Forum of Alternatives: Agro-biodiversity

Come and discover some alternatives that already exist. Resilient food systems after all involve so much more than refraining from using genetic modification, chemical pesticides and artificial fertiliser. Agro-ecology is based on the power of nature and on collective intelligence. Meet seed improvers, soil guardians, farmers and cooks and join in an exploration of routes to an agro-ecological future.

Programme:

15:00 - 16:00
Five testimonies:

• Louis De Bruyn: Growing Seeds Yourself
• Boer Tijs (De Groentelaar): Why would you become a farmer now, and how do you do it?
• Diëgo Van De Keere: Full permaculture
• Seb Mayfield: Sustain (London)
• De Sociale Kruidenier Leuven: Making sustainable food accessible to everyone

16:00 - 18:00
Five workshops:

• Growing Seeds Yourself
  Louis De Bruyn
  The aim of ‘Growing Seeds Yourself’ is to maintain and develop the genetic diversity of vegetable plants, the local and grower’s varieties. Through the Eigen Zaadteelt [Grow Your Own Seeds] workgroup it stimulates the reintegration of seed-growing into businesses themselves, thereby further boosting the strength of the production system.

• Why would you become a farmer now, and how do you do it?
  Boer Tijs (De Groentelaar), Inne Dockx (Grondsmaak)
  Several young farmers tell their stories. Why would anyone start farming these days? And how would you do it? How do you find farmland if your parents were not farmers? Can you farm organically and at the same time run a viable business? Are Community-Supported Agriculture, farmers’ markets and other short-chain initiatives the future?

• Full permaculture
  Diego Van De Keere
  Permaculture is the design of complete and sustainable systems using natural models and principles. It is all about the relationship between man and nature, and about how, in every aspect of our lives, we can learn to cooperate with nature once again rather than fighting against it.

• Upscaling local food systems
  Seb Mayfield (Sustain, London)
  A workshop on the relevance of urban gardens, keeping bees in cities, a vegetable garden and kitchen at school and so on. How can hundreds or thousands of small, symbolic initiatives contribute to a trend break whereby such major institutions as hospitals, universities, administrative bodies and so on buy local and sustainable food? Is it possible for a city, and even a world city like London, to buy food sustainably? Take a look at the impressive list of initiatives implemented by Sustain at www.sustainweb.org

• The right to healthy food
  De Sociale Kruidenier Leuven
  The aim of the Social Grocer in Leuven  is to show solidarity by making sustainable food accessible to everyone. To this end, the initiator of the project, Leren Ondernemen vzw, an association for and run by poor people in Leuven, is entering into a broad partnership with local producers, environmental organisations, social organisations, policy-makers and sympathisers.