Slow Food, the podcast

Slow Food Goes Brussels: The Urban Food Revolution

Welcome to a new episode of Slow Food Goes Brussels, where we dissect the political debates linked to the greatest challenges food and agriculture are facing.

Cities are at the forefront of one of the most pressing problems of our times — food. According to the United Nations (UN), 54% of the world’s population were living in urban areas in 2016 — and that figure is predicted to rise to 66% by 2050. And wherever people live, they must eat to survive and thrive, ideally several times a day. Across Europe, a growing number of cities have long since understood their key role in the future of food and have embarked on a journey towards what we call “sustainable urban food policies”.

For this episode, we are taking you on a journey to three of these pioneering cities: Bordeaux (France), Birmingham (England) and Groningen (The Netherlands). You will discover how they’re acting, in collaboration with local people and food stakeholders to limit food systems’ impact on climate and the environment, improve people’s wellbeing, shorten, and strengthen production chains, and guarantee access to good food for all.

Speakers:

• Yael Pantzer, policy officer specialized in urban food policies at Slow Food
• Kate Smith, volunteer at Slow Food Birmingham
• Apolline Beyris-Duvigneau, food officer for the municipality of Bordeaux
• Hilde Lavell and Hiltje van der Wal, food officers for the municipality of Groningen

Host: Alice Poiron
Co-host: Valentina Gritti
Post-production: Jonathan Remy
Music: Leonardo Prieto Dorantes

Follow @SlowFoodEurope on twitter!

Financed by the European Union. The contents of this podcast are the sole responsibility of the author and CINEA is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

A project by Slow Food Youth Network

Welcome to Slow Food, the podcast!

Ciao! Welcome to “Slow Food, the podcast” where we explore the beauty of good, clean, and fair food systems. From the coffee in your cup to the cacao in your chocolate, we uncover the stories of the people who make our food possible. How do different products end up in your shopping basket and who even decides what’s available for you, and at what cost? I’m Valentina Gritti, a Slow Food Youth Network activist, and I’ll be your guide on this journey.

 

We walk side-by-side with farmers, cooks and food workers from around the world who are healing the planet through food. We'll learn from the cultural knowledge of indigenous communities, opening our minds to new ways of thinking about food and the political implications of every meal we eat. But most of all, we’ll give you the tools to slow down your life, allowing you to take charge and make choices that are in tune with your health, and the planet. 

 

At Slow Food, we believe that everyone has a story to tell, something to teach. So come with us and discover the power of food, how we can use it to make connections, build communities and restore the natural world. If you have any questions about the food on your plate, reach out to us on socials or write to us at podcast@slowfood.it and we’ll get back to you. Let’s get on with the show! And if you like what you hear then subscribe and share with your friends!

How can we achieve food system regeneration in our cities? With Pasang Sherpa and Cecilia Barocio

In an era where urbanisation is sweeping across the globe, bringing with it a wave of challenges, few issues are as pressing and demanding as feeding our ever-expanding urban centres. There is an urgent need for change in our urban food systems, delving into sustainable agriculture, urban farming and community-supported initiatives that are revolutionising how we nourish our cities. Pasang Sherpa and Cecilia Barocio are young pioneers, actively involved in promoting indigenous foods cultures and closing the gap between rural producers and urban consumers in Nepal and Mexico. So let’s learn from them: how can we achieve food system regeneration in our cities?

This episode was live recorded at the event Terra Madre 2022 by Slow Food International.

Host and production: Valentina Gritti
Guests: Pasang Sherpa (General Manager for Hotel Bodhiz, in Kathmandu, Nepal) and Cecilia Barocio Hernandez (Co-founder of Consumo Consciente, in Tlaxcala, México).
Music: Leonardo Prieto

A project by Slow Food Youth Network (SFYN)

Slow Food Goes Brussels: breaking the chain of food poverty

Enough food is produced worldwide to feed 10 billion people, yet hunger is on the rise. While vulnerable populations from the Global North cannot afford healthy and nourishing food, a growing number of people from the Global South must battle every day to simply get access to food. The current food system leaves many behind, putting profit before people. But such injustice is not irreversible: political leaders, from any level, must commit to reshaping our food system and giving it back its true purpose: nourishing everyone.  

Why is there food poverty and with what consequences? Who suffers from food poverty? What should the political answer be to help fight against it? You’ll learn all about in this episode, where we take you on a journey across the world, from the Global South to the Global North, with our guests:

• Nicole Pita, project manager at the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food)
• Alba Gil, policy officer at the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA)
• Samanta Vergati, environmental economist, member of the Slow Food community in Paris, and founder of the NGO “Altrimenti”

Host: Alice Poiron
Post-production: Jonathan Remy
Music: Leonardo Prieto Dorantes

Follow @SlowFoodEurope on twitter!

Financed by the European Union. The contents of this podcast are the sole responsibility of the author and CINEA is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

A project by Slow Food Youth Network

The tuna dilemma: to eat or not to eat?

Tuna is a big predator and consumes a wide variety of other fish, making it a vital component of the sea ecosystems. It’s also one of the most expensive fish on the planet. Yet tuna is also an affordable and widely-available source of protein around the world, and herein lies the problem. 

Can fishing Tuna ever be sustainable? Which guidelines can we follow to buy the Tuna Fish with the least impact? Is Tuna a healthy food? And most of all, can we still eat Tuna? 

Guests:

• Jack Coulton, communication & events at Slow Food International;
• Alison Laurie Neilson, Researcher at Interdisciplinary Centre for Social Sciences, CICS.NOVA at the NOVA University of Lisbon;
• Andrea Devecchi, dietist and researcher at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, Italy.

Host & production: Valentina Gritti
Music: Leonardo Prieto Dorantes

Useful resources: 

Oceana study on Tuna fraud: https://oceana.org/reports/oceana-study-reveals-seafood-fraud-nationwide/ 
Article by The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/shortcuts/2016/jul/27/is-there-any-tuna-thats-to-eat-tesco 
Guide on how to buy Tuna: https://theconversation.com/sustainable-shopping-how-to-buy-tuna-without-biting-a-chunk-out-of-the-oceans-86229

Alison's book "A sea full of life: visions from the Azores" https://nineislands.wordpress.com  

 

A project by Slow Food Youth Network (SFYN)

 

 

Green thumbs: from school gardens to your own balcony!

Welcome to the Spring edition of Slow Food, the podcast! Are you feeling the itch to get your hands dirty and start growing some fresh veggies or fragrant flowers? You're not alone! In today's episode, we're diving into the world of gardening. We'll explore how school gardens are transforming communities in Nigeria and the USA, and we'll get our green thumbs in gear with practical tips from the Frenchie Gardener on how to grow your own food, even if you live in a city apartment with only a balcony to spare. Did you also get the basil trauma when after a week or so the basil plant you bought miserably died? No worries: it was not your fault and we’ll tell you why! So roll up your sleeves and get ready to dig in! This is an episode you won't want to miss.

Host and production: Valentina Gritti
Guests: Olajumoke Rachael Okeola (School teacher and gardener in Nigeria); Kat Glenn (Slow Food Houston community leader) & The Frenchie Gardener (author, teacher and Urban Gardening influencer). 
Music: Leonardo Prieto Dorantes

 

Produced by Slow Food Youth Network

Circular pig farming: putting animal welfare at the center with Josse Haarhuis

His name is Josse Haarhuis, he is 25 years old and since 4 years already he has been managing Buitengewone Varkens, a circular pig farming company in The Netherlands. His objective is to put animal welfare at the centre and make sure that each pig has a goal.  

Guest: Josse Haarhuis (Buitengewone Varkens)
Host & Production and post-production: Valentina Gritti
Music: Leonardo Prieto 

This podcast is part of the project ON-FARM, with which we aim to teach local and regional farmers in European countries how to start their own on-farm production process, create added value products, and reach a wider customer audience. 

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

On-Farm: farmers’ tips for short chain trade from farm to fork

Why is on-farm production and direct selling so important? Get ready to hear directly from farmers across Europe as we share their top tips for developing short chain trade from farm to fork! We'll also explore the obstacles they've faced and the valuable lessons they've learned.

Guests: Raffaele Bomparola, Daniel Bravo Rodríguez (Valle y Vega), Hofgut Kapellenhof, Peter Van De Voort (Remeker), Marie-Odile Smet (Au Panier Vert) and Milan Hanč (Vraňany Hanč)
Host & Production and post-production: Valentina Gritti
Music: Leonardo Prieto 

This podcast is part of the project ON-FARM, with which we aim to teach local and regional farmers in European countries how to start their own on-farm production process, create added value products, and reach a wider customer audience. 

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

A Colombian chef farming in Amsterdam: sustainable entrepreneurship on-farm.

He is a cook, a farmer, a food producer, an entrepreneur and a dreamer. Coming from Colombia, he moved first to Italy and he is now settled in the outskirts of Amsterdam where he runs two companies: De Stadsgroenteboer a community supported agricultural farm and JARA, a food processing company. I am talking about Andres Martinez Jara. 

I am Valentina Gritti, global community and project manager of the Slow Food Youth Network and in this episode I will take you to Amsterdam to meet Andres at his farm. We will discuss with him what the benefits of short supply chains are, how you can promote local biodiversity and save food waste by making preserves, but he will also share some useful  entrepreneurial tips on how to start your farm or food enterprise.

Guest: Andres Martinez Jara
Host & Production: Valentina Gritti
Music: Leonardo Prieto 

This podcast is part of the project ON-FARM, with which we aim to teach local and regional farmers in European countries how to start their own on-farm production process, create added value products, and reach a wider customer audience. 

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

From Berlin to the world: Cutting food waste and embracing sustainable food policies.

Get ready for a thrilling episode as we take you to Berlin for the Schnippeldisko, also known as the Disco Soup! Hosted by the Slow Food Youth Network, this event rescues food from going to waste and turns it into delicious soups and meals. Join me as we chat with special guests at the party, and learn how the food collected will be served the next day at the Wir Haben Es Satt demonstration (which took place on January 21st) - a call for a more sustainable agriculture. Together, we'll also discuss the impact of food policies on our local and global food systems, and how European policies affect the Global South. 

Host & production: Valentina Gritti
Guests:

• Tyler Short, coordinator of the Youth constituency for La Via Campesina at The Civil Society and Indigenous Peoples’ Mechanism for relations with the United Nations Committee on World Food Security. He is also a farmer in Kentucky and board member of Family Farm Defenders;
• Edward Mukiibi, president of Slow Food International and executive director of Slow Food Uganda;
• Chengeto Sandra Muzira, young farmer and activist fighting for small farmer rights in Zimbabwe;
• Adèle Garret, agroecology master's student and activist for the Berlin Slow Food Youth Network.

Special thanks to the Slow Food Youth network in Berlin.

Save the date: April 29th is World Disco Soup Day! Keep an eye on the @slowfoodyouthnetwork social media to learn how to join.