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Why was access to fresh food difficult in some remote Indigenous Australian communities?

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Aboriginal people of Galiwnku Island in Australia — Australian Aboriginal peoples Aboriginal people from Galiwnku Island gathering to watch the proceedings at which Prime Minister Kevin Rudd formally apologized to the Aboriginal peoples of Australia for their mistreatment under earlier Australian governments, February 2008.

In remote Indigenous Australian communities, access to fresh food is significantly hindered by several logistical and economic barriers. These challenges include the substantial distance to food suppliers, a lack of reliable transport, and the high cost of goods.1

Specifically, fresh food in some of these isolated areas can cost between 150 and 180 percent of the prices found in capital cities. These limitations on food choices contribute to poor nutrition, which is linked to higher rates of obesity, malnutrition, type 2 diabetes, and other health issues among Indigenous peoples living in remote regions. Additionally, the broader environment of the Northern Territory—where many such communities are located—is characterized by aridity, which acts as a major constraint on local arable farming and limits the scale of horticultural production to areas near urban centers.12