Nature-friendly, ‘regenerative’ farming isn’t just good for nature – it can kickstart Britain’s economic revival by making farms more profitable and improving the nation’s health with foods that are higher in nutrients.
This was the conclusion of speakers and delegates gathered from around the country for LandAlive this weekend, (over 80 speakers, 50 exhibitors and 550 delegates) across two days at the Bath & West Showground in Somerset, a new regenerative farming and sustainable food conference for the South West. With representatives from across the food system, from farmers to policy makers to community food volunteers, the message was clear: Regenerative farming is not just better for nature, it’s better for farming, the economy and the nation’s health.
The LandAlive conference was conceived as an opportunity for farmers to get up-to-speed on the huge changes going on in farming in the context of the whole food system, Graham Harvey explains: “Paying attention to soil quality, rebuilding biodiversity and reducing dependence on chemical inputs is very much in the mainstream now. Given the bottom-line cost of inputs, and rising consumer demand for planet-friendly, gut-friendly food, it’s simply good business sense to look at more nature-based solutions.”
Carol Paris, Chief Executive of the Royal Bath & West of England Society (co-hosts of the event) said: “Our aim was to represent the whole food system, not just farming, but because farmers are busy people and of course, pivotal to everything, we really wanted to make the experience as worthwhile and enjoyable as we could for them, and we knew that peer-to-peer learning would be critical to that. Getting so many pioneers of the regen movement – actual practitioners – ‘in the room’ for farmers to interact with and challenge, really seemed to work. I think it’s been inspirational.”
“LandAlive is a true collaboration. We have launched LandAlive with The Bath & West because we truly believe that a partnership with a longstanding and highly respected agricultural organisation offers the best possible way of supporting farmers, and the agriculture and food sectors, to transition to regenerative farming and food systems”, said Tamara Giltsoff a co-founder of LandAlive.
The event featured talks on a huge variety of topics from leading practitioners, advisors, soil and nutrition specialists, food policy makers and entrepreneurs from across the food supply chain. Speakers covered the nuts and bolts of regenerative farming practice as well as what’s new in soil, plant and nutritional science, technology, changing supply chain dynamics and the shifting subsidy landscape. It also covered broader ‘systemic’ issues such as how to build regional food security and improve nutrient levels in food and make good food more affordable.
