July 2026 - Agricultural and Rural Convention

Italy | A Love Letter From The Farm

July 17, 2026 Chiara Garini

After eight beautiful, mucky, frustrating, biodiversity-filled and fulfilling years of giving voice to farmers—for who better to narrate the highs and lows of life on the farm?—the much-loved “Letters From The Farm” series is drawing to a close. And so we invite the doyenne of the series, our very first contributor, to guide us into a series of closing reflections. Welcome back to Chiara Garini’s forest garden at the foot of the Italian Alps. […]

Simplification Sandwich – What’s inside the Food and Feed Omnibus?

July 17, 2026 Oliver Moore

The EU Food and Feed Safety Simplification Omnibus is another of the European Commission’s attempts to fast-track legislation it claims will reduce administrative burden and increase competitiveness. As has been the case previously, many in civil society and the scientific community are worried that changing so many of the rules on food and feed so fast will do more harm than good. Oliver Moore reports.
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‘What fertiliser crisis?’ Meet India’s pioneer movement paving the path to chemical-free farming

July 16, 2026 Natasha Foote

It’s nothing less than an agroecological revolution. And it’s led by women in the Global South, who are creating their own alternatives to toxic dependencies. Natasha Foote sits down with Swati Renduchintala, a researcher with farmer empowerment organisation Rythu Sadhikara Samstha, to understand how Andhra Pradesh’s Natural Farming movement has changed the lives of millions of Indian smallholders, and shows no signs of stopping. […]

A Taste of Community Breeding in Italy

July 16, 2026 Adèle Pautrat

While developing seeds suited to the specific conditions of organic farming still faces significant challenges, multi-stakeholder breeding systems are proving effective in steering research towards greater diversity. Among them, the participatory approach branches out into numerous projects and living labs across Europe, aiming to create new varieties tailored to local needs. Reporting from an experimental field day in Italy, Seeds4All project coordinator Adèle Pautrat explores the concept of participatory plant breeding, while agronomist Michael Daddio shares his inspiring thoughts on breeding as a tool to empower communities. By Adèle Pautrat and Michael Daddio […]

A Peasant University where we can cultivate Rural Knowledge and Power

July 16, 2026 ARC

Collective intelligence on a European scale – could this be the missing piece of the puzzle to make the agroecological transition a reality? Thierry Lohr, local councillor for Plessé, France, and partner of the Rural Resilience project, tells the story of an idea that has galvanised a pan-European collective of rural changemakers: the Peasant University. […]

Une Université Paysanne pour conjuguer les savoirs et le pouvoir d’agir des territoires ruraux

July 16, 2026 ARC

Et si la pièce manquante de la transition agroécologique était l’intelligence collective à l’échelle européenne ? Thierry Lohr, 5ème adjoint au sein de la mairie de Plessé (44), partenaire du projet « Rural Resilience » porté par l’association ARC2020, présente dans cet article la genèse d’une idée. Rédaction : Thierry Lohr […]

NEW publication | Everyday Heroines – Stories Rooted in Rural Resilience

July 16, 2026 ARC

Lovingly curated and launched today, “Everyday Heroines – Stories Rooted in Rural Resilience” is a tribute to the extraordinary strength of women who, every day, fundamentally shape the future of their communities. A joint publication by ARC2020, Polska z Natury Foundation, ZIARNO and the Ecological Folk High School. […]

CAP Catch Up – Where are discussions in Brussels at?

July 13, 2026 Natasha Foote

The weather isn’t the only thing heating up over the next few months. Negotiations over the shapes of the EU’s farming subsidy programme will start firing on all cylinders in the second half of the year. Natasha Foote walks you through the latest from Brussels. […]

Hungary | Hands on the Land to Grow Alternatives for Humanity

July 10, 2026 Zsámboki Biokert

Welcome back to Zsámboki Biokert, a market garden and alternative learning space, located close to Budapest. Young trainees flock here to learn how to work with nature and grow nutrient dense food. This knowledge-sharing is part of a broader strategy of resilience – for young people in pursuit of meaningful lifestyles grounded in wellbeing, but also for the farm team and wider community. When overwhelmed by the scale of the challenges, collective advocacy for agroecology can be a coping technique. A letter from the farm by Logan Strenchock. […]

Sustainable farming isn’t a threat to food security. It might be the only thing that saves it.

July 9, 2026 Andrea Beste

The real threat to your dinner isn’t organic farming – it’s climate change (and the agroindustry lobby). In this op-ed Dr Andrea Beste calls for an approach to food security based on scientific facts and systemic sustainability. […]

From Bessarabia to Brussels? Ukraine’s New AKIS Network to Connect Farmers with Knowledge

July 9, 2026 Anna Romandash

Designed to bring the fruits of research, innovation and experimentation within reach of those who need it – farmers and rural actors – the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) is a powerful tool for climate adaptation and post-war recovery, and can support the process of European standards taking root. Anna Romandash reports from Ukraine. […]

In Search of Untasted Flavours

July 8, 2026 Adèle Pautrat

Native to East Asia, the Goumi tree (Elaeagnus multiflora) is a rare find in Europe, which is a surprise considering its long list of desirable traits. Hardy and robust, the shrub requires almost no maintenance. It thrives in poor soil, which it helps enrich thanks to the nitrogen-fixing nodules on its roots. With pale green foliage, it produces fragrant white flowers, and small, glossy red fruits that look like candied berries. In a happy coincidence, not only did I discover that June is the perfect moment to taste the Goumi, but that there is actually someone growing them just a short train ride from Brussels, where I live. By Adèle Pautrat. […]