Agricultural and Rural Convention - ARC2020

We had a rural gathering in Poland... so what?! It's all about the commitments to action. Find out we took it from COMMON GROUND to COMMON ACTION in this report on the outcomes and learnings from Weaving Common Ground - A European gathering of sustainable rural initiatives: https://lnkd.in/eTK-SmfT #ruralresilience #poland #europe #action Porticus Robert Bosch Stiftung Heinrich Boell Stiftung Warszawa VELUX FONDEN UNEP/GRID-Warszawa Rzeczpospolita Commune de Plessé Ashoka Netherlands Andrzej Grupa Bethany Copsey Noa Lodeizen Bernadeta Golebiowska Ewa Smuk Stratenwerth Marcus Nürnberger Mateusz Ciasnocha simone matouch Natasha Foote Adèle Pautrat

#LetterFromTheFarm "The West of Ireland Never ‘Dewilded’" Martino Newcombe runs a small farm in Co. Galway in the west of Ireland. Biodiversity is a central focus of his work. He practices conservation grazing on marshy terrain with Kerry cattle, a hardy ancient Irish dairy breed. In his stewardship of the land he is careful to heed the inherent understanding of deep ecology passed down from previous generations. In this first letter from his farm, Martino explains that you don’t have to be a cow to tell milk from cream.... https://lnkd.in/ev44jUCA #Farmers #Ireland #Biodiversity

Where did LEADER come from? And what's still in it for our common future? Within the framework of the transnational LEADER project “Our Common Future” in which LEADER networks came together to conceptualise the future of the LEADER approach, Robert Lukesch was asked to write a paper about the circumstances and conditions from which LEADER arose in the first place. Soon Robert discovered that this fascinating task was not doable without a broader retrospective to the wider context from which LEADER emerged, the evolution along its trajectory through six budget periods, and some conclusive thoughts about its future destiny. This resulted in a treatise of 69 pages. It was presented at the final project meeting in Cheleiros/Mafra in Portugal, on 5 November 2024. Read Robert's treatise on our website: https://lnkd.in/eGaNCdeQ European LEADER Association for Rural Development - ELARD Paul Soto #LEADER #CLLD

In the Polish village of Grzybów, a truly inspiring gathering took place in November! Hosted by ARC2020 in collaboration with the Ecological Folk High School and ZIARNO, this event brought together 70 people from 12 European countries - farmers, researchers, journalists, policymakers, and environmental activists - to find a common thread towards a fairer, more sustainable farming and food system. The Weaving Common Ground gathering in Grzybów marked the final stop in a three-year journey across Europe - a "rural triangle" connecting France, Germany, and Poland. Each point of the triangle offered its unique lessons: revitalizing local democracy in Plessé, fostering inclusive food systems in Marburg, and now, in Grzybów, focusing on agro-ecological education and the power of communication. In times of geopolitical, environmental and democratic challenges, the gathering had a clear aim – to build a bridge across lines of confrontation and polarisation between farmers, rural people and ‘the rest of society’ on the foundational stepping stones of respect, trust and empathy. Read all about it here: https://lnkd.in/eezsGGeU Porticus Robert Bosch Stiftung Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung VELUX FONDEN Rzeczpospolita Commune de Plessé 📷 Adèle Violette

Voir les commentaires pour la version française ⬇️ Blue Tongue Virus (BTV) is taking a toll on French farmers, compounding the challenges they already face within the agricultural system. Our latest article highlights the story of French farmer Marie Halicki navigating this harsh reality and raises urgent questions about systemic support for rural communities.  https://lnkd.in/eyfXVNiM #letterfromthefarm #ruralresilience #btv

Ole Kjaerulff Davidsen of Frie bonder – Levende Land argues that The Green Tripartite Agreement in Denmark represents a worrying step backwards for democracy and human rights, excluding small farmers and rural organisations from decisions that deeply impact their lives. In so doing, it violates the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants. Instead of tackling the climate crisis, the agreement props up industrial agriculture and corporate interests, sidelining agro-ecological practices vital for biodiversity and rural survival. Parliament and public voices have been silenced, while billions are funneled into ineffective technological “solutions.” Immediate action is needed to demand genuine democratic involvement and prioritise sustainable farming practices and rural rights that benefit people, nature, and the planet. https://lnkd.in/e3qxf6QC

The Danish Green Tripartite could lock in the existing industrial farming system, based on the promises of questionable (bio)technologies. Denmark’s farming system needs a structural transformation and the use of GMOs should be tightly regulated to prevent further ecological damage. As it stands, this Agreement will do nothing to transform the farming sector in Denmark to a truly sustainable model. By June Rebekka Bresson (Noah, Denmark) and Franziska Achterberg (SOS, Germany). https://lnkd.in/eX_-F4Hv

Fifty Years To Pay For A Farm.... A rural European gathering is a special moment. A time for those working on the ground in different territories and regions to compare notes on common challenges at local level, and reflect on European solutions. Access to land is increasingly a barrier for aspiring farmers across Europe, even as an ageing generation of farmers often fails to find a successor. At our European gathering in Plessé in 2022, Czech farmer Terezie Daňková Terezie Daňková realised how pervasive this issue is in other EU member states. Terezie shares her insights in this article: https://lnkd.in/eJFZUk6c #accesstoland #czech #europe #farmers #letterfromthefarm

The Green Tripartite Agreement Locks in Industrial Ag and Biotech Solutionism The Danish Green Tripartite could lock in the existing industrial farming system, based on the promises of questionable (bio)technologies. Denmark’s farming system needs a structural transformation and the use of GMOs should be tightly regulated to prevent further ecological damage. As it stands, this Agreement will do nothing to transform the farming sector in Denmark to a truly sustainable model. By June Rebekka Bresson (Noah, Denmark) and Franziska Achterberg (SOS, Germany). https://lnkd.in/eX_-F4Hv

We are very - genuinely - excited to be going to Poland with 70 other fab ruralists this week! Out of the Bubbles and into a fantastic place to eat, sing, weave, listen discuss and just be. Read all about it here on this new article on our website... On 28 November – 1 December, in the rural village of Grzybów, Poland, ARC2020 is co-organising a European gathering of sustainable rural initiatives to take stock of a new political situation of Europe and to look into possibilities of cooperation: “Weaving Common Ground” between rural and urban people. In collaboration with our local hosts, the Ecological Folk High School and Ziarno association, the gathering will conclude a three-year cooperation of people in rural France, Germany and Poland.  https://lnkd.in/e_7iisDN Porticus Robert Bosch Stiftung Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung VELUX FONDEN Rzeczpospolita Commune de Plessé Pauline BAUMER