Notes for Food – from meeting on July 25th

notes taken by Alex Munslow

15 People (approx)
Questions raised and summary of discussion:

Is self sufficiency possible in Brighton?
- Is total self sufficiency advisable? Although we need to cut down ‘food miles’ with locally sourced food, importing and exporting should not be stopped altogether as trade is necessary.
- In light of the crop damage caused by flooding this year in the UK problems with a combination of peak oil and climate change could mean trade will be just as important.

How much can we supply locally?
- We could prioritise foods that are imported. Foods that must be kept refrigerated or foods with a high water content should be transported, where foods such as grains should be sourced locally.
- Manufacturing could be relocalised as well as food and that eating less meat and dairy would reduce transport use.

How can we lessen effects on the 3rd world?
- In a global economy many third world countries rely on agricultural trade with the UK for their livelihoods. What responsibility do we have to them concerning decreasing trade by reducing our ‘air miles’?

How can we convince people to change their lifestyles?
- Don’t tell people what they should and shouldn’t do. If you want them to change provide healthy attractive alternatives. Local food is healthier.
- Empower people to grow their own food where possible. Relocalise control of the food system to the community. A community agricultural project could be organised to engage people with food issues.
- Schools should have lessons in sustainable food growth and be taught how to cook locally grown food.
- Reskilling is needed in how to identify and cook wild foods.
- General food education.
- ‘Policy’ and ‘inertia’ were cited as the main obstacles to community based local food growing projects. However, there are several community based projects in Stanmer Park.
- Brighton should be surveyed to define public areas where food could be grown.
- Decorative bushes in public spaces should be edible varieties.
- The council should be lobbied to turnover more land to community food projects.
- A dramatic increase in oil prices would prohibit using supermarkets in the future and we may have to rely more on local farmers markets.

Is the population in the South East of England too large to sustain itself locally?