Talamh Beo

Talamh Beo for FOOD SOVEREIGNTY, SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS, STRONG COMMUNITIES

PRESS RELEASE

Farmers from across Ireland are coming together to establish a new organisation which represents the interests and defends the livelihoods of people producing food, fuel and fibre using sustainable methods of production – Talamh Beo (www.talamhbeo.ie)

“We aim to raise awareness of the obstacles and challenges faced by small-scale producers and family farms and of the role that farmers can play in providing environmental stewardship, livelihoods, strong communities, animal welfare and high-quality affordable food.”

(Said Thomas O’Connor from Kerry, one of the members of the core group.)
Talamh Beo plan to campaign for better policies to support small-scale producers, family farms, agro-ecology, local and regional production and food sovereignty, while ensuring farm livelihoods into the future.
They also aim to defend and strengthen their alternative forms of agricultural and food production, processing and distribution, in order to demonstrate that these alternatives are real and possible.
Talamh Beo plan to open up new messages in the dominant narrative surrounding Food and Agriculture in Ireland, and see how farmers can work with citizens to build a food and agricultural systems which serve people and communities.
“We know we are not alone in trying to develop better alternatives, in working towards farming with nature, in empowering the voices of farmers who want to do their best for the land, the environment and communities and citizens. We will join the international movement La Via Campesina which unites farmers working for Food Sovereignty from around the world” adds Fergal Anderson from County Galway.
Talamh Beo support “Food Sovereignty” which is the right of communities to define their own food and agricultural systems. Food Sovereignty also recognises food and agriculture systems as collective responsibilities and the fact that we must all engage with these issues to ensure the land and landscape can nurture future generations.

Talamh Beo will be a representative organisation for farmers, but membershipwill be made up of both producers and consumers.