Rethink Food: The Value of Diversity in Scotland

Schedule

Wed Jun 14 2023 at 05:00 pm to 09:30 pm

Location

Scottish Storytelling Centre | Edinburgh, SC

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Explore the impacts of lacking food diversity & how we can achieve greater variety in Scotland's food & farming systems
About this Event

The Nature Friendly Farming Network's Rethink Food: The Value of Diversity in Scotland brings together a varied group of speakers including farmers, food system experts, academics and policymakers to discuss the critical importance of food diversity from farm to plate.

Why does food diversity matter?

We have many choices in the supermarket, yet our diets have become less varied. Of the 6,000 plant species humans have eaten over time, we mostly grow and consume only nine and a third of those (rice, wheat and maize) provide 50 per cent of all calories.

As set out in our recent Rethink Food: A Plan for Action report, food diversity is essential for our future and a loss of variety presents multiple challenges from nutrition and environmental resilience to climate change adaptability. Narrowing what we consume puts global food security at risk as we rely on a handful of crops, all vulnerable to external environmental pressures. This reliance on monocultures engineers farm environments to be dependent on artificial fertilisers and chemicals with knock-on effects on biodiversity.

Food diversity represents much more than sustenance: food is intricately bound to heritage, geography and culture.

How do we achieve a truly sustainable and diverse food system in Scotland?

Rethink Food: The Value of Diversity in Scotland

Our panellists will present their views including evidence of the importance of food diversity, the need to improve it and the opportunities for achieving greater diversity in Scotland’s food and farming systems.

The event will consider food security, the economy and food diversity:

  • How can the Good Food Nation Bill’s bold ambition for an agroecological food system be translated into effective policy support for diversifying food?
  • How is the lack of food diversity impacting people's health and how can this be addressed?
  • How can a diverse food system benefit farm and croft businesses?

Panellists

  • Wendy Barrie - Cook, Scotland’s Ark of Taste and Scottish Food Guide
  • David Finlay, The Ethical Dairy - Dairy Farmer & Cheese Maker
  • Gillian Butler - Agricultural Scientist and Specialist Researcher in Animal Health and Food Quality Newcastle University
  • Robin Gourlay OBE - Scottish Government Advisor on Food Policy and Associate Scotland Food and Drink
  • Professor Mary Brennan - Scottish Food Coalition Chair
  • Mads Fischer-Møller - Food policy advisor, WWF Scotland

Programme:

17.00 - Food and drinks reception

17.30 - Welcome: Denise Walton, Chair NFFN Scotland

18.00 - Keynote speech

18.15 - Panel discussion:

Food Diversity in Scotland: The Problems and The Potentials

  • Wendy Barrie
  • David Finlay
  • Gillian Butler

18.50 - Audience Q&A

19.15 - Panel discussion:

Achieving Diverse Food and Farming: The Solutions

  • Mads Fischer-Møller
  • Robin Gourlay OBE
  • Professor Mary Brennan

19.50 - Audience Q&A

20.20 - Closing remarks followed by tea, coffee and cake

21.30 - Close

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Where is it happening?

Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Tickets

GBP 0.00

Nature Friendly Farming Network

Host or Publisher Nature Friendly Farming Network

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