Profitable organic farming is a contribution of colleague Ina Horlings the ‘The Broker online‘ blog on food security. The Broker has four interesting blogs from a manyfold of people across the world.
Future farmers in the spotlight: A project to raise awareness for the situation of young farmers in Europe
‘Future farmers in the Spotlight’ is a project to raise awareness for the need of young farmers and more sustainable food production systems in the European Union.
Describing the idea with the words of project founders Juliane Haufe and Joris van der Kamp:
“Many farmers are reaching the age of retirement: only 6% of Europeans farmers is currently below the age of 35. Young people are needed to take over to sustain food production!
But how can a young future farmer nowadays start up an inspiring farming project? Which options are there to get involved in food production? Which (new) concepts will make a farm sustainable in an ecological sense, will provide an adequate income and will create an added value for the civil society?
These questions urgently need an answer!
Future farmers in the spotlight is looking for these answers! We are visiting already existing farming initiatives all around Europe and make short documentaries!”
To find out more about the project and to watch interesting video clips about the troubles and joys of young farmers across Europe, please visit future-farmers.net
Interesting forum discussion: Urban and Peri-urban agriculture and short food chains: Lessons from the South
The SUPURBFOOD project (www.supurbfood.eu) is looking to identify experiences from the global South and North with recycling of nutrients, waste and water in urban and peri-urban agriculture, short chain delivery of food in urban and peri-urban areas, and multifunctional agriculture in urban and peri-urban areas in order to enrich South-North exchange and collaboration. We are specifically interested in innovative experiences – with a special focus on the type of business models that were applied, the role of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and their sustainability.
This specific discussion will run on the Forum from 4-30 March 2013. Continue reading
Foodlinks News issue 4
Photo report by Leo Dvortsin
The latest issue of Foodlinks News is out!
In the newsletter, you can find a short report on the meeting of the urban food strategies CoP in Tukums, Latvia as well as a photo report from Leo Dvortsin (Purefood) on his secondment with Willem&Drees.
Please also register for our upcoming webinar on urban food strategies!
Would you also like to become a member? Sign up for the Short Food Supply Chain, Revaluing Public Sector Food Procurement or Urban Food Strategies CoP!
A key characteristic of the Foodlinks project is that it brings together different types of knowledge and experience from research, policy and civil society representatives. Foodlinks organises a collective process of sharing and integrating this knowledge around particular problems of food systems. You can read more about Foodlinks on our website and if you would like to receive the next edition of Foodlinks News you can subscribe here.
A Place At The Table – documentary on food insecurity in the USA
From today on, March 1, the documentary ‘A Place At The Table: one nation. underfed‘ on food insecrurity in the USA is launched:
50 million people in the U.S.-one in four children-don’t know where their next meal is coming from, despite our having the means to provide nutritious, affordable food for all Americans. Directors Kristi Jacobson and Lori Silverbush examine this issue through the lens of three people who are struggling with food insecurity: Barbie, a single Philadelphia mother who grew up in poverty and is trying to provide a better life for her two kids; Rosie, a Colorado fifth-grader who often has to depend on friends and neighbors to feed her and has trouble concentrating in school; and Tremonica, a Mississippi second-grader whose asthma and health issues are exacerbated by the largely empty calories her hardworking mother can afford.
Their stories are interwoven with insights from experts including sociologist Janet Poppendieck, author Raj Patel and nutrition policy leader Marion Nestle; ordinary citizens like Pastor Bob Wilson and teachers Leslie Nichols and Odessa Cherry; and activists such as Witness to Hunger’s Mariana Chilton, Top Chef’s Tom Colicchio and Oscar®-winning actor Jeff Bridges.
Ultimately, A Place at the Table shows us how hunger poses serious economic, social and cultural implications for our nation, and that it could be solved once and for all, if the American public decides-as they have in the past-that making healthy food available and affordable is in the best interest of us all. See more at: http://www.magpictures.com/aplaceatthetable/#sthash.mcOOhFcB.dpuf
Rural Sociology Wageningen University 