English
BUILDING RESILIENT LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS
The LWA has secured funding from the Friends Provident Foundation programme to grow and develop local food systems and short supply chains across the UK. Tony Little and Adam Payne are leading on the project.
There are 3 main areas of activity:
Supporting start-ups and helping businesses switch to short supply chains/ direct sales.
- Producing resources including guides and case studies
- Organising webinars highlighting the opportunities and challenges. These will draw on the experience of successful businesses as well as the resources mentioned above
- Organising Farmer-to-farmer exchanges, which will build on the webinars through a series visits to exemplar short supply farms and businesses,
Addressing barriers and solving problems through cooperation
The barriers to developing short supply chains and local food systems are many and complex. For example, they might be around lack of access to markets, appropriately sized machinery, or processing facilities. The project will help bring businesses together to solve the problems collaboratively. How we do this depends on the needs of the individual groups, but examples might include:
- Expanding the farmer/ grower base of an existing group
- Scoping out the demand and economic feasibility of establishing a particular service or facility
- Support for preparing business plans and loan/ grant applications
- Establishing frameworks for cooperation
Campaigning and advocacy
Small farms and short supply chains need a conducive political climate in which to thrive and the moment we’re swimming against the tide. We will be working to ensure that the social, economic, and environmental benefits of local food and short supply chains are fully recognised and, on that basis, arguing that these businesses should be prioritised for support and that the planning system needs to take better account of their needs.
For more info, contact tony.little@staging.landworkersalliance.org.uk