Category: Food

No to the use of pesticides!

Melanie Fryer

Currently many NGO’s, conservation bodies, agro-ecological farmers and individuals are responding to Defra’s consultation, ‘The Revised National Action Plan for the Sustainable Use of Pesticides (Plant Protection Products)’ at: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/pesticides-future-strategy/sustainable-use-of-pesticides-national-action-plan/ So why is this important and why should we not be using pesticides anyway?

Lobbying from agrochemical companies is likely already in full swing, trying to water-down what is currently in the draft plan, to protect their profits (Soil Association).

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Seeds – get them to support ACE

Melanie Fryer

In 2017 the Gaia Foundation launched its UK and Ireland Seed Sovereignty programme in order to train market gardeners and small scale seed producers in saving their own seed (and see: http://www.seedsovereignty.info ).

Seeds were, at one time, produced much more widely in the UK. This programme aims to help rekindle the passion for local, open-pollinated and agro-ecological seed.  Demand for good quality organic seed is increasing and there is the opportunity for growers to diversify by adding seed crops in their planning.  There is also a potential to produce more varieties suited to the UK and Irish climate and markets.  Hopefully by raising awareness and supporting more growers to grow for seed, the programme will help existing initiatives and help others to develop.

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Biggest ever global online agroecology event underway

As reported to yesterday morning’s Green Café meeting, the Oxford Real Farming Conference (ORFC) is hosting its biggest ever global online event for agroecological farmers, growers and food producers between 7-13 January in an urgent bid to fix our broken food system. ORFC Global 2021 brings together over four thousand delegates, including leading voices in agroecological, organic and regenerative agriculture. It aims to catalyse radical action in the face of multiple global threats including climate change, biodiversity loss, soil degradation, poverty and Covid-19.

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Massive deforestation in Brazil threatens our climate

A new  investigation by the NGO Global Witness has revealed a chain of participants from cattle ranchers through to multinational beef traders, international financiers, supermarkets and fast-food chains, and the governments that regulate them, are either destroying rainforests or are complicit in the destruction of the Amazon, with flawed audits undertaken by US and European auditors.

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