New Report: Food Systems in Common

We’re pleased to announce the publication of our new report Food Systems in Common: Council Farms, Agroecological Food Sovereignty, and Public-Common Partnerships. The report is the first in a new line of research aimed at bringing food production, distribution, and consumption under collective democratic control in Britain and beyond. As the first in this series, the report begins by explaining why today’s so-called ‘conventional’ agricultural systems are a hindrance to a green and democratic future. The report proposes that agroecological farming is a better basis to build a climate resilient, nutritionally rich, and culturally sensitive food system. Following the global agricultural movement, La Via Campesina, the report therefore calls for a policy shift towards agroecological food sovereignty. 

The report’s second half pivots to Britain’s food system. Drawing on renewed interest in England’s council farm estate, the report proposes that this publicly owned agricultural land could and should be used to kickstart an agroecological transition in Britain. When used in this way, England’s council farm estate holds the potential to help local authorities meet green targets while empowering workers and communities, providing locally produced nutritious food, creating climate resilient landscapes, and generating rural employment opportunities.

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