Chef Jared Ingersoll from Dank Street Depot was one of many industry leaders presenting at the “Hungry for Change: Shaping food policies that are fair and sustainable” summit in Sydney today.

Ingersoll was part of the panel talking about food businesses and industry and how the two can work together.

“The biggest problem with the way we look at food and the way we feed ourselves is that there is a big disassociation between the consumer and grower and farmer,” said Ingersoll. “Through things such as farmers markets, the connection between the two is stronger. This is why I try to source all my products directly from farmers, because we need to support sustainable agriculture.”

Ingersoll, who has long been a sustainable food advocate, was joined on his panel by chair of the Australian farmers’ market association, Jane Adams and independent farmers John Maguire and Michael Champion.

“Sustainable food can be economically viable and it’s a rewarding way to run a kitchen,” said Ingersoll.

Linked to the Sydney International Food Festival “Hungry for Change” is a gathering for food lovers but not wholly about food. The summit has been organised by the Sydney Food Fairness Alliance, which is calling for urgent and robust conversation about our food future in the face of local and global threats to food security through climate change, urban development, peak oil and more.

Farmers, health workers, chefs, environmentalists, nutritionists, academics, planners and human rights and community activists will be at the summit exploring how food is produces; how we can ensure good health through nutrition; how food can be produced while protecting environmental and animal health; and how we can ensure equitable access to food for all.

More than 650 NSW citizens have already participated in a series of six pre-summit regional workshops.

The summit continues tomorrow and for more information visit sydneyfoodfairness.org.au