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Happy New Year - 2022

14 January 2022. This is a dummy run for UAC’s e-news. We are still working on the formatting, (eg pictures and text): feedback welcome

Many thanks to everyone who helped us develop the Urban Agriculture Consortium’s dynamic networks in 2021. We look forward to more collaboration and progress in 2022.

Is 2022 the year for an urban agroecology breakthrough? Maybe: there is growing awareness of the climate and biodiversity emegencies which is driving an interest in the potential for regenerative agroecology as a part of the solution. Lots of powerful initiatives were highlighted at the ever fabulous Oxford Real Farming Conference, and agroecology will be on the agenda at COP27. Although UAC is a very small part of the wider movement we hope our contribution is helping us all gain momemtum and traction.

UAC’s plans for 2022 include

  • further support for UAC northern pathfinder cities and

  • farmstart networks (with the LWA),

  • a slow expansion with new pathfinders in the midlands,

  • contunuing to develop partnerships in Northern Ireand, Scotland and Wales,

  • more PINGs (policy infleuncers network meetings)

  • support on planning issues, and work on land mapping for food growing and much more.

  • We’ll be sending out regualr e-news bulletins, so please do share with your partners and colleagues.

  • Do let us know if you would like to be added or removed from our email list. jeremy@greenfuture.org.uk

People and Projects: a snapshot of UAC’s network

Dr Simon Ruston - planning advisor to the Urban Agriculture Consortium/ Green Future Associates
Helping UAC projects and local authorities with strategic planning guidance to unlock the policies that are needed to promote food growing, especially for commercial growing – and how the planning system can encourage making more land available.

Sonja Woodcock is the Coordinator for FoodWise Leeds, the local food partnership working to create a healthy, sustainable and fair food system for the city. With a strong focus on cross-sectoral partnership working, key areas of Sonja’s work include building food resilience within communities, increasing urban agriculture, and food and the climate emergency. 2022 is set to be ‘the year of food’ in Leeds starting with the development of a city-wide food strategy along with many other exciting projects.
Sonja Woodcock

Sonja Woodcock is the Coordinator for FoodWise Leeds, the local food partnership working to create a healthy, sustainable and fair food system for the city. With a strong focus on cross-sectoral partnership working, key areas of Sonja’s work include building food resilience within communities, increasing urban agriculture, and food and the climate emergency. 2022 is set to be ‘the year of food’ in Leeds starting with the development of a city-wide food strategy along with many other exciting projects.Leeds is part of UAC’s northern pathfinder cluster

A few upcoming events: contact us for further details

17 January - Northern Ireland PING meeting focusing on land mapping - with Social Farms and Gardens

19 January - UAC Core Oversight Group - (invite only)

25 Jan - Community wealth building through food and farming (Sustain event) https://www.sustainweb.org/webinars/dec21-using-food-to-build-community-wealth/

8 February: UAC and land mappers group

2 March - PING #3 - focus on Food, health and well-being (tbc) -to include an update from the Food Farming and Countryside Commission. Agenda tbc

16 March - UAC Core Oversight Group - (invite only)

27 April - PING #4 - focus on planning and local authority support for agroecology Agenda tbc

1 June – WING #2 Wider Interest Group and impact report

Latest info on our website https://www.urbanagriculture.org.uk/