Thoughts wanted from Rotorua community on Food Hub

(L - r) Scion's Doug Grant, Rotorua Lakes Council's Monica Quirke, Scion's Andrea Stocchero, and Kai Rotorua committee members Jasmin Jackson, Ian McBride and Te Rangikaheke Kiripatea. Photo/Supplied

The Rotorua community is being encouraged to share its thoughts on whether a Food Hub to help the city be more sustainable and resilient is a project they would support.

Kai Rotorua committee member Jasmin Jackson says Kai Rotorua is a new organisation that is working to reconnect whānau to their food and Papatūānuku.

"Our focus as we grow is to educate the community about how to grow their own food, where their food comes from, and about how what we eat affects our environment and our health."

She says they became a legal entity in October last year.

Jasmin says the Food Hub would be a way to connect people to where their food comes from and to local growers.

She says it would help to enable Rotorua to be a more resilient community.

The Hub is a Living Building Challenge.

Jasmin says the survey is to determine whether the community would support the Food Hub.

"We wouldn't go ahead if the community didn't think it was valuable.

"We want to find out if people would use it to buy food, sell food, to visit the cafe, and if they would visit the kumara museum and learn some of the things about our traditional kai."

The survey has been going for about a month so far, and will run for about six more weeks.

"So far the response has definitely been positive.

"There's also been some great feedback and ideas that have come through from the responses which will give us some food for thought."

Scion is one of a number of partners in the Food Hub project and is providing free advice.

If people would like to know more about Kai Rotorua or the Food Hub email kairotorua@gmail.com.

To take part in the survey, people can go to the Kai Rotorua Facebook page or go straight to the link horizonpoll.co.nz/link/TheHub.