Critiquing food security inter-governmental partnership approaches in Victoria, Australia

Food security is an issue, not only in developing countries but also in developed economies such as Australia where people from vulnerable groups cannot access affordable and appropriate food on a daily basis. Agencies emphasise the need for collaborative approaches to such complex, multi-sectoral challenges. This article analyses two inter-governmental partnership approaches facilitating local government's response to food insecurity in 12 municipalities within the state of Victoria. We focus on the partnership approaches to collaboration, processes and structures, and collective outcomes. The comparative data analysis from in-depth interviews and document analysis of project-associated materials and municipal policies provides insight into the different partnership approaches. Results suggest that while strategically designed and focused inter-governmental partnerships can build local government capacity to respond to food security, there are systemic, regulatory, and resource barriers in play. In conclusion, the implications of these findings for future inter-governmental approaches to address complex challenges are considered