2010 - 2025

Being a successful and happy agroecologist, whether you are a farmer, grower, adviser, facilitator or leader, is knowledge intensive. You also need a degree of confidence and connection. Join us and hear about a range of accelerator programmes that aim to deliver intensive and impactful learning, mindset shift and community building in the agroecological and regenerative farming space. How do these programmes compare? How can you engage? What lessons have been learnt? What do you…

This session will focus on the benefits and challenges of a co-operative approach to organising in the food industry. It will look at examples: Suma, a worker-owned wholesaler of sustainable and responsibly sourced food distributing across the UK; Unicorn Grocery, a worker co-op retailer selling natural, quality food and drink; and Tyddyn Teg, a worker-owned farm growing and distributing veg in Wales. Alongside stories from each of the co-ops, the session will look at some…

This panel explores how different aspects of food resilience — usually considered in isolation — can be connected. Farmers are natural experts in embedding resilient approaches on-farm. Food resilience is rising up national and local government agendas, in the face of food supply shocks and stresses. Those ultimately impacted — the public — rarely feature in discussions. What lessons from farm risk management and diversification could help inform approaches to embedding resilience? How can we…

Organic farming is the system that most effectively delivers our universal aims for food quality and health, genuine sustainability and environmental management, personal welfare and animal health. Despite being backed up by robust science, Government support and a well-developed market, organic production is static in the UK. This session will hear from people successfully involved throughout the food chain, telling what organic has done for them, and provide the basis for a challenging discussion on…

Where is the cross-over between regenerative agriculture and rewilding? Within Permaculture we have Zone 5 — the land you leave to ‘nature’ — but a 'set aside' nature reserve is no longer enough in our current times. Zone 5 for wildlife/biodiversity needs to permeate all Zones, and also us. We explore how Permaculture and Holistic Decision Making can create biodiversity, meet our human needs, farm productively with nature, restore ecosystems, and build community. What do…

What does the latest research on insect sentience mean for our view of the ecosystem services they provide, such as pollination and nutrient cycling? Biodiversity is often valued by society in terms of benefits to humans, however, as we learn more about how insects experience the world, should this reframe our valuation and understanding of the role of biodiversity in agroecological systems? This discussion between those researching, working alongside and conserving insects will be an…

Ploughing and cultivations are coming under increasing criticism, and yet field-scale organic and agroecological farmers are dependent on tillage for crop establishment and nutrient supply, weed control and crop yield. Research shows that far from being damaging, cultivation and plough-based organic systems can maintain or increase soil organic matter levels, ensure good soil structure and increase biological activity. No-till methods have not proved to be commercially viable in the UK. We will hear from farmers…

Ask not what you can do for your pig but what your pig can do for you. Contrary to popular belief, pigs do not uproot everything. This session aims to promote the wide range of behaviours and potential benefits of pigs in nature conservation and regenerative farming systems. Exploring the versatility, adaptability and conservation opportunities of native pigs. A pig will graze, browse and consume berries and fungi, maintain a mosaic of bare ground, and…

Increased uptake of agroecological systems is desirable for environmental, social and cultural reasons. Underpinning this transition requires movements to develop training and learning opportunities. This open session will explore the rapidly evolving skill set required for agroecology, and debate the challenges and opportunities for agroecological learning in the UK. How can we build learning capacity to struggle and transform, not conform? How can The Agroecology Learning Collective (TALC) help the movement adapt formal education systems…