Written by Natascha Deininger, Friends of the Earth Flanders and Brussel
The year started with a bang on January 19, when 25,000 people gathered in Berlin to demand fundamental changes to our food and agricultural systems. The resounding message? We’ve Had Enough!…of industrial agriculture, animal abuse, unfair wages, and subsidies for the big and greedy. Dressed as cows and throwing seed-bombs, the Young Friends of the Earth Europe Food & Agriculture Working Group joined the demonstration alongside YFoE Germany (BUNDjugend) and many others to demand an equitable food system for people and planet.
Three times a day, we make decisions about the kind of food we want to eat – from choosing to go animal-product free to supporting local farmers through community schemes. However, we are also locked into a larger food system that favors industrial agriculture and leads to the excesses of the trade – waste, land-grabbing, pollution and oppression. To plan how we can work towards a sustainable food system, the Food & Agriculture Working Group met in Berlin on January 17-20. We discussed overfishing, land rights, and food waste and shared campaigning experiences from Austria, Spain, Finland, Britain, Hungary, the Netherlands, and Norway. We also connected to a number of local projects, including the ‘Prinzessinnen Garten’ – an urban community garden in the centre of Berlin, and the recently formed ‘DickesBee’ food co-operative. While preparing for the demonstration, we also had a chance to connect with YFoE Germany, and hear more about the issues surrounding the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy.
In this coming year, we will continue to work on our ReCAP campaign for fair farming in Europe – so watch this space for further developments! In the long term, we also want to continue supporting practical alternatives through growing our own food, supporting local organic agriculture, and actively greening our urban centers – one seed bomb at a time! Join us by getting in touch with Sophie at sophie.manson@foeeurope.org.
And here a favourite from the meeting: MILK FROM OATS!