Food systems have a huge impact on climate and climate has a huge influence on food production. Learn how agriculture and changes in our food system can be a climate solution. Drawdown research has shown that the many facets that go into the global food system produce almost a quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Groundwork: Food+Land+Climate is a series of three webcasts that were hosted by ClimateFast in preparation for the UN Food Systems Summit in September, 2021. Their purpose was to highlight the issues facing our food & agriculture sector and how they are intrinsically linked. They also showcased some of the amazing individuals, organizations, businesses & programs already working within this sector of solutions.
Balance is being in harmony with the Earth's life systems, within us and around us, not only individually but in the economic and social systems we have created. To regain balance we need to re-imagine ourselves as an integral part of everything, and everything an integral part of us. Everything we put into the air, the water or the soil we put into our bodies - and our children's bodies and the body of every living thing on Earth.
Imagine if:
- Farmers worked to enhance biodiversity on their lands - of plants, animals, insects, birds and microbes
- They shared their knowledge and produce cooperatively for greater productivity all around and were well compensated for their work
- more young people were attracted to farming careers by their idealism, a good healthy work environment and financial stability
- Small scale, intensely cultivated farms, linked system wide, feed cities locally, reducing imports
- Farms become carbon sinks, reducing overall greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere
June 7, 2021: Food, Land, Climate: Groundwork for Change
Speakers:
- Guy Dauncy, Founder, BC Sustainable Energy Association and author
- Sunday Harrison, Green Thumbs Growing Kid
July 12, 2021: Groundwork: Transformative Farming
The economics, science and art of regenerative agriculture
Speakers:
- Mary Delaney, Land over Landings
- Isaac Crosby, Lead, urban agriculture programming at Evergreen Brick Works
- Darrin Qualman, National Farmers' Union Director of Climate Crisis Policy and Action
August 9, 2021: Groundwork: Bridging the Rural-Urban Divide
Food from the land - growing our future together!
Speakers:
- Sally Miller, Fair Finance Fund
- Michelle Delaney, Thorncliffe Park Urban Farmers
- Sunday Harrison, Green Thumbs Growing Kids
- Lily Phan, National Farmers Union
COLLABORATING ORGANIZATIONS
CLIMATEFAST - www.climatefast.ca
DRAWDOWN-TORONTO - www.drawdowntoronto.ca
ECOJUST FOOD NETWORK - www.ecojustfoodnetwork.ca
GREEN THUMBS GROWING KIDS - https://www.greenthumbsto.org/