Land grabbing isn’t just a phenomenon that takes place in the Global South; it is very much a reality in Europe, too. Land prices are growing, companies from outside the agricultural sector are investing in land, and energy production as well as carbon offsetting schemes are competing with food production. Young people and new entrants struggle to access land, while farmers approaching retirement are structurally obliged to shut up shop. Frustratingly, the UK government remains…

From community allotments and farms of the UK to the grasslands of Maasai homeland, access to land, or exclusion from it, determines how communities function, how we produce food, eat, and our ability to situate ourselves in nature. This panel explores the intersection of land rights, nature, community, and food. We explore how traditional Maasai cultural resources have been used to resist enclosure of shared land, how perspectives from the global south might help shape…

Our climate, nature, animal rights and health emergencies require transitioning out of intensive livestock systems to agroecology. How can we ensure this transition addresses power imbalances, tackles injustice and provides the necessary protections to those most affected in such a transition? Join us as we delve into diverse perspectives including worker solidarity and just rewilding. This session will challenge us to think about how justice can be embedded in agricultural, nature, climate and planning policy,…

What can we learn from communities already facing the polycrisis from the frontlines of climate emergency, conflict, and historical colonisation? How might Indigenous wisdom and traditional ecological knowledge from these places at the edges offer critical and vital ways of addressing the polycrisis we are facing in the world today? What deeper design principles and practices can their experiences enhance the growing call for regenerative cultures in transforming food systems? Join us in this discussion…

Tipping Points is where science and folk music intertwine to explore climate communication. Led by Dr Lucy Beattie, Luke Daniels, Sara Daniels and Professor Andy Neal (Rothamsted Research). Merging original compositions for melodeon, guitar, and voice with storytelling, this offers a unique perspective on the interactions between science, society, and the environment. From the Neolithic to the present, the performance travels through the landscapes of the British Isles, drawing on English and Scottish traditional music.…

To meditate is to pay attention and be present in the here and now. During this meditation, led by Mick McEvoy, we will pay attention to our body posture and our breath, through breathing in, breathing out, smiling, relaxing and letting go. We will pay attention to the four elements of which we are made; earth, air, fire and water and we will do so with gratitude. Please join this session to learn about how…

Food and fossil fuels are more intertwined than we think — 15% of global fossil fuel use happens in our food systems. This panel addresses the critical challenge of breaking food systems’ reliance on fossil fuels and navigating a just transition to fossil-free food systems. We’ll explore the challenges, opportunities, and trade-offs across the supply chain. Join us as we identify both the low-hanging fruits and the toughest obstacles in phasing out fossil fuels for…

Often touted as an environmentally-friendly alternative to other forms of protein, in reality, industrial salmon farming wreaks havoc on the surrounding marine environment, has severe costs for the planet in terms of resources used, and facilitates the suffering of millions of fish. These issues apply to all types of farmed salmon, be it welfare assured, certified ‘organic’, sustainable, fresh or smoked. How do we tackle these issues and make a shift towards more responsible fish…

How does imperialism affect our food systems? How is all this directly linked with European public policies and free trade agreements? How does imperialism affect rural and indigenous youth? What can we do to change the neo-colonial domination of the north towards the south? How do we fight and how do we resist it? Young members from La Via Campesina and the International Indian Treaty will be addressing the intersection between imperialism and agroindustry, and…