It is clearer than ever that it is time to transform our food systems and the economic models that created them: to create a new normal that puts the health of planet and people over profit. The alternatives for transformative change already exist – social solidarity economies.
Unlike growth-driven capitalist economies, solidarity economies are a commitment to community, to localized economies focused on mutual benefit, sufficiency for all, and frugal yet radical abundance for everyone. They value the labour of growers, makers, and thinkers; privilege connectedness and relationships over consumption and transactions; and encourage social organization and democratic participation in decision making in decentralized governance models
AFSA is hosting fortnightly online Solidarity Economy Sessions to explore the many existing examples of social solidarity economies, and share knowledge, ideas, and experiences about how to grow more.
Find upcoming sessions, catch up on past sessions, and check back for more sessions to be announced soon. You can also keep up to date with new sessions on social media (links at the bottom of this page).
Watch previous sessions
Session #1
Building a CSA with AFSA
AFSA farmers Tammi Jonas, Ant Wilson, and Dan Cordner talk about the whys, hows, highs, and lows of starting and running a CSA.
Session #2
Collaborative Economies with the Open Food Network
Jen Sheridan & Lynne Davis of the Open Food Network share OFN’s work in building and growing collaborative economies – connecting growers with each other and their eaters, harnessing logistics, going global, and how the network provided critical infrastructure for farmers and eaters during the current crisis.
30 Years of Co-operatives with Friends of the Earth & Earthworker Cooperative
24 June 2020 6:00pm
This session we’ll be discussing all things co-operative with Beth Cameron of Friends of the Earth, talking about 35 years of the FoE food co-op in Melbourne, as well as talking to Katherine Cunningham and Ellie Coffey of Earthworker Cooperative, which works to establish a network of worker-owned cooperatives committed to sustainable enterprise – including Australia’s first worker-owned factory.
Session #4
Replacing Growth with Belonging Economies with Artist as Family
Wed 1 July 2020 6:00pm
We sit down with Meg Ulman and Patrick Jones of Artist as Family to talk about radically regenerative living, antidotes to cultures of disposability, and how belonging economies can help grow better relationships with country and the communities of the living.
Session #5
Permaculture Solidarities with David Holmgren
Wed 15 July 2020 6:00pm
Join David Holmgren, co-originator of the permaculture concept and co-creator of Australia’s best-known permaculture demonstration site, Melliodora, to explore how we can build home and community economies based in permacultural ethics as a foundation for a better and more just future.