Minister Punch has launched the Aboriginal Bushfood Base at the Food Innovation Precinct WA in Nambeelup, the first specialist support program to grow new and existing Aboriginal-led bushfood businesses in Western Australia.
The first of its kind, the Aboriginal Bushfood Business Base is now operating from the Food Innovation Precinct Western Australia (FIPWA) at Nambeelup in the Peel region.
The Cook Government has co-invested with the Federal Government to establish the Aboriginal Bushfood Business Support Program, through the Future Drought Fund for Farm Business Resilience.
The Aboriginal Bushfood Business Base provides a ‘one-stop shop’ with space to conduct workshops, client meetings and events to showcase Aboriginal bushfood businesses to the wider food and beverage industry.
It is located adjacent to the Sustainable Innovative Food Technologies Centre which allows access to expert advice and specialist equipment to develop and trial new bushfood product lines.
Available services will include a combination of State-wide bushfood business workshops, individual client support, industry forums and connection events.
Training and capacity building workshops will be co-designed with business and industry expertise, supported by delivery partners Outback Academy Australia and the WA Indigenous Tourism Operators Council.