Grow Your Own Report. 👌🏼❤️🥬

People smiling at Australia Institute event outdoors.

Growing Food to Feel Better, Eat Better and Save The Planet. 💯🌏

From the humble backyard vegetable patch to herb gardens on the kitchen windowsill – 9 million Australians are now growing their own food, according to new research from The Australia Institute, in partnership with Grow It Local.

More than two thirds (69%) of those who grow their own food say they do it to access healthy food, while 60% do it to save money.

Growing your own helps cut down waste during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, with almost two thirds of growers composting or worm farming, preventing mountains of food waste from ending up in landfill.

Costa launched the Grow Your Own 2024 report – Growing food to feel better, eat better and help the planet alongside a ‘Palia-mintary Garden’ at Australian Parliament House in Canberra. The garden features four mint varieties – native Australian mint, spearmint Vietnamese mint and chocolate mint.

Person in garden behind 'Grow It Local' sign.

Key Findings. ☀️🌱

The ground breaking research found that;

Over four in ten (45%) Australians grow some of their own food, or around 9 million Australians.
The most common reasons to grow food were to access food that is healthy (69%) and to save money (60%).
The overwhelming majority (81%) of Australians who grow some of their own food do so in their own backyard; the next most popular locations were a verge garden (28%), the front yard (19%) and on a balcony (13%).
Two thirds of growers (67%) say that growing food makes them feel happy and relaxed, and half (51%) say that it makes them feel healthy.
The overwhelming majority (84%) of Australians who grow some of their own food grow vegetables, and over half (55%) grow fruit trees and herbs.
Almost two in three (64%) growers say that growing food has helped them understand and reinforce the role of composting and worm farming in diverting waste from landfill. Two in three (67%) growers also compost, use a worm farm, or use both. Extrapolating across Australia, this means that three million households grow food and compost or worm farm, diverting at least 361,000 tonnes of waste from landfill each year, equivalent to seven Sydney Harbour Bridges.
Of those Australians who do not grow their own food, almost two thirds (64%) of are interested in doing so. Younger Australians are more likely to want to grow their own food, with almost four in five (78%) Australians aged 18–39 saying they are interested in growing their own food.
The most common factors stopping Australians from growing their own food is space, with more than three in five (61%) identifying lack of space as a barrier.
Nearly half (49%) of growers say they eat more fresh produce as a result of growing their own food.

“One of the best things you can do for your health and for the health of the planet is to grow your own food/ Getting active in the garden is great for both mental and physical wellbeing, and homegrown, pesticide-free fruit and veggies are tastier, boost your health and trim your budget.” Dr Sophie Scamps MP

“Don’t underestimate the power of growing small amounts of food in large numbers,” said Costa Georgiadis, National Patron of Grow It Local.

“It connects us to nature, to our communities and to ourselves.”

“Growing food is equal doses of nature, nutrition and mental wellbeing. It’s good for the body, mind and soul.”

“Growing your own food is a great way to access fresh produce and promote health, relaxation and happiness,” said Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director of The Australia Institute.

“We’ve found that people who start growing food develop a greater appreciation for food and waste less,” said Darryl Nichols, Grow It Local Co-Founder.

Download the Grow Your Own Report here (click link): https://growitlocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/grow_your_own_report.pdf

Freshly harvested carrots and beets in hand

Join us for a Facebook Live conversation about the Grow Your Own Report between Paul West and Ebony Bennett (Deput Director, The Australia Institute) at 6pm on Thursday January 30 AEDT.
FREE sign-up link below;

https://www.facebook.com/events/613379707723838

Journalists photographing outdoor event at Parliament House, Canberra.

Dr Sophie Scamps MP at the Australian Parliament House launch. 🤙🏼❤️🥦

Four people promoting a community garden project.

Costa test watering in amongst the budget trees. 😍

Man watering garden near modern building.

Checkout Grow It Local + to receive seasonal selection of heirloom seeds direct to your
door and grow along with Costa, Paul West, Connie Cao, Mel Logozzo and more. www.growitlocal.com/plus

http://www.growitlocal.com/plus

Man showcasing homegrown leafy plants outdoor.

Man holding Grow It Local Seed Service sign.

Grow It Local seed packs and garden pots.

Lettuce with seed packets for local growing.

Checkout Grow It Local + http://www.growitlocal.com/plus