Pastoralists are people all over the world who keep herds of livestock – ranging from alpacas to yaks - in mobile systems, producing food on the move, providing organic manure and recycling crop residues. They are amazingly efficient protein producers, conserve biodiversity and regard their animals as family members that they keep in ways that can be considered cruelty-free: without separating mothers from offspring, allowing them dietary choices, and freedom to move. Join an international…

There is often a perceived conflict between animal welfare and sustainability. There is a belief that slower growing breeds are less efficient and so less sustainable; extensive systems have a decreased output per unit of environmental footprint so intensive systems are preferable; or that we should replace ruminants with monogastrics and apply intensification principles. In this session we will explore some of the misconceptions, trade offs and areas of positive practice that are being developed…

In this session, organised by the Justice Hub, speakers including transformative justice collective Cradle Community, urban mushroom farming cooperative Myco Manchester Coop and others will explore this question. The session will look at how the prison system, policing and punishment structure UK landscapes and geographies, and the multitude of ways that the racist prison state intersects with land justice issues, whether that be the bifurcation of rural and urban relationships, the imprisonment of protestors or…

Indigenous food systems are the foundation of agroecology and yet are very much under threat by mining and other extractive industries, land-grabbing and an increasingly homogenised industrial food system. Indigenous food systems safeguard agrobiodiversity – which is essential for ecosystems and human communities alike. In this session,we will explore how Indigenous Peoples are organising to defend their territories and their food systems. What strategies are they using to preserve and strengthen their food systems, culture…

Traditional orchards have declined by 81% since the 1900s. They hold great value for biodiversity (offering food as well as refuge), for climate change resilience, and for the local community. With a growing interest in craft cider in the UK, small-scale makers are proliferating - reclaiming old orchards, innovating low-impact methods in cultivation and production, and supporting each other in a movement that prides itself on creating natural products with a real connection to the…

A herbal ley is a complex mixture of grasses, legumes and herbs which, when well-managed, can offer benefits for wildlife, livestock, emissions and soil. In this session you will hear from the Cotswolds Seeds and FarmED team about the benefits of multi-species herbal leys, seed mix selection and how to establish and manage new swards.

A transition to agroecological, climateresilient food and farming systems requires new grain systems, from seed to field, to baking and retailing. Our current agricultural system is almost exclusively focused on productivity and consistency, unintentionally creating an unjust and unhealthy grain system from soil to gut.

Food has the power to restore our physical and mental health, bring families together and reconnect us with our landscape, culture and history. Sadly, in our present climate, it polarises, confuses and perpetuates chronic illness. This all-female panel including a doctor, farmer, barrister, psychiatrist and vet-turned nutritionist will join together to share their stories of how agroecological methods are healing our bodies, minds, communities and our land.

The connection between the farming community and wider communities has often been weak. For the food system to meaningfully change to an agroecological model, all communities need to work together towards a shared vision. A number of Sustainable Food Places (SFP) members and our partners have sought to bridge that gap using a partnership approach, facilitating spaces where fruitful dialogues between farmers and their communities can happen. This approach is also a successful methodology to…