The future of food is local

The future of food is local
The Aquarian age of collaboration, community and co-creation

The Open Food Network is empowering regenerative food systems internationally - WW-V team member, Emma Brice, has been part of a growing, local network of food sovereignty spreading kindness, health and comm(unity) in the UK's south-west. This is an example of global shifts of consciousness, in action.

‘The Future of Food is Local’ - as shared by UK/East Devon’s local, ethical food hub In My Back Yard;

This past year has seen a surge in local food outlets in the UK as people choose to rely less on multinational grocery retailers (aka supermarkets*). From the inside, we've seen what it looks and feels like to deal local - and it feels so good. Person to person. From gate to plate. Opening our fridges to cook and eat food largely from the people of our villages, towns and communities.

At IMBY, we love Friday mornings as Surya arrives with his bread, Stephen drops off the week's local fish catches, Andrea brings boxes of apples and new products to taste, Thomas comes in with his mead delivery as well as many other smiling faces - a team gather to pack your orders, shelves stocked with green goodness and more ready for the delivery drivers.

We're starting to feel excited about how different the food industry could look in just ten or twenty years time. In My Back Yard links customers directly to multiple farms, producers and artisan makers - all operating under one brand and with one promotion effort. Previously it was 'each to their own' for these folks to find customers, restaurants and make sales - farmers had to skill up on marketing skills or lose out.

It was equally tricky for customers who had to work hard to find local producers and a convenient, efficient way to shop with them.

Now hubs and producer co-ops like In My Back Yard are connecting up and collaborating for greater customer service and product ranges, reducing food miles and transport costs (environmental and financial). This is possibly the next logical development for local food industries. That's what the South West Good Food Network are all about. Connecting established food co-op Tamar Grow Local, Apricot Centre near Totnes, Shillingford Organics, Good Food Exeter and In My Back Yard - together we strengthen and support each other and create better markets for customers to enjoy, growing trade routes and filling in gaps.

Together these collaborations could become a thriving Good Food Network employing many people, supporting small-scale, regenerative agriculture, artisan makers and family farms.

When we buy local food direct from the producer as IMBY and OFN facilitate, our money stays in the area. Our orders quite directly enrich the south west's soils and land as we choose food provided by those who enhance the biodiversity of their patch and take great care of their animals and the ingredients they source. A healthy and food-loving community of customers and growers alike supporting each other.

Soils in the Tamar Valley are generally rubbish for growing carrots - but Elbow Farm in Beer and Shillingford in Ide may be able to grow enough to share outside East Devon and so in linking up we find ways for produce to move about the county and south-west region.

A dynamic and warm-bodied people-network of food and central points are linking up to share and spread produce across the county. We like to think this is somewhat smart, decentralised, waste-free food production and distribution enabled by the extraordinary and empowering, international Open Food Network platform. Find your local food OFN network here.

A grass-roots (is that a pun?) revolution of small farmers and producers taking the power back from multi-corporate supply chains.

*UK INFO. Looking into where our money goes. Sadly, Tesco's largest shareholder with 6.4% in shares is American global investment management corporation BlackRock, Inc. A 'shadow bank' considered to be the world's largest investor in weapon's manufacture.