will receive the funding?
The investment is to maintain existing food providers, hubs, and partners. In 2024/25, the funding is supporting up to 50 food hubs, 60 community food providers, such as food banks, and 13 food initiatives.
The investment will also continue support for our three national partners:
- New Zealand Food Network (NZFN) supports over 60 permanent food hubs and over 100 other food hubs that experience increased demand
- Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance (AFRA) and Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective that support food rescue, capability building, and data and information sharing efforts.
