No Images? Click here CAWR NewsletterSeptember 2017 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.' Still need to register?Registration closes on 31st October, don't miss out! Farmers perspectives on Nitrogen vulnerable zones reportDonna Udall, Alex Franklin, Francis Rayns and Ulrich Schmutz have just completed the final step of their pump prime research on nitrogen vulnerable zones in Wales, in what is believed to be the first all Welsh CAWR publication - Hurray! The aim of this work was to produce data that conveys the opinions of farmers, and regulators on the current and future social, environmental and economic cost of the Nitrate Zones (NVZs) and their potential increase in size in Wales. The findings provide an independent evidence base to support future policy development. Notably, this includes advice on introducing methods that are participatory based and co-produced with farmers and other stakeholders to influence the policy development process. Priscilla heads to Belgium to discuss human rightsPriscilla Claeys was invited to chair the Localizing Human Rights roundtables at the University of Antwerp. This event was part of a broader research project exploring the effectiveness of human rights for marginalised communities in non-Western societies. Throughout the day, Priscilla brought in the perspective of agrarian movements engaged in the creation of new human rights at the UN, and shared her experience with the process of negotiation of a new UN Declaration on the rights of peasants.
photo credit:University of Antwerp / Lani Fourie. Sue presents at urban drainage conferenceSue Charlesworth recently travelled to Czech Republic to present at The 14th IWA/IAHR International Conference on Urban Drainage (ICUD) held in Prague.This is the most important conference on urban drainage so it was great that Sue could give three presentations! Sue can be seen (left) pictured with Craig Lashford (Cov Uni) and Luis Sanudo (ex-CAWR). Public Policies for Food Sovereignty now available!Priscilla Claeys is proud to announce that this book has now been published. "The contributors to this book analyze diverse institutional processes related to food sovereignty, ranging from community-supported agriculture to food policy councils, direct democracy initiatives to constitutional amendments, the drafting of new food sovereignty laws to public procurement programmes, as well as Indigenous and youth perspectives, in a variety of contexts including Brazil, Ecuador, Spain, Switzerland, UK, Canada, USA, and Africa. Together, the contributors to this book discuss the political implications of integrating food sovereignty into existing liberal political structures, and analyze the emergence of new political spaces and dynamics in response to interactions between state governance systems and social movements voicing the radical demands of food sovereignty." This book will be launched during our event: The 8th Annual Conference of the AESOP, along with other CAWR publications. CAWR Associate publishes articlePatrick Mulvany recently published an article "Agricultural Biodiversity is sustained in the framework of food sovereignty" in the Biodiversity journal. This is a reflective opinion piece that promotes the IPC brochure "Peasants Give Life to Biodiversity". CAWR raise money for Hurricane Irma victimsPaola Guzman led the fundraising activities at CAWR this month by cooking up a storm in the kitchen for staff and students to tuck into! Paola decided to raise money due to having a good friend living on the Island of St Thomas which has been affected by the recent hurricane. Paola cooked Paneer Butter Masala curry with rice, as well as Morwenna McKenzie serving both parnsip and carrot cakes for a donation. Just from this small lunchtime event, CAWR managed to raise £220! Events
30th September 12:00-18:00 Food Union CV5: Community Garden, Four Pounds Ave, Coventry CV5 8DH, UK Birds and Bees – Dialogue (A BE Music Taster) A day of exploring and celebrating wild flowers and pollinators on CV5 community allotment with workshops, music, and food. Provisional programme: 12-1 – arrival / light pizza oven 1-2pm Walk around site led by Michael Smythe (Phytology/Nomad) to identify wild flowers with specific pollinator significance and/or medicinal properties. 2-3pm Pizza making 3-6 – Talk by Paul Gittins about his installed pieces, musical performances, and bonfire. Cost: Pay as you feel No need to register, just turn up! 3rd October 12:30-15:00 CAWR, Ryton Gardens, Coventry, CV8 3LG Film Screening of The Eyes of the Journey CAWR are taking part in the world premiere of this film by hosting a screening of this film on 3rd October. The film looks at indigenous cosmology of the Quechua in South America, their food traditions and their ideas about how to live a good life. 5th October 11:30-12:30 CAWR, Ryton Gardens, Coventry, CV8 3LG Seminar with Josh Brem-Wilson Boundary Contestation in UN Food Governance: Private Autonomy vs. Public Authority? Hunger elimination is an ongoing concern of the UN, most recently affirmed in the UN SDGs. To support the attainment of its objectives in this area, the UN adopts an attitude of partnership, or collaboration with the private sector. This attitude is often part of a general ‘multi-stakeholder’ approach, as evident in bodies such as the UN Committee on World Food Security. This approach however seems to privilege a historically contingent definition of the boundary between the spheres of public authority and private autonomy, a definition that reflects the dominance of ‘embedded neoliberalism’ in the transnational policy sphere. 20th October 11:30-12:30 CAWR, Ryton Gardens, Coventry, CV8 3LG Seminar with Steven Falk Pollinators A presentation that explains the importance and variety of pollinators in the UK, and how we can support their needs. It is based on a presentation that Steven takes all over Britain to help individuals and organisations contribute to the various national pollinator strategies. This is a presentation that will make you view countryside and urban greenspace in a new and exciting way. It will also help you to appreciate how the Blooms for Bees project fits into current national/UK activity to promote pollinators and citizen science. |