The globalized food system is characterized by major improvements in productivity, processing,
distribution and food safety. However, the demand of the growing population continues to put
pressure on intensifying production, while the triple burden of malnutrition, socioeconomic and
environmental problems persists. These complex issues need to be addressed through a democratic
process with the active participation of citizens. This paper explores how food citizenship can aid the
transformation of the food system in the Australian context. The area of food citizenship was
investigated through qualitative interviews with experts on each level of the Socio-ecological
framework and extensive review of the literature. The findings suggest that ethical consumerism can
be an important driver for enacting change, but is currently hindered by lower awareness of the
implications of the current food system and lack of government regulations in labelling and
certifications, market competition and pricing. Furthermore, urban agriculture can play a crucial role in
developing local, diversified networks to ensure future food security, therefore providing gardening
opportunities and food literacy education for the Australian citizens is seen as essential. This paper
offers only a limited initial investigation into the context around food citizenship in Australia, thus there
is a need for further research to be able to advise the policy-making process.