AFSA Solidarity Sessions

It is clearer than ever that it is time to transform our food systems and the economic models and loss of connection 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 — degrowth, social solidarity economies, and collectivising for action.

Our online Solidarity Sessions draw from solidarity economies which are a commitment to community, to localised economies focused on mutual benefit, sufficiency for all, and frugal yet radical abundance for everyone. These sessions draw us together to learn from each other and enable us to enact real change with a view to transforming our broken food system. AFSA is working to help connect people and organisations doing great work through our regular Solidarity Sessions online.

Check back for more sessions as they are added. You can also keep up to date with new sessions on social media (links at the bottom of this page). If you have an idea for a Solidarity Session, drop us an email at admin@afsa.org.au.

Watch the Solidarity Sessions

SESSIONS 21 to 36

SESSION #36

Protecting Agricultural Land: Agrarian Trust

with Tammi Jonas and Michele Sabto

During this session, AFSA President Tammi Jonas and Agrarian Trust Project Lead Michele Sabto discuss AFSA’s progress on establishing an agrarian trust in Australia, as one possible pathway to protecting agricultural land and ensuring commons for food production.

This sessions forms part of a two-part series on land, with the previous Solidarity Session focused on the issue of protecting agricultural land in Australia, due to encroaching development and corporate land grabs across the country.

Want to learn more about AFSA and support our work? Become a member.

SESSION #35

Protecting Agricultural Land

with Tammi Jonas

During this session, AFSA President Tammi Jonas explores the issue of protecting agricultural land in Australia, due to encroaching development and corporate land grabs across the country.

This sessions forms part of a two-part series on land, with the next Solidarity Session focused on the establishment of an agrarian trust as a solution to providing commons for food production (stay tuned for details!).

Want to learn more about AFSA and support our work? Become a member.

SESSION #32

Convergence wrap-up

with Tammi Jonas

During this session, AFSA President Tammi Jonas offers a recap of the 2024 actions and commitments we made over two days at Convergence on Brinja-Yuin Country (Moruya, NSW).

Plus, we talk about the need for everyone to embrace agroecology as a science, movement and practice to achieve food sovereignty.

Want to learn more about AFSA and support our work? Become a member.

SESSION #31

Eating Democracy

with Costa Georgiadis

In this Solidarity Session, Costa Georgiadis joins us in discussion with some of the eaters featured in AFSA’s forthcoming book – Eating Democracy – The True Cost of the Food We Eat.

You’ll hear snippets of their food stories which touch on challenges to food sourcing and accessibility, feminism, connection, community, and curing the growing epidemic of loneliness through food sovereignty.

If you love this session, don’t forget to grab your copy of Eating Democracy before the crowdfunding campaign closes on 19 September!

Want to learn more about AFSA and support our work? Become a member.

SESSION #30

An Agrarian Trust in Australia?

with Eliza Cannon

During this Solidarity Session, AFSA National Committee member, Eliza Cannon, leads a discussion on a critical question: Is it time to set up an agrarian trust in Australia?

Hear from ASFA members and allies across the country as we start to delve into:

  • What is an agrarian trust?
  • Why an agrarian trust would be beneficial in Australia
  • What needs to be considered about setting up this model in an Australian context
  • Examples of successful agrarian trusts from around the world
  • What can we aim to achieve in each region of Australia

SESSION #29

Peoples’ Food Plan: Public consultation

with Tammi Jonas

During this Solidarity Session, AFSA President Tammi Jonas opens up the Peoples’ Food Plan draft for public consultation.

Tammi provides an in-depth overview of the process behind updating the Peoples’ Food Plan after a decade of AFSA lobbying for food system reform, as well as the key themes drawn from over 50 policy submissions that have shaped the revised draft.

To read the updated Peoples’ Food Plan draft and submit feedback, head here. Submissions close at midnight on 1 September 2023.

To support AFSA’s work and help develop the Peoples’ Food Plan further, donate to us here.

SESSION #27

A Licence to Sell Lettuce?

with Tammi Jonas

During this session, we invite market gardeners around Australia to unpack FSANZ tightening regulations on leafy greens, berries and melons.

We detail AFSA’s campaign efforts against unfair and inconsistent regulation and the potential impacts on small-scale market gardeners when changes come into effect in 2025.

Led by AFSA President Tammi Jonas, we spend this session delving into:

  • What are the changes to P10​52 Primary Production and Processing Requirements for Horticulture – berries, leafy vegetables and melons?
  • How will the changes impact smallholders?
  • Why AFSA is collectivising to campaign against the changes
  • How you can get involved in the Licence to Sell Lettuce campaign
  • A brief note on how food safety regulation is being addressed in the updated Peoples’ Food Plan.

If you’re a market gardener looking to access advice or legal support, become an AFSA member today!

SESSION #26

Decoding the UN COPs

with Tammi Jonas

During this Solidarity Session, AFSA’s Agroecology Action Research Network (AARN) will decode recent meetings at COP27 and COP15, by addressing some fundamental questions:

  • What is a COP?
  • Why aren’t the COPs ordered numerically (ie. Why did COP27 take place before COP15?)
  • How are decisions made at COPs?
  • What commitments were made in Sharm el-Sheik in November 2022 (COP27?)
  • What commitments were made in Montreal in December 2022 (COP15?)
  • Do these global governance spaces even make any difference?
  • How does the Australian Government’s Nature Positive Plan link to COP15?
  • What do COP outcomes mean for First Peoples, farmers and civil society?

SESSION #25

Agroecology: A real solution for biodiversity

with Tammi Jonas

During this session, you’ll hear from:

  • Sam Bosquanet, Old-Lands Farm (UK). Sam is an ecologist and naturalist who has recorded flora and fauna grown on his family’s farmland for the past 25 years. Under his observation, Sam has been managing the farm and surrounding parkland through increasing the diversity of wildflowers to enhance biodiversity.
  • Miriam Kate McDonald, Holistic Restoration (UK). Holistic Restoration was born from a 15 year exploration of ecology, conservation, rewilding and agriculture, where Miriam’s book ‘Emergent’ captures her journey and learnings on human relationships to nature through agroecology.

Agroecology: A real solution for biodiversity

SESSION #24

FOOPL Perspectives: Young farmers and landowners

with Eliza Cannon, Borrowed Ground

This session is an open discussion on success stories, challenges and opportunities for FOOPL arrangements to provide experiential insights for young people, First Peoples as well as emerging and existing farmers to inform decision making when and if they have access to land.

During this session, we’ll hear from:

  • Karina Vennonen, Southern Harvest Association (SHA) and Patchwork Urban Farms
  • Karl Fitzgerald, Grounded – Community Land Trust Advocacy
  • Katie Finlay, Harcourt Organic Farming Co-operative
  • Simone Watts, Barrangunda Farm
  • Joyce Wilkie, Stepping Stone Farm
  • Fraser Bayley, Old Mill Road Bio-Farm
  • Murray Prior, Nguurruu Farm
  • Josh Williams, Tumpinyeri Growers

+ More FOOPL farmers and other folk involved in the sphere.

SESSION #23

A Legal Guide for AFSA Members

with Tammi Jonas

In response to ongoing legal challenges for small-scale food producers, AFSA’s Legal Team is in the process of building a Legal Guide for AFSA Members, as a resource for navigating common hurdles across all states and territories.

Whether you are encountering obstacles with planning provisions or food safety regulations, this Solidarity Session is an open invite to all small-scale farmers and producers, to provide input on the common challenges they face under legal frameworks.

SESSION #22

A Peoples’ Food Plan for farmers and eaters

with AFSA

During this session, we open up a discussion with farmers and eaters to tell us their thoughts and ideas for AFSA’s revised Peoples’ Food Plan (launching later this year!).

SESSION #21

Biodiversity on Farms Beyond the Shelterbelt

with Amy Pagett

This Solidarity Session shares wisdom from farmers who are embedding biodiversity at the heart of their practice. This session is hosted by AFSA National Committee member, Amy Pagett, an agroecological farmer raising heritage breed Berkshire pigs in forest at at Ethical Swine.

SESSIONS 17 to 20 ON NEXT PAGE