European Action Gathering for Sustainable Food Systems

In Marburg, Germany, on November 6th – 8th 2023, ARC2020, Kollektiv von Morgen and the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Bäuerliche Landwirtschaft (AbL) are hosting a European Action Gathering – A rural bridge between sustainable agri and food policies in the EU.

Date: November 6th (from 18:00), November 7th (all day) and November 8th (all day), 2023
Location: Technologie- & Tagungszentrum, Marburg, Germany
Language: German, with interpretation into English and French

For those that can’t attend in-person, we are live-streaming the presentation of the Marburg Action Plan for Future-Proof Food Systems and the panel debate on Wednesday November 8th. This will be in German only. Click here to access the livestream (in German).

Why?

Throughout Europe there is action to improve access to healthy, affordable and ecologically produced food. Many local food councils, solidarity farming groups, food cooperatives as well as rural and urban municipalities have established democratic, economic and social frameworks for a fair and sustainable food system. This is encouraging, especially in the face of global crises that affect, and are affected by, the food system.

However, an integrated policy shift for sustainable farming practices and a resilient food system is still missing. The European Commission has announced a legislative proposal for a Sustainable Food Systems law, and the expectations for a stronger implementation of the Farm to Fork Strategy remain very high. The German Federal Ministry for Agriculture and Food has also announced a new National Food Strategy, not to be established before 2025. Similarly, the French government is due to present a National Strategy for Food, Nutrition and Climate (SNANC). And still, many relevant regional, national and European policies dealing with farming, food, climate, environment and health are conflicting and inconsistent.

We don’t have time to waste. 

This European Action-Gathering for a Sustainable Food System offers a moment of learning and action for citizens, farmers, municipalities, food councils, platforms and politicians to take stock of good farming, good food action, and good policies in Germany, France and the wider Europe, to press for an integrated farming, rural, food, and public health policy (e.g. the “Unwritten Regulation”) and to envisage next steps for action.

The Gathering takes place as part of Rural Europe Takes Action – Germany, a participatory action-research collaboration between ARC2020, the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Bäuerliche Landwirtschaft (AbL) in Hessen and the Marburg-based Kollektiv von Morgen, and is supported by the Robert Bosch Stiftung and Porticus.

See the programme in English here

Sehen Sie das Programme auf Deutsch hier

Programme disponible en français à consulter ici

The Gathering is rooted in ARC’s Rural Resilence project. Co-constructed with feet on the ground in the French countryside (2020-2022), the project initially explored how creative municipalities, imaginative communities, farmer-bakers and other groups can exert their collective agency to assemble available resources, networks, and institutions to address pain points in practice, at different scales. In 2023-2024, the project seeks to connect France with rural resilience actions in Germany in the context of political opportunities in the near future, including the expected publication of the Sustainable Food System law proposal by the European Commission (due in Q3 of 2023), the development of a national food strategy in Germany (by 2025), the Election of the European Parliament, and the ongoing debate on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy and Rural Development – in a scenario deeply affected by wars, climate change, technological innovations, and rising inequalities at global scale.

Objectives

• Share – and learn – lessons from France and Germany on the ingredients of rural resilience in sustainable food systems, connecting with other experiences and movements across Europe
• Assess food system policies, in a participatory way. from a multilevel governance and integrated agri-food-rural perspective, including the European SFS law and national strategies.
• Elaborate ideas for actions on the ground and policy changes for sustainable food systems, particularly in the city and district of Marburg-Biedenkopf, but also Germany, France, and beyond.

Registration

The gathering is currently fully booked but we are operating a waiting list in case of cancellations. You can still register your interest and we will add you to the waiting list. 

For those that can’t attend in-person, we are live-streaming the presentation of the Marburg Action Plan for Future-Proof Food Systems and the panel debate on Wednesday November 8th. This will be in German only.