From 6 April, sand has been blowing almost every day in Damao Banner, Baotou, in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The worst was on the 10th, when a sandstorm lasted for nearly five hours; outside, the wind and sand blotted out the sun, leaving the indoors dim and dark. “We…
On 8–9 April 2023, the 10th Annual Meeting of the Farmer’s Seed Network was held at the Institute of Organic Cycling, China Agricultural University (Suzhou). As a co-organiser, Foodthink was on-site and deeply involved in the planning and moderation of the meeting’s agenda. Four community partners funded by the third…
Twenty hours later, I finally set foot on the thick blankets of snow in Lapland, northern Sweden. It was seven o’clock in the morning, and the dawn had not yet fully broken over Jokkmokk; however, the light reflecting off the brilliant white snow was enough to reveal the silhouettes of…
At the beginning of 2023, Foodthink opened applications for the second cohort of its “Agroecology Internship Programme”. Our aim was to bridge the gap between young people aspiring to work in agroecology and established ecological farms. This allows participants to acquire essential farming knowledge and skills, ensures that the wisdom…
Since Dutch farmers’ protests against nitrogen reduction policies began over six months ago, the Farmer-Citizen Movement (BoerBurgerBeweging, or BBB), widely seen as ‘pro-farmer’, has emerged as a dark horse in this March’s provincial elections. Founded just four years ago, the BBB not only secured nearly 20% of the vote but…
“I have an idea—though I don’t know if it will be of any use?” Her mother-in-law and the former housekeeper both stared at her. She said, “We are at our busiest in spring, but the autumn is quiet. Why not take this time to trade in Hangbai chrysanthemums? They are…
In the UK news of 2022, alongside the death of the Queen, the accession of King Charles, skyrocketing heating and electricity bills, and the revolving door of Prime Ministers, there was also the “egg shortage” towards the end of the year. For several weeks between November and December, egg supplies…
In Europe and Japan, there is a long history of children learning through nature and agriculture. Every year, primary school pupils are organised by their schools to visit the fields to learn how to sow, nurture, and produce food—moving from the classroom to the outdoors, and from spring ploughing to…
“People never enjoy fermented drinks alone.” ——Neither Raw Nor Ripe: A Civilisation History of Fermented Foods I. First Encounters It was early summer 2020 in Beijing. In the early days of pandemic restrictions, everything still seemed manageable. The upheaval of the new year and the turmoil abroad seemed to have…
Foodthink’s Take Beyond being consumed, becoming waste is the final destination for a significant portion of our food. According to estimates from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, one-third of all food worldwide is eventually lost or wasted, much of which ends up in the bin. Food…
