No images? Click here CAWR Newsletter December 2020 Our monthly newsletters are an easy way to keep up-to-date with new developments at our research centre. From successful project bids to upcoming events, our newsletter informs you on how we are 'driving innovative transdisciplinary research on resilient food and water systems.' The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the contributors at the Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience (CAWR) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Coventry University. Message from the DirectorWhilst no one in CAWR has had severe forms of COVID-19, this has been a very challenging and unsettling year for all. Putting public health first and making sure everyone is safe and supported has changed many of our ways of working and routines in CAWR. For example, we have drastically reduced our presence in our offices at Ryton Gardens and we have had to adapt to social distancing and working on line, often using hitherto unfamiliar software. Despite these disruptions, CAWR has continued to thrive and work with its partners. The emergence of self-organising mutual help initiatives like the PhD researchers’ writing support group have provided intellectual and emotional support to our colleagues at a critical time. Remarkably, there has also been an enormous amount of bidding activity, creative writing, networking, and publishing this past year. CAWR researchers and their partners have continued to be active in their public engagement work, conference organising, membership of Boards of Trustees, and participation in national and international policy dialogues. Most notably, the social and environmental relevance of CAWR’s work has been vividly highlighted by the devastating impacts which the coronavirus pandemic has had on long distance global supply chains and people’s access to food and water. In the coming years, CAWR’s research will continue to focus on how food production, water access, and distribution need to be radically transformed to reduce the risks of future pandemics and simultaneously enhance social justice, biodiversity, ecological sustainability, and adaptation to climate change. In future CAWR Newsletters, we look forward to informing you about our research on diversifying production, decentralisation, and short food chains; on managing diverse landscapes and territories for sustainable living; water security and sustainability; on enabling democracy and inclusion in food and water systems; and much more. On behalf of the entire CAWR community, I wish you all a peaceful and joyful festive season. Stay safe and see you in 2021! Professor Michel Pimbert - Executive Director HOMEDIn 2020 for the European project HOMED (Holistic Management of emerging Forest Pests and Diseases), Katharina Denhen-Schmutz and Samantha Green have been working on a stakeholder survey, and analysing the results so that panels of stakeholders will be able to put their input into tools that HOMED partner organisations have been working on to help detect and manage new, emerging forest pests and diseases in Europe. 2021 will see us working closely with RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) developing a Sweet Chestnut citizen science project concerned with Asian Chestnut Gall Wasp and Sweet Chestnut blight. Investigating stakeholder perspectives on the role of the semi-wild pony in maintaining biodiversity and agricultural sustainability in the uplands of WalesWe're looking people who may have a view on the decline of wild (or semi-feral) welsh mountain pony and their impact on landscapes, biodiversity, climate change, rural communities, tradition, tourism and the economy in Wales. This project is a multi-stakeholder project designed to canvas opinions and raise awareness of the decline of Welsh uplands in terms of biodiversity and soil loss, the reasons for this and the opportunity extensive mixed grazing, including ponies, presents for all stakeholders. It is being funded by the Wales Biodiversity Partnership. Help us by completing this survey or donating to the gofundme page. For more information, contact Donna Udall. Hot off the press: New Open Access Book on Transformations Towards More Just and Sustainable Food SystemsThis new open access book invites readers to consider the actions and policies needed to deconstruct the dominant food regime and strengthen agroecology and food sovereignty to transform food systems for social justice and ecological regeneration. It offers a framework for advancing agroecology transformations focusing on power, politics and governance. Hybrid Competency GroupsIssues and inputs regarded as potentially contentious by the group The CAWR-led Organic-PLUS project includes a substantial social science element examining consumer perceptions of organic systems. Throughout November and December, Dr Adrian Evans and Dr Rosa van Kesteren held 6 online sessions with a mixed group of consumers and farmers (Hybrid Competency Groups) to explore awareness of organic agriculture and horticulture, particularly around contentious inputs that are currently permitted. This work will aid dialogue between scientists, farmers, stakeholders and members of the public, and inform how contentious inputs in farming could be addressed. Further results from the sessions can be found here. Project on Covid-19 disposable face masksCovid-19 disposable face masks: source of microplastic fibres in the environment and science-based policy recommendation“, QR strategic priorities fund 2020-21: Research Activity in Support of Evidence-Based Policy Making, 2020-2021, PI – Dr Anna Bogush, Co-Is – Dr Ramon Gonzalez-Mendez and Mr Sam Towers. Innovative Farmers field labThroughout 2020. Francis Rayns and Judith Conroy have been working with the participatory research organisation Innovative Farmers as part of a 'Field Lab' to develop alternatives to the use of conventional plastic mulches. These are widely used in vegetable production - although they can reduce the need for herbicides they are difficult to recycle and tend to degrade in the field, releasing microplastics into the environment. Despite the Coronavirus pandemic five farmers were able to conduct on-farm trials and the project is now at the stage of collecting their experiences. Sue Johnson, from Polebrook Hayes Organic Farm had conducted many informal experiments but found that the structure of the Innovative Farmers programme encouraged her to be more rigorous in collecting data. She found that a hay mulch, sourced locally, performed very well and was much cheaper than a commercial product. Insects to Feed the World Virtual conferenceAt this world’s leading conference in all aspects related to insects as food and feed, Insects to Feed the World 2020 Virtual Conference provided a venue for intellectual and enlightening discussions of ideas at the emerging and frontier of the sector. Liliane Binego's presentation addressed the role of gathering and using edible insects in the developing and supporting other methods of food production. Spaces of possibility - RECOMS Conference and Exhibition in BrusselsThe RECOMS project final event, an international confex (conference and exhibition), Spaces of Possibility: communities and places in times of social and environmental uncertainty’ incorporating traditional paper sessions, storytelling, creative workshops, plenaries, a policy roundtable and an interactive public exhibition is to take place on 7th - 11th June 2021 in various locations in the heart of Brussels. The event will offer various sessions and formats to enable discussion and interaction in relevant topics, for which soon an open call for contribution is presented. Stay tuned and regularly check the RECOMS' Confex website here. Lifetime Achievement AwardProfessor Michael Warne has been awarded the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC). Congratulations Michael! Cabbage harvestResearchers working on alternatives to plastic mulch have just completed harvesting cabbages from this year's Organic-PLUS trials. Most of the crop went to members of Five Acre Community Farm with whom we are working in partnership. Samples of the crop have been retained so that we can examine for the presence of chemicals such as phthalates which may have leached from the different mulch materials. Sustainable Water Engineering - 1st EditionSustainable Water Engineering introduces the latest thinking from academic, stakeholder and practitioner perspectives who address challenges around flooding, water quality issues, water supply, environmental quality and the future for sustainable water engineering. In addition, the book addresses historical legacies, strategies at multiple scales, governance and policy. CAWR's chapters include:
How has Covid-19 affected veg box suppliers?Food Foundation are looking for veg box suppliers to complete a short survey to see how demand has changed over the last six months and to explore the benefits box schemes bring to their communities. Click here to visit the survey. Redistribution of food surplus, social supermarkets, and food insecurityLopa Saxena wrote a blog titled 'Redistribution of food surplus, social supermarkets, and food insecurity.' You can read it here. Reducing the footprint of plastic in agricultureFrancis Rayns attended the final meeting of the EIP-AGRI Focus Group 'Reducing the footprint of plastics in agriculture'. This group has provided an opportunity for twenty researchers, farmers, advisors and other stakeholders from across Europe to come together to discuss ways to address the detrimental effects of agricultural plastics (e.g. mulches for weed suppression, covers for polytunnels and twine for plant supports). Possible strategies could include better machinery for collecting plastic from the field, increased use of biodegradable plastics and changes to farming systems such as more effective weeding equipment or the use of green manures; these approaches are currently being examined within the Organic-PLUS project. Agroecology or Collapse on AgroecologyNow!In this three-part series on AgroecologyNow!, Paulo Petersen and Denis Monteiro present agroecology as an alternative to the capitalist, industrial food system and makes the argument for systemic and structural responses based in solidarity and feminist economics and the deepening of democracy. Part I, Part II and Part III. Onion skins given a new lease of lifeIn mid-October the Organic-PLUS team graded the onions from the plastic mulch alternative trial. A by-product of the process was a bulk bag of dried onion skins. These were donated to Sewing Cafe Lancaster, a grassroots project that advocates for an ethical textile industry and sustainable textile practices, to make natural dyes. Victoria Frausin, coordinator of Sewing Café Lancaster, said “Natural Dyes is one of our projects that was set up to highlight the feasibility of natural dyes in Lancaster and Morecambe and to raise awareness of the toxic effects of chemical dyes on the environment and implications for health. Thanks to the onion skins donated by the Organic-PLUS project, we made an amazing bath of green dyes and dyed 100% cotton items.” New book "Biochar: Emerging applications" has been published!This book covers the latest developments in biochar materials research, a field which is becoming increasingly popular due to the potential of biochar to replace carbon materials derived from non-renewable sources. Emerging and innovative applications of biochar materials are discussed, and all aspects of the field are covered, from production to applications, including details on the techniques used. There is a particular focus on biochar as a material for composites and sensors. This is the first book to cover emerging applications of biochar as an innovative, versatile, carbon-based renewable material, beyond its traditional uses in agriculture. It is a valuable reference for all researchers in the fields of biochar and carbon materials, including industry practitioners. Anna Bogush contributes to Chapter 5 Biochar characterization methods. Report: Building resilience to natural disasters in populated African mountain ecosystemsDr George McAllister has been engaged in an international research collaboration led by Zimbabwean academics to draw lessons from Cyclone Idai that destroyed lives, lands and livelihoods in Zimbabwe and Mozambique in March 2019. The research on agroecology was part of the wider study that considered six interrelated themes: humanitarian impacts, climate change, topography & infrastructure, political economy & governance, and disaster risk reduction & recovery. Together with a team of farmer co-researchers, the comparative research found that agroecologically managed landscapes were better able to absorb the impacts of the cyclone; and that agroecological farmers were more inclined to share seed and labour, and to collectively mobilise mutual aid strategies for early response and landscape recovery. An event to present research findings was hosted by local agroecology NGO TSURO and the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) on the 8th December. The event was attended by policy makers, academics, international organisations and NGOs, and civil society networks, during which a strong case was made for the transitioning to, and scaling of, agroecology for the co-creation of more resilient and responsive food and farming landscapes. The report can be found here. International Conference on Environmental Pollution and PreventionSue Charlesworth gave a keynote on 5 December at the 2020 8th International Conference on Environmental Pollution and Prevention (ICEPP) 2-5th December 2020. It was due to be held in Sydney, Australia, but was held online due to the pandemic. Synergies: AE4EU benefits BOND and vice-versaCoventry University’s main role in the new 3-year AE4EU (Agroecology for Europe) Project, beginning January 2021, is identifying public funding schemes for agroecological practices and research from across Europe. We hope that by identifying these monetary sources and making them known, some of the exciting agroecological collective initiatives birthed and recognised during the BOND project may benefit. AE4EU will map agroecology in Europe, developing living labs and research infrastructures, of which many connections made during BOND will be relevant. As well as collating public and private funding sources, the new project will analyse existing policies before going on to provide new policy recommendations for agroecology and develop a framework at the European level. Lindy Binder (Senior Communications Officer of BOND) joins the AE4EU team to manage this benefit transfer and is currently compiling relevant data and networks. AE4EU has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101000478 Sustainable Management of Urban Water ResourcesThis new book, Sustainable Management of Urban Water Resources has now been published. It includes 2 papers with CAWR researchers:
Nature-Based Solutions in the Urban ContextOn 2nd December, Sue Charlesworth, Craig Lashford, Margi Lennartsson, and Julia Wright, as well as CU's architectural researchers, participated in a virtual, introductory workshop with the Sustainable Development, Water and Energy Dept of Wroclaw Municipality, Poland. Coventry University has opened a campus in Wroclaw, and this workshop was to scope areas for Research & Developmentcollaboration. The shared challenge was that nature-based solutions are seen as more costly and long term and therefore not so attractive to funders and investors. Lots of potential was identified and it is hoped for a face-to-face meet up sometime in the new year. Project awarded for investigating the intersections between conflict and natural disastersDr George McAllister has recently been awarded £173,000 for a transdisciplinary research collaboration with CTPSR, Architecture, the University of Zimbabwe, Midland State University, and local agroecology NGO CELUCT. In investigating the intersections between conflict and natural disasters, Sowing Autonomy in Violent Environments (SAVE) aims to strengthen the resilience and voice of marginalised resource users in Zimbabwe’s remote Eastern Highlands. Informed by the experiences of women exposed to Cyclone Idai in 2019, it engages with local knowledges, food cultures and changing land and resource-use histories. Heirloom seeds, 52% of which were lost in the cyclone, are carefully selected and collected over generations, are at the heart of local food systems and cultural ritual, and are essential for climate change adaptation. They also represent autonomy from coercive patronage structures, where land, food and seed are ‘gifted’ in return for party loyalty. SAVE will investigate the implications of natural disasters when mapped onto existing structural violence. As participatory action research, it aims to shed light on how power shapes ecologies of violence, and co-generate learning that promotes alternative sources of collective power and identity, through a community-led co-creation of agro-cultural artefacts for seed banking and storage. Connections between the profits of British plantation slavery and landownership in the Highlands of ScotlandIn November, Iain MacKinnon co-authored a report on connections between the profits of British plantation slavery and landownership in the Highlands of Scotland. The research found more than sixty major estate purchases made by direct or indirect beneficiaries of slavery between 1726 and 1939, covering more than 1.1 million acres of the west Highlands and Islands. The majority of purchases took place during the main period of the Highland clearances, with a peak occurring in the years immediately following the award of £20 million – £16 billion in today’s terms – compensation for slave-owners for loss of their slaves as ‘property’. The report, co-authored by Glasgow University historian Andrew Mackillop, was published by Community Land Scotland, a representative organisation for community landowners in Scotland and has had media coverage in the magazine of the Smithsonian Institute, The Times, The Scotsman, The Herald, The Press and Journal as well as local newspapers. Iain and Andrew featured on a BBC Alba Gaelic language television documentary on connections between the Highlands and slavery, and the pair were interviewed for BBC Scotland’s popular weekly outdoor magazine radio programme, ‘Out of Doors’, whose production team also created an extended podcast based on the interview. The research is also the subject of a parliamentary motion which is due to be debated by the Scottish Parliament in the coming weeks. Call for contributions to the International Conference on Biodynamic ResearchStudentships
Call for papers
SeminarPromoting agroecology and community water resources management in the tropics – lessons Join Rose Hogan on 21st January 11:30-12:30 GMT to hear about Rose's personal experiences, mainly in Africa Click here to find out more and register your place. Publications
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