• ALPA’s 40^Th Anniversary EduGrow School Garden Awards – supported by the Remote Indigenous Gardens Network
• News from the CDEP RIPL Workshop, Cairns – Building CDEP capacity and peer support to grow healthy food & healthy communities
• RIG Network @ the TGS-SLF, Darwin, June 2-3
• Jason Quin introduces the Social Enterprise Hub – Desert Peoples Centre
• News & Coming Events – from around the Network
• Useful Resources – Nutrition – New top end blog for tropical produce & cuisine, Indigenous nutrition and cooking methods, and updates from HealthInfoNet

Many thanks to Aboriginal Bush Traders for permission to publoish them on the RIG website – Go to Useful Resources to download: –

- Know your rights to your Aboriginal plant knowledge – A Guide for Aboriginal knowledge holders on recording and commercialising Aboriginal plant knowledge

-  Analysis of the Indigenous Body Products Industry and Markets

- Support Manual for Indigenous Body Products

See the Useful Resources page to download and to access past editions –  or click here to read RIG News – February 2012 online.

The Alice Springs Community Gardens Network (ASCGN) will soon launch a website where you can access resources, news and events. They are offering a program of gardening workshops in 2012 – click on the image below  or email info@alicecommunitygarden.org.au to find out more information.

“If you’re in the Northern Territory you’ll be aware that the Wet Season has once again brought the risk of melioidosis disease. 37 cases have already been diagnosed in the NT since the start of the Wet.

Given the severity of the disease, which results in hospitalisation and is potentially fatal, Top Enders are being strongly warned to protect themselves from contact with mud, ground water and soil, including aerosolized soil which can be inhaled into the lungs.

To read the full NT Health Department warning, click here:

http://www.health.nt.gov.au/Agency/News_Archive/Melioidosis_Risk_Continues_During_Ongoing_Wet/indexdl_4473.aspx

The Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet has a couple of resources you can use to teach people about melioidosis:
* Leaflet produced by Indigenous Communities Environmental Health:

http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/key-resources/promotion-resources?lid=20621
* 10-minute Yolngu radio program produced by Aboriginal Resource Development Services:

http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/key-resources/promotion-resources?lid=20560“

This website captures research that Leonore Hanssens has conducted over the past ten years into Indigenous suicide in the Northern Territory. Leonore has created the site in response to approaches by fellow researchers, students and other interested parties for information about her research and how to access it. More recently, she provided input to parliamentary discussions of the issues of youth suicide (NT Parliament, 2011) which brought the  need to share information to the forefront.

Leonore hopes the website can be a useful tool and resource for laypersons, students, academics and others and will contribute to the discussion on suicide in Australia and identify ways to alleviate the tragedy in our community.

Visit the site -http://www.promotelifent.com.au

Strengthening leadership to ‘Close the Gap’ – conference at Citigate Central, Sydney, 15-16 February 2012.

Further information visit http://indigenousleaders.com/

Eat Strong: Good Food for Health Program – Indigenous Nutrition Project,  14 February

The Rural Health Education Foundation (RHEF) will broadcast the second program in their Indigenous Nutrition Project on 14th February. It will be a half hour documentary showcasing health promotion and community development programs in rural and remote Australia. Watch it via the Rural Health Education satellite television network, on NITV, or webstreamed.

You can also go to the RHEF website – register for the webcast and view the 1.5 hour Good Tucker: Improving Indigenous Health program that broadcast on December 6. … the program includes Dr Andy Hume and Anthea from RIG Network in the panel discussion.

Visit www.rhef.com.au/programs for further information and to register and view the above programs.

National Close the Gap Day – Thursday 22 March

Get involved and join thousands of people and organisations around Australia holding events to raise awareness about Indigenous health issues and the need for action! You can register your event at http://www.oxfam.org.au/nctgd . Register online and Oxfam Australia sends you posters, a DVD specially made for the day and Close the Gap T-Shirts. Resources will be sent out in February. Events can take place in homes, workplaces, schools, universities, medical centres or wherever you think people may be interested in finding out more about the Close Gap campaign. Events can be large or small, formal or informal, and can follow whatever format best suits you!

Why not build an event with community members to link with and celebrate your local food and garden projects?!!!