Food Otherwise Conference – February 21, 22 2014, Wageningen

Posted on by

Food Otherwise Conference: Towards fair and sustainable food and agriculture systems
February 21, 22 2014 Wageningen.

More and more farmers, consumers, scientists and civil society organisations are working towards sustainable and fair ways of producing food. They are forging new relationships between farmers and consumers. They offer creative, dynamic and diverse alternatives to large-scale, anonymous and industrialised food production and the increasing influence of transnational corporations. Do you want to learn, experience, think along and discuss new and feasible food and agriculture systems with others? Would you like to build bridges and help to achieve a more sustainable and fair food and agriculture system? Do you want to get to know sustainable (young) farmers? Become inspired by innovative examples from the Netherlands, Flanders and abroad? Then come to our two day conference in Wageningen on 21 and 22 February 2014!

Keynote speakers • Olivier de Schutter, UN rapporteur on the right to food • Pablo Tittonell, professor Farming Systems Ecology Wageningen University • Hanny van Geel, farmer and board member of La Via Campesina Europe • Vandana Shiva, Indian scientist and activist (tbc).

For whom? Farmers, consumers, scientists, beekeepers, students, artists, professionals in the food and agro sectors, policymakers, politicians and journalists. Translation English-Dutch provided in the plenary sessions. Some workshops will be in English. Workshops and discussions around several themes, such as: • Local food networks: from producer to consumer • The power of large agricultural corporations • Agro-ecology • Fair incomes for farmers • Urban agriculture • Permaculture / food forests • Fair trade and Agricultural policies • Land rights • Seeds and biodiversity • Soil and closed-loop agriculture

New course: CPT-54306 Geopolitics and strategic communication – serious gaming

Posted on by

NEW COURSE: Geopolitics and Strategic Communication – Serious gaming, serious theory, serious reflection CPT-54306 – period 4

geopoliticsThis course engages students with theories on interpersonal relations and strategic communication in the context of geopolitics. It addresses the dynamics of negotiation processes and the verbal and non-verbal ways to influence, persuade or even manipulate other people. Students will discuss and experience the importance of different aspects like trust, framing, persuasion, power-relations. These aspects play a pivotal role in negotiation and decision-making processes and are studied in a wide variety of disciplines such as policymaking, planning, communication, and international development. The course combines theoretical and experimental learning. Learning processes are enhanced through serious gaming and conscious reflections upon theory and practice. During the course knowledge about theories, concepts and different methods for observation, analysis and reflection will be provided through (guest)lectures and reading materials. Serious gaming will be used to link theoretical reflections and observation skills with practicing persuasive and negotiation skills. Playing the game Diplomacy will allow the students to engage with the students with the real practices of geopolitics and strategic communication. As the developer of the game stated, ‘‘The notion that a player may tell all the lies he wants and cross people as he pleases etc., make some people almost euphoric and causes others to “shake like a leaf”, as one new player put it, came up almost incidentally, because it was the most realistic in international affairs and also far and away the most workable approach’’ (Calhamer, 1993).

After successful completion of this course you are able to:

  • Demonstrate knowledge of theoretical concepts for understanding interpersonal relations
  • Reflect upon geo-politics and strategic communication
  • Understand and apply strategies influencing negotiation processes
  • Be strong like a lion and cunning like a fox

More information :

Raoul.beunen@wur.nl

Urban Greens Rural Blues – the future city

Posted on by

Urban Greens Rural BluesUrban Green Rural Blues is the 2014 theme of Stichting RUW. The opening event will be January 21 with lectures and a debate  on how the future city will look like. From 19.00-21.00 in the Public Library (BBLTHK), Stationsstraat 2, Wageningen. Free entrance and free drinks afterwards.

Since 2008 more people live in cities than in rural areas. The world population is growing and urbanisation is expected to continue. As a result, pressure on urban areas is increasing with growing issues and challenges; concerning the urban environment, waste management, traffic, housing and food supply. At the same time, cities are vibrant hubs of creativity where inspirational and successful ideas for a green, clean and healthy living environment emerge.

How can we envision the future of the city? And that of the countryside? How are urban-rural landscapes, communities and relations changing? Join us at our opening activity on the 21st of January to find out!

Rutger de Graaf (TUDelft, DeltaSync, Blue Revolution) will explain why we need to start building on water and Jan-Willem van der Schans (WUR, LEI) will discuss the role of urban food strategies in building a sustainable city. Elma Schoenmaker (BelW climate-green design) will show us several eco-smart, climate-adaptive and bio-mimicry designs.

More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/698683773497788/

Symbiotic chicken supplies – food provisioning in Dar es Salaam

Posted on by

By Marc Wegerif. PhD Candidate, Rural Sociology Group Wageningen University. Marc Wegerif is carrying out research on food provisioning in Dar es Salaam.

Diagrams made by Jerryt Krombeen, a freelance designer and advisor working with own company (http://jerryt.nl/) on: design, urbanism, landscape architecture, and public space. Jerryt is completing his Masters at the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture (http://www.ahk.nl/en/architecture/ ) and joined a group of students in a project on planning for food markets in Dar es Salaam.

By Jerryt Krombeen (http://jerryt.nl/)

By Jerryt Krombeen
(http://jerryt.nl/)

It is 5am, still dark, I am at the Shikilango people’s market in Dar es Salaam, a variety of vehicles are arriving and stopping in the street next to the market, the clucking of chickens fills the air. Motorbikes with two large woven baskets on the back, tied on top of each other, park. The baskets carrying up to 50 chickens each are arranged on the ground. Small Suzuki pick-up trucks and other vehicles with wood and wire frames on the back arrive with hundreds of chickens, the various buyers crowding around them as the morning business picks up and the sun begins to light the sky. Some customers are buying directly from the vans and motorbikes. Some of the butchers, identifiable in their white overalls and boots, are also buying direct from the vehicles to fill orders they already have. I watch the scene while sitting on a large rock on the edge of the road. The man sitting next to me on the rock is selling plastic bags of different sizes and cigarettes to customers and traders. Most of the people with the vans and motorbikes also have a stall in the market or cooperate with someone who does. The chickens not sold directly in the morning are transferred to the market and sold there through the rest of the day.

Under a high roof that covers a raised concrete platform there are thousands of chickens in lines of cages four levels high. The alley ways left between the cages are busy with people selling and buying chickens, negotiating or just talking. There is an alley at a lower level between the platform and six white tiled chicken slaughtering and cleaning areas that run along two sides of the platform.

Continue reading →

Food Rules for Healthy People and Planet – RSA short film

Posted on by

The RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) is “an enlightenment organisation committed to finding innovative practical solutions to today’s social challenges”. The RSA orgnizes various public events. Videos, animation and short films of these inspiring talks are published at the website. Such as the talk by Michael Pollan “Food Rules for Healthy People and Plan“. Of this talk a very nice, awarded winning, short animated film has been made by Marija Jacimovic and Benoit Detalle: