Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance

Fair food for all Australians

Ending Hunger With Dr. M. Jahi Chappell

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16 of October 2018
6:30PM
Library at The Docks
Melbourne, VIC

 

About Ending Hunger With Dr. Jahi Chappell

Ending Hunger with Jahi Chappell is an opportunity to hear from author, scholar, and political agroecologist Dr. M. Jahi Chappell as he discusses food sovereignty and ending hunger through the lens of his book, Beginning to End Hunger: Food and the Environment in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and Beyond.

Beginning to End Hunger presents the story of Belo Horizonte, home to 2.5 million people and the site of one of the world’s most successful food security programs. Since its Municipal Secretariat of Food and Nutritional Security was founded in 1993, Belo Horizonte has sharply reduced malnutrition, leading it to serve as an inspiration for Brazil’s renowned Zero Hunger programs. The secretariat’s work with local family farmers shows how food security, rural livelihoods, and healthy ecosystems can be supported together. In this convincing case study,

M. Jahi Chappell establishes the importance of holistic approaches to food security, suggests how to design successful policies to end hunger, and lays out strategies for enacting policy change. With these tools, we can take the next steps toward achieving similar reductions in hunger and food insecurity elsewhere in the developed and developing worlds.

The event kicks off at 6:30pm with opening drinks & nibbles.
Dr. M. Jahi Chappell will speak at 7pm.
After his presentation, atendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and chat over closing drinks & nibbles.

About Dr. M. Jahi Chappell 

Dr. M. Jahi Chappell is a political agroecologist with training in ecology, evolutionary biology, science and technology studies, and chemical engineering. He is a Senior Research Fellow in Agroecology and Agricultural Policy at Coventry University’s Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience (CAWR), a Fellow of FoodFirst/the Institute for Food and Development Polilcy, and an Adjunct Faculty member of the School of the Environment at Washington State University.

Dr. Chappell has worked with and consulted for groups like Via Campesina, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the urban agriculture nonprofits Growing Hope (Ypsilanti, Mich.) and Growing Gardens (Portland, Ore.).

This event is proudly sponsored by the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance, The Australian Open Food Network, and the Right to Food Coalition.

 

For tickets to the event, head to: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/ending-hunger-with-dr-jahi-chappell-tickets-50847947580

This event is proudly sponsored by the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance, Open Food Network Australia, and the Right to Food Coalition.

Food Sovereignty Convergence in Canberra 14-16 October!

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This year's Food Sovereignty Convergence is not to be missed!

We're bringing the brilliant M Jahi Chappell out to talk about how Belo Horizonte nearly ended hunger through coordinated and targeted policy and grassroots reform, as well as some perspectives on what makes a successful food movement!

Thank you to our partners Open Food Network Australia & Right to Food Coalition for helping make Jahi's visit possible!

Get your tickets now - everyone needs to be part of the movement if we ever hope to radically transform the food system! And please share widely to ensure the most democratic participation possible!

Viva la revolución!

For its fourth year running, the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance (AFSA) is proud to present the 2018 Food Sovereignty Convergence.

From farmers to consumer advocates, food right activists to innovators and everyone in between -- this event is designed to create a space where anyone who sees themselves as being a part of Australia's food sovereignty movement can come together to debate, collaborate, share, and strategize in the name of food sovereignty. This is your chance to participate in redesigning our broken food and agriculture system.

Food sovereignty asserts the right of peoples to nourishing and culturally appropriate food produced and distributed in ecologically sound and ethical ways, and their right to collectively determine their own food and agriculture systems.

BUY TICKETS NOW!

Notice of Annual General Meeting & National Committee Call For 2019 Nominations

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AFSA Annual General Meeting

With the Annual General Meeting quickly approaching, we are writing this post to share with AFSA members the materials they'll need to be prepared. We've already sent members notice of a special resolution to amend the AFSA constitution to make AFSA explicitly and constitutionally farmer led. We aim to of course remain a whole of food systems alliance - farmers and allies - but to put decision making around issues with a material impact on the growing movement of small-scale regenerative farmers in the hands of those farmers. We invite you to let your farming friends know they have a national voice for small-scale regenerative farmers and they should join us if they haven't already!

This move mirrors the global food sovereignty movement, and we've developed the concept in collaboration with La Via Campesina and the International Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty (IPC). At this year's Annual General Meeting on 16 of October 2018 we will be seeking to ratify the constitution, and hereby attach a draft for your consideration.

We need your input and opinions. Any amendments may be sent in advance to admin@afsa.org.au. All proposed amendments will be discussed and a final draft adopted at the AGM.

We also seek members' feedback on the draft Budget and Terms of Reference for the Legal Defence Fund Steering Committee, which will also be adopted at the AGM.

Please find Dropbox links to:

1) Draft Amendments to Constitution
2) Draft Amendments to Terms of Reference for the Legal Defence Fund Steering Committee
3) Proposed 2019 Budget Draft
4) Budget Variance Report
5) Minutes from 2017 AGM
6) 2018 AGM Agenda
7) Proxy Vote Template
8) Policy Statements and Definitions Draft

If you have any trouble with the links above please email admin@afsa.org.auand we will send you an attachment.

For this year's Convergence, we invite members to come prepared to share your thoughts on some of the key policy issues AFSA has been working on. Please share with us updates on your efforts in food policy and grassroots activism, and bring your thoughts for a policy debate on GM, labelling, and a sugar tax.

The Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance will be holding its Annual General Meeting on 16 October, during the Food Sovereignty Convergence in Canberra from 14-16 October 2018. Tickets are still available for purchase online through the Facebook page.

Call For Nominations To Office Bearer Positions

The AGM will also involve the election of office bearers and general members of the AFSA National Committee for the 2019 year. Nominations close on the 10th of October.

If you are interested in nominating for a position please email a short bio to us expressing your interest at: admin@afsa.org.au.

Please note that nominations for positions to the new National Committee must be endorsed by two members of AFSA. Please contact admin@afsa.org.au if you do not already know two AFSA members to endorse your nomination.

Details of the individuals who have nominated for the new Committee will be made available on the website prior to AGM.

 

Office Bearer Position Descriptions

Role of the President

Charged with providing leadership and direction to the Committee, the President is responsible for ensuring that the Committee fulfils its responsibilities for the governance and success of the organisation, and is responsible for providing direction to the staff of the organisation. The President is also the primary liaison with farmer-led international organisations working for food sovereignty such as La Via Campesina, and the International Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty (IPC). S/he communicates regularly with all members via the AFSA website and regular newsletter. The President is generally the spokesperson for the organisation and should work to maintain key relationships within and outside of the organisation. The President must be a farmer who is actively farming.

Role of the Vice President

The Vice President is responsible for assisting the President to fulfil his/her responsibilities for the governance and success of the organisation. S/he also works to optimise the relationship between the Committee, volunteers, and members, and to achieve the organisation’s agreed goals. The Vice President monitors memberships, and provides membership reports at each meeting of the Committee. S/he also leads membership drives and supports the Committee in developing strategies for growing and maintaining membership, and helps lead membership engagement through social media and a regular newsletter. The Vice President typically fills in for the President when s/he is on leave.

Role of the Treasurer

The Treasurer is responsible for the financial supervision of the organisation to allow the Committee to provide good governance of the organisation. The Treasurer’s tasks include the preparation of annual budgets, planning for the organisation’s financial future and monitoring the organisation’s revenue and expenditure. It is desirable that the treasurer is well organized and possesses a level of financial expertise.

Role of the Secretary

The Secretary is responsible for the documentation and communication of the activities of the Committee.  The Secretary is the primary administration officer of the Committee and provides the links between the Committee, members and outside agencies. The Secretary should be a good communicator, maintain confidentiality on relevant matters and have the ability to delegate tasks and supervise others. The Secretary oversees the preparation of agendas and minutes, and all AFSA governance documents (constitution, regulations, policy), especially in advance of the AGM.

Role of the Communications Officer

The Communications Officer develops and implements effective internal and external communications strategies to maintain and build the reputation of AFSA with key publics including allied organisations, media, government and members. She/he supports the team with feedback on a range of communications pieces. A key element of the role is media relations, requiring the monitoring of news media to identify opportunities to attain media coverage (environmental scanning), and the production of media releases and rich content for the website and promotional materials. Assisting staff to effectively field inquiries from stakeholders including journalists, politicians, members, and the general public is an ongoing responsibility. The Communications Officer collaborates with the Administrative Assistant in planning, writing and distributing the electronic newsletter.

Role of the International Officer

The International Officer (IO) is responsible for maintaining connections with international food sovereignty organisations. Where there is a budget and it is appropriate, the IO attends meetings and conferences with groups such as the IPC and FAO thematic symposia, and is responsible for reporting back to the committee and members. In collaboration with AFSA staff and others on the Committee, the IO stays informed about global issues relating to food sovereignty and communicates these to members via newsletters and social media.

If you have any questions or concerns be sure to reach out to admin@afsa.org.au for more details.

Why the food movement is unstoppable!

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What makes an ethical food future? What kind of agriculture can our planet sustain? How can we reduce demand on global resources? How can you be a change-maker in the unstoppable food movement?

Industrial food systems are key drivers of environmental destruction, from rainforests to reefs, and water supplies to climate change. Farmer and author of Call of the Reed Warbler Charles Massy, US crop scientist and director of the Poison Papers, and farmer, meatsmith, and president of AFSA Tammi Jonas discuss how regenerative agriculture can turn Australia’s ecologies and economies around, revitalizing rural communities while nourishing land, animals, and people.

Join us in Daylesford on Thursday 30 August for an inspiring and activating evening, or if you can’t make it to the central highlands of Victoria, catch Jonathan and Charlie elsewhere on The Food Equation tour of Australia.

Slow Meat 2018

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AFSA & Slow Food Central Highlands Proudly Presents Slow Meat 2018

 

Slow Meat is a symposium that aims to educate the public and industry about the ecological and social costs associated with intensively-produced meat and highlight the regenerative and ethical alternatives.

If you'd like to learn more about Slow Meat and all the outstanding panels, feasts, and roundtables that it will entail, please read below.

Already familiar with the event? Jump right into these quick facts:

When: September 23-25
Where: Daylesford, VIC
Tickets: Available for purchase on Eventbrite
Discounts: 10% discounts available for AFSA members, and an additional 10% available to farmer members (20% discount total!)
Email admin@afsa.org.au for your discount code

Second Annual Slow Meat Calls to Eat "Less, Better Meat"

 

How do we get people to ‘eat better meat, less? For the second year running, Slow Meat Australia will bring together farmers, butchers, chefs, and allies to try to answer this question.

The aim of the Slow Meat Australia Symposium is to enable the critical discussions needed to enable a shift away from the unsustainable and unethical practices of intensive industrial livestock production. Slow Meat Australia aims to educate the public and industry about the ecological and social costs associated with intensively-produced meat and highlight the regenerative and ethical alternatives. Over time, advocates for Slow Meat want to see an industry move towards the highest welfare, pastured farming systems that nourish land, animals and people.

Australia’s annual Slow Meat Symposium is a collaboration between the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance and Slow Food Central Highlands held over three days that includes plenaries and debates around how to progress the slow meat and food sovereignty agendas in Australia and globally. Held in Daylesford on 23 - 25 September 2018, the event will include farm visits, butchery demonstrations and feasts. The event is open to farmers, abattoir operators, butchers, chefs, restaurateurs, academics, and anyone else who is interested in how animals are raised for meat.

Slow Meat Australia is fortunate this year to be bringing American butcher, educator, and James Beard Award-winning author Adam Danforth to Daylesford, who will present well-considered views and deeply informative masterclasses on whole-animal butchery, and the science of flavour to demonstrate slow meat in action.

Danforth will be joined by two passionate proponents for Slow Meat: Michael Hicks of Extraordinary Pork and ethical meat purveyor Laura Dalrymple of Feather & Bone, who will offer provocations on producing, processing, and selling slow meat.

Award-winning food writer and author of My Year Without Meat Richard Cornish will MC Monday's symposium, and local regenerative livestock farmer and butcher Tammi Jonas of Jonai Farms & Meatsmiths, president of the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance, will present an update on the state of the Slow Meat movement in Australia and globally.

Excitingly, this year’s event also boasts six local female chefs who will pair up with local producers to offer food samples and stories of the effects of breed, feed, age,ageing, and cooking on the deliciousness of slow meat.

On Sunday before the Symposium, the public is invited to join a day of informative farm visits, including pastured pig farmers Brooklands Free Range Farms and duck farmers Vue du Volcan. A feast will be had at family-owned winery Captains Creek in Blampied of local delicacies, organic wines, and ciders from apples grown on the farm.

SBS’ Gourmet Farmer Matthew Evans of Fat Pig Farm will revisit the vision for slow meat in Australia, and our Slow Meat Manifesto developed collectively over the Symposium. A celebratory dinner will be the finale to Slow Meat Australia, and per the Slow Meat mantra, will present a menu that encourages participants to 'eat better meat, less'.

Day three of the Symposium features a not-to-be-missed half-day masterclass with the incredibly knowledgeable and skilled Adam Danforth, award-winning author of Butchering Beef, and Butchering Poultry, Rabbit, Lamb, Goat, Pork.

“What conditions during the life of the animal impact the quality of the meat?” asks Danforth, “These questions (and many more) are answered as a whole carcass is systematically broken down, with individual muscles isolated and described for function, flavour, tenderness, and potential for incredible food memories.”

In this unique format of experiential education, stigmas in meat will be challenged through the use of older animals such as cull dairy cows. The workshop will conclude with several rounds of blind tasting contrasting muscles, reinforcing the core workshop concepts of prioritising flavour over tenderness and the direct correlation between an animal’s welfare and the nutrition and emotional potential in its meat.

Young chef and Jonai sous butcher Morris Willcock of Paddock to Pie will provide lunch on day three.

For the final afternoon, there will be a small-scale abattoir roundtable to bring existing abattoir owners together with the growing movement of farmers, butchers, and allies working to build new abattoirs. Together we will develop a strategy to halt the loss of regional abattoirs across Australia and see new ones thrive to support the growing movement of slow meat farmers and those who choose their ethically- and ecologically-raised produce.

This event is for all enablers, enactors, and allies of the Slow Meat philosophy to discuss and debate all things around the ethical and ecologically-sound production and consumption of meat.

In AFSA president & farmer & butcher Tammi Jonas’ words, ‘the food sovereignty movement broadly and slow meat more particularly is unstoppable because it is an ecological movement – everybody benefits from improving care for land, animals, and people. As we say at Jonai, you are what you eat, so eat ethically!’

Want to Learn More? Connect with us!

Slow Meat Australia Facebook page

Slow Meat Symposium 2018 Facebook event page

Purchase Tickets on Eventbrite

About AFSA

The Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance is a farmer-led collaboration of organisations and individuals working towards a food system in which everyone has the opportunity to access, create, and manage their food supply from paddock to plate. Food sovereignty asserts the right of peoples to nourishing and culturally appropriate food produced and distributed in ecologically sound and ethical ways, and their right to collectively determine their own food and agriculture systems. The Alliance’s purpose is to cooperate to create an equitable, sustainable and resilient food system for all Australians.

About Slow Food Central Highlands

Slow Food Central Highlands is part of the global Slow Food network – a grassroots organisation in 160 countries linking the pleasure of good food with a commitment to local communities and the environment. Slow Food seeks to preserve local food traditions and reignite people’s interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and the impact of their food choices.

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