From late September, Kindling's Helen will be spending seven weeks visiting Aragon, Southern Spain, Catalonia and the Basque Country as part of a research tour looking at alternative food systems and co-operative ways of increasing access to sustainable food.
The region has a proud and progressive history of co-operative working. For example, Mondragon - a federation of worker cooperatives is the seventh largest Spanish company in terms of turnover and the leading business group in the Basque Country.
Not only this, but agriculture is still hugely important to the national economy, as a large exporter of organic produce to the UK. Approximately 80 % of the typical Mediterranean crops grown organically are exported, mostly to the central and northern European countries, especially in the winter season.
Although organic (ecologico) food is not hugely popular in Spain, pioneer organic farmers were strongly motivated to produce organic products for internal and local consumption, and organized in cooperatives.
It is this history and experience that has lead us to embark on this research tour. To learn lessons from long standing co-operatives (look at the systems they have developed, as well as their secrets for long term happiness/survival!). As well as looking at a country that is maybe not as focused on environmental/animal welfare issues as we are here in the UK (though they are very into their high quality food), and yet have managed to create a market for it and increase access to sustainable food through supplying schools, residential homes and so on.
There are a number of projects Helen is planning to volunteer with and talk to about obstacles that have been identified here in Greater Manchester.
Some of the projects Helen hopes to visit include:
- La veloz: http://www.grupolaveloz.com/
- Reas Aragon (Red de redes de economomia alternativa y solidaria): http://www.economiasolidaria.org/redes/reas_aragon
- Centro de Investigacion y Formacion en Actividades Economicas Sostenibles (Research and training centre in economically sustainable activities), Ameyuelas: http://www.nodo50.org/amayuelas/
- International congress on Education and Food Sovereignty: http://www.educacionsinfronteras.org/es/413014
In keeping with Kindling's sustainability ethos Helen will be travelling by rail (avoiding air travel) and trying to keep her carbon footprint to a minimum.
The visits are funded by the Winston Churchill Memorial Fund, which offer travel bursaries to: widen an individual's experience in such a way that he or she grows in confidence, knowledge, authority and ambition. To bring benefit to others in the UK through sharing the results of the experience
Each year approximately 100 British citizens are awarded Fellowships supporting travel to another country, internal travel, daily living and insurance within the countries visited. So if you have an organisation you would like to visit we would strongly recommend you look at their website.
Leer mas sobre Kindling en castellano: Nuestra vision en practica