Building the Movement

To hold spaces for collective visioning towards the creation of an autonomous educational space building local collective powers for understanding different approaches to land and belonging.

Supporting a programme of training and talks focusing on how to access land in ways which centre justice and anti-oppression. Topics will include workers’ rights, disability justice, anti-oppression training and sustainable business modelling.

Supporting political education and discussion spaces on the necessary decolonising processes for the lands and the peoples of “Northern Ireland”.

Support for the 2024 Land Justice Fair and the development a land justice manifesto.

General support for the Pathways to Land project which explores a specific barrier to BPOC farmers and community food organisers - that of accessing land securely. It also addresses the barriers BPOC face in obtaining the finance needed to do so.

Supporting the creation of educational experiences to 'bridge' rewilding efforts with community and cultural heritage drawing on the rich cultural heritage of the Highlands and Islands to shift the narrative
away from "wilderness" towards a more nuanced understanding of the landscape as a living,
peopled place.

Fallow will be a series of community care workshops designed to address the need for accessible healing spaces for Black and People of Colour (BPOC) landworkers and earthworkers, climate, food, farming, land and racial justice organisers.

Support for Shared Assets' coordination and convening role in bringing different groups and people involved in Land Justice work together to discuss and co create ways for moving the work forward.

To create progression pathways for BPOC and others from marginalised group in the London area to learn land skills such as horticulture and farming; to acquire qualifications, and learn BPOC centred food production through the accreditation of Go Grow with Love and the development of a BPOC centred agroecology short course.

To support the ongoing work of agroecology sector members to develop the need and use cases for a landmatching service.

Support for on-going events and outreach and connection work including an activism skills building week.

To support the partnership building and site development to help signpost to agroecology training, learning, apprenticeships and opportunities

To support Flame’s youth activism training and broader skills development work and opportunities for youth interested in the food justice movement.

To support the ongoing work of agroecology sector members to develop the need and use cases for a landmatching service

To establish a permanent rural land skill hub and run a programme of taster educational events for people of colour and other marginalised communities to learn land skills such as growing, farming, building and crafting to progress into land-based livelihoods.

Researching and promoting mechanisms and approaches, across all forms of capital, to financing a just transition to agroecology in the UK post Brexit.

To enhance learning and knowledge sharing around the importance of seed diversity and to improve international collaboration seed breeders.

To create an Agroecological Mentoring Network for new entrant farmers and farmers who have been operating for less than 5 years. Through the mentoring network, we are aiming to link mentees to experienced mentors in order to support new and starter farmers to develop their agroecological farming systems and overcome challenges.

To catalyse the emergence of an internationally harmonised framework for measuring on-farm sustainability. This framework would be analogous to the existence of the international profit and loss accounting standards, has the potential to provide a common communication platform for every food producer in the world, as well as informing governments about the impact of their farming policies and providing consumers with accurate information about the relative sustainability of the products they buy.

Ensuring that 'farming the future' concerns are embedded in immanent policy, legislation and future farm funding

To undertake strategic planning to effectively engage civil society to push for a reduction in pesticide use and related harms in the UK. This phase is essential to kickstart a future programme of work with a wide variety of civil society actors over the next few years to reduce the use of chemicals.

To expose the dangers posed by post-Brexit trade deals to UK pesticide standards and generate proposed language for future UK trade agreements which would uphold existing UK pesticide standards.

To collaborate on providing compelling evidence for agriculture and planning ministries to deliver schemes to scale up grassroots agroecological farms across the UK. The project brings together information, case studies and tours in order to co-develop schemes which incorporate agroecology into their work streams.

To monetise the economic, environmental and social value of Growing Communities' work so that they are better able to articulate their worth to consumers and policymakers. In addition, by creating a valuation toolkit that GC will roll out to their Better Food Traders network this will enable distributors operating along similar lines to GC to do the same.

To bring the diverse voices and perspectives of small-scale farmers from around the world to the UK food and farming movement, in particular in support of agroecology and seed sovereignty. The ultimate aim of this is to provide a stronger voice through which to influence policy whilst also amplifying UK efforts towards regenerative food and farming practices.

An integrated local delivery framework that can help build resilient and prepared communities. It is a wonderful, dynamic, inclusive process, that is unique in every location but has a structure to inspire and enable people to take action in a complex world. The process creates the opportunity for all communities (with support from an environmental adviser) to take local action for climate change by being inspired to reconnect to agroecological farming and enabling the benefits of re- localisation.

This project aims to create a new wider vision for council farms and their potential to deliver a range of public benefits including exploring new models and approaches to how they might be managed and kept in public ownership. This vision will be promoted to key decision makers and the sector, to build consensus and a stronger commitment to securing their future for the public good.

To challenge and disrupt some of the structural inequalities that exist within the current UK food growing sector through the creation of a network of BAME led growers pan-London who will receive relevant skills development and training opportunities enabling them to grow commercially.

To achieve specific changes in local and national policy to secure a significant growth in peri-urban land for agro-ecological food growing. Through a series of pilots to ‘do the spade work’ to show what is possible, and to sow the seeds for a proliferation of market gardens to grow in peri-urban areas, and at pace.

Influence policy makers resulting in a supportive policy and payments environment for agroforestry, providing support to farmers to increase uptake of agroforestry and farm woodland management.

To further the development of two key mechanisms for future farm support, namely a harmonised framework for measuring farm and food system sustainability and linked to this, natural capital mapping.

Help farmers understand what nature-friendly solutions e.g. pollination, soil health, predatory insect habitat they need to put in place to assist production of food and reduction in (or elimination of) crop protection inputs and support wider policy advocacy and campaigning work on pesticide reduction by providing stories, case studies and farmer advocates that capture the experience of making a substantial transition to more sustainable land management.

Strengthen Red Tractor standards on pesticides and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in order to reduce pesticide-related harms to the health of UK citizens and the natural environment

Defending UK pesticide standards from upcoming trade deals with non-EU countries. It will build on the significant public and political momentum created by the launch of the Toxic Trade report in order to ensure that the UK government does not bow to trade partners’ demands to weaken UK pesticide standards.

The Agroecology Research Collaboration (ARC) is a collective endeavour to address the current deficit in research led by, centring and meeting the needs of agroecology practitioners. The purpose of this project is to enable a more strategic approach to be taken towards research, and harness the potential of this cross collaboration to build momentum within the agroecology and food sovereignty movement.

Through this project, the three groups will co-create a series of events, podcasts, online workshops and publications to make major advances in representing groups not traditionally recognised or empowered in food, farming and land systems.

To identify the barriers that BPOC face when considering a land based livelihood in Britain, to map existing and prospective BPOC led land-based businesses and organisations and to discover what challenges they face and how they seek to overcome them.

This work will provide the resources to grow and develop the Northern Real Farming Conference, associated events and co-creation processes to enhance knowledge sharing, education, training and movement building which are identified as key factors to increase the impact of the real farming movement in the North of England.

A new collaborative partnership to bring together a range of different approaches that integrate tree planting on farms with the delivery of a wide range of environmental services and community involvement whilst still producing affordable food.

Creating new resources that will support more community-led organisations to buy land, bring more acres of land into long term agroecological management and relieve the insecurity of farming on rented land.

Develop a strong 'less and better' meat proposition for local authorities to respond to the climate and ecological emergency. Bring together reduction targets with a clear pathway for improving procurement standards to enable local authorities to make better decisions.

Provide support to small scale and agroecological farmers on a variety of topics through webinars, training and business advice alongside holding focus groups.

To re-engage civil society in the discussion around gene editing and create a much broader coalition of groups that can articulate the case against gene editing and help amplify the message that the government agenda is taking food and farming in the wrong direction. And, to formulate effective policy recommendations around gene editing that ensure rational regulation, support systems-based farming policy and protect agroecology from becoming just another tool in the sustainable intensification toolbox.

To run a pilot with 50 community gardens to increase productivity and support distribution of fresh food in the wake of Covid-19 to cultivate a model Market Garden City, to be further developed through Sustain's well-established Sustainable Food Places and Good to Grow national networks.

Support to the Seed Cooperative for increasing and improving their IT capacity and support for Vital Seeds to purchase a seed packer.

Support to help adapt their operating model following the impact of lockdown, with a focus on the expansion of their veg box scheme.

The COMPASS Project will enable us to offer coordinated emergency support to farm businesses that gives them access to public procurement contracts and helps to re-localise food. This project will help to embed sustainable supply chains and access to local food in Gloucestershire. The support will create a transferable template for local authorities that will benefit society during and post Coronavirus.

Contributing towards organisational Covid related costs and support for Better Food Traders

Supporting additional staff capacity to support members in supply chain reorientation during Covid.

A multi-part podcast series – ‘Who Feeds Us?’ – sharing the stories of food producers who have been affected by the pandemic: their struggles and successes, their resilience and hard work, and their incredible capacity for innovation. It will unearth on-the-ground stories of those who have stepped up to feed their communities in new ways: by re-focusing their production, establishing micro-bakeries, developing local food databases, and helping people to grow their own, with a focus on including underrepresented
and diverse voices and experiences.

Supporting preparation and delivery of “home-cooked” nutritious meals to a range of people who would otherwise struggle to keep themselves fed during the crisis alongside development of a recovery strategy to ensure provision of make local, fresh food affordable to people accessing emergency food provision, and avoiding creating dependency and dis empowerment.

To provide emergency support through webinars, online training and business support for small scale producers to address increases in demand, the need for new business models or finding new routes to market due to the pandemic.

To give 6-8 grants to small farm businesses to meeting increased demand for vegetable box deliveries and supply food to directly to vulnerable people and those who have not been able to easily access healthy local food.

To research and tell a story of industry standard grain testing and how it's impacted on the way we bake and think about our food. To offer an alternative by encouraging and supporting farmers to taste, trust and connect with their grains once again. Explore/input into how the research from first phase of The Body Lab work can feed in and shape elements of the data recording for the new database demonstrating the viability of heterogenous seed varieties for DEFRA.

To reduce the deforestation impact of soya by exploring alternative animal feeds for UK farmers

Create connections between Affordable Food Groups and food producers through
farms visits and other co created activities.

To support the growth of the fibreshed movement in the UK to meet the demand
for agro-ecologically grown, regional, carbon neutral textiles created within a socially equitable
collaborative network of designers, makers, farmers, growers and processors.

To continue to uplift underrepresented voices in the food and farming sector. We
want to foster an equitable agroecological future by nurturing and sharing the stories of diverse
voices and working together to uncover ways of being outside of the paradigm of oppression.

Build a coalition for practical grassroots action in support of migrant workers in the conventional agriculture sector. It aims to shed light on the structural causes for poor working conditions in this sector, especially those linked to the supply chain dynamics of the conventional agricultural sector.

Give a platform for the young people in our partnership to share their different lived experiences and stories related to food and farming in the context of the climate and nature crises, as well as in the context of food and land justice.

Grow the peri-urban farming network outwards and start to create practical opportunities for a wave of new peri-urban agroecological farms around UK cities.

Create a cohesive movement of organisations and individuals working for food justice
in the UK. The project set out to rebuild the foundations of the food sovereignty movement with an
intersectional lens, aiming to uplift and support the voices of those most impacted by our dominant,
unjust food system.

Establishing 3 urban food forests in communities with specific social needs and the development of a sustainable and replicable strategy to develop community food forests for UK-wide rollout.

To increase the capacity and long-term sustainability of Land Trust and to promote
Land Trusts as a viable ‘succession’ plan for retiring or exiting farmers.

We want to amplify the voice for agroecology in Scotland by bringing together our shared resources and expertise to represent, advocate for and support farmers, crofters and growers practicing or wanting to practice agroecology

Bringing together, upskilling, articulating, and amplifying diverse youth voices to influence policy around a just transition in food and farming.

Developing 7 prototype Landed Kitchens, key pieces of infrastructure for building reciprocity between urban, peri-urban and rural cultures in the North of England.

Create and run a 12 month programme of support for Regional Food Hub managers helping increase access to healthy food, reduce environmental impacts, support local farmers and economies.

To increase visibility of labour practices in food/farming and undertake feasibility study for implementing a workers centre model of support and advocacy centering worker representation.

Develop narrative interventions deligitimising Big Ag and challenging its capture of transitory agricultural finance.

Engaging Community Land Trusts around buying land for agroecological farming and exploring supporting housing needs on farmland with a focus on social justice considerations

Developing value chain collaborations around agro-ecologically grown pulses (beans, peas and other legumes) for human consumption in the North of England

Building the network for agroecology in Scotland by building relationships between a coalition of organisations representing expertise on different agroecological elements including farming practices, short supply chains, land justice and the right to food

Exploring how to centre young farmers, food activists and students voices in policy and advocacy work around a Just Transition

Connecting messages (briefings) around agroecology from Agroecology Comms Network with members to the Parliamentarians for Agroecology group

This Brighton and Hove Regional Collaboration brings people together to increase education, health outcomes and the market for agroecological food in Sussex by connecting farmers with socially responsible buyers

Unrestricted development support for LBGTQIA+ collective focused on amplifying diverse voices within the food and farming sector and creating spaces for solidarity and connection

Unrestricted development support for Norfolk based collective working towards a community focussed market-garden (selling vegetables and fruit), which hosts inclusive land-related events (e.g. BPOC community building, communal meals, workshops, skill shares and gatherings).

Unrestricted development support for organisation celebrating women of African Caribbean heritage in farming and Afro ecology and supporting them to develop essential long-life skills in land care, food production and food enterprise.

Unrestricted development support for LWA group for BPOC members offering a much needed space for people to come together and share experiences, difficulties, solutions, and hope.

Unrestricted development support for organisation dedicated to re connecting the Jewish disapora communities to the land through the ancestral practices of food and land work

Unrestricted development support for London based collective aiming to ‘common’ soil science knowledge and tools & prioritising access to marginalised groups

Unrestricted development support for Co-op society promoting best practice and safe production of raw milk

Cultivate an agroecological future grounded in solidarity, reciprocity, and collaborative power through storytelling, convening, and radical collaboration in Northern Ireland.

Convene a collaborative working group to develop and promote a basic income for farmers policy in Scotland, supporting climate action and rural resilience whilst promoting agroecology and operating within Scotland's unique farming context and challenges.

Build sector capacity to implement the Local Food Growth Plan, convening and connecting relevant organisations via projects/campaigns that build routes to market focused on infrastructure, procurement and other policy priorities.

Address the gap between urban and rural food growing, to diversify the grassroots agroecological farming movement, through a mutual exchange of knowledge, praxis and skills between community food growers in London and farms across South East England.

Build a more collaborative, overarching movement-level strategy for agroecological food, farming and land justice, focussing on understanding the relation between the different tactics and theories of change we engage in, and directing our collective power more strategically as part of a clear strategic vision .

Develop the foundations of an agroecological grain system by creating a collaborative governance and organising model for regional grain networks that tackles key challenges relating to diversity and inclusion through organisational co-design, and mobilisation of knowledge. It will also build and support the connection of regionally and local networks across England, Scotland and Wales.

Support Pathways to Land and Tamar Grow Local to support the newly developing Landmatch England to ensure it is accessible across England and that it can properly support those from underrepresented groups facing a host of additional barriers to land access and also support landowners to understand and appreciate these barriers.

Build a shared language around agroecology by providing deep, collaborative and strategic opportunities for comms professionals in the movement to convene around three key facets of agroecology - social movement, economic resilience, and a solution to the climate crisis - in the form of three one-day action learning workshops.

Build capacity and community in the artisanal and agroecological dairy sector to provide an alternative approach to sustainability and quality than that offered by the milk processors.

Create a dedicated learning journey on Justice Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for directors and senior leaders from within our broad alliance, providing mutual support, and guided learning, to embed JEDI principles across our movement.

Hold a day of creativity, care & joy in order to deepen and enrich the relationships between those building an agroecological system and those who do, or should, fund them.