Dr Sarah Dennis

A man at the Dimbaza co-op outside of King Williams town in South Africa. He is working the patch of land using a large gardening fork

Across Cape Town, South Africa, communities maintain small gardens and keep ancestral recipes alive despite the challenges of rising costs, climate stress, and land pressures. Yet these voices are rarely recognised in policy or mainstream food debates 👇

#FoodSecurity #FoodGrowing #SouthAfrica

Emerging contaminants in soils: What we’re learning about organic waste applications By Kelly O’Shea, Dr John Nightingale and Professor Laura Carter

Organic fertilisers have long been a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture, helping recycle nutrients & improve soil health. But, these chemicals, which weren’t traditionally monitored, are now raising environmental concerns. 👇

medium.com/globalfoodle...

#Soil #Farming #SustainableAgriculture

Screen grab from the film. Person points at a wall filled with notes, and text on the screen reads 'together, we identified current problems'.

The films explore:

📍land access conflicts

📍erosion of local values & knowledge

📍social learning & sharing

📍the threat of environmental change to traditional agricultural livelihoods

👉Malawi: vimeo.com/274586592

👉Ghana: www.frontiersin.org/journals/sus...

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People gather outside around a screen to see the film screening in Ghana of the films recorded as part of the research

The most effective and equitable agroecological approach needs to have many voices represented when shaping agricultural policy and agendas.

Researchers need to ensure they include alternative voices, knowledge and experiences

👇

#Agroecology #Agriculture

'World Food Day' text next to a photo of Alan and team at an apple juicing event

Fruit Works Co-operative is a social enterprise helping communities in Bradford & Leeds to plant / maintain fruit trees.

We interviewed Alan Thornton, Director, to learn more on this & plans for the newly established Leeds Food Growing Network.

👉 medium.com/globalfoodle...

#WorldFoodDay 👇

A really fascinating post into a new a developing area of research I wasn't completely aware of.

A combine harvester in a field with AI related symbols and charts overlayed on top, with the 'World Food Day' text next to it.

New blog: 'AI in food production: How much should we worry about big tech?' by @martinp556.bsky.social, PhD researcher.

👉 globalfoodleeds.medium.com/ai-in-food-p...

#WorldFoodDay #AI

👇

Aerial shot of the Parkinson Building at the University of Leeds next to a text overlay that says 'World Food Day'

Today is #WorldFoodDay!

We've a selection of new blogs & videos to share that focus on some of the many ways our researchers are tackling the focus of #WorldFoodDay every day through their research.

If you want to learn more about our researchers & their work, visit www.leeds.ac.uk/globalfood

👇

Supporting Agroecology Transitions in Africa through University of Leeds Research By Stephen Whitfield, Professor in Food, Agriculture and Climate.

As part of our month-long spotlight on agroecological research, we have published a blog by Professor Stephen Whitfield that summarises the many ways in which our researchers are supporting this area of research at the University of Leeds.

👉 Read: medium.com/globalfoodle...

Olufemi Adesina is working with International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology in Kenya on how the push-pull approach in agroecological practices can reduce crop pest pressure.

👇

Fall armyworm on a green leaf that has been partly eaten

A key focus of agroecological practice is understanding ecosystem functions.

Researchers are studying how plant-level treatments, field-level crop compositions & landscape-scale structures & vegetation interact to influence crop pest & disease risks.

fosta-health.eu/index.php/bl...

👇

Woman farm workers in Africa, bending to tend to crops in the field

Throughout October, we are spotlighting some of the ways our researchers are supporting agroecological transitions in Africa.

Agroecology enhances food production resilience to extreme weather events & pest infestations, and improves biodiversity, soil health & nutritional properties of foods.
👇

Headshot of Dash Anderson

GFEI spotlight: Dashiell Anderson is a PhD student in Economics at the Leeds University Business School.

His research focuses on why rural workers tend to earn less than urban workers, with a particular focus on the US and UK labour markets.

business.leeds.ac.uk/faculty/pgr/...

🧵👇

Regenerative agriculture This POSTnote describes regenerative agriculture, the evidence for beneficial outcomes, and outlines the challenges and opportunities for its wider adoption.

The session explored definitions, evidence of benefits, and the challenges of implementing regenerative practices through schemes like the Sustainable Farming Incentive.

The resulting POSTnote, designed to brief MPs and Peers, is now published and available to read here: doi.org/10.58248/PN748

Regenerative agriculture trials at the University of Leeds farm.

Dr Ruth Wade has contributed to a UK Parliament POSTnote on regenerative agriculture.

Ruth was invited to contribute to a UK Parliament POST (Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology) expert session informing the latest POSTnote on regenerative agriculture.

👇

Our researchers explored role of wholesale markets in UK & wrote a blog on their observations.

These markets have been a key part of the food supply chain for 100s of years, yet remain largely invisible, operating in the shadow of large food companies & supermarkets.

👉 medium.com/globalfoodle...

Shivani headshot

GFEI spotlight: Dr Shivani Singhal is a Research Fellow in the @earthandenvleeds.bsky.social

Her research focuses on a just shift to net-zero in livestock farming. Shivani explores how the transition must balance multiple values & inequitable power to ensure fairness for people & nature.

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Headshot of Andrea

GFEI spotlight: Dr Andrea Zappalaglio @anzapp.bsky.social is an Associate Professor Intellectual Property Law, @lawatleeds.bsky.social

His research focus is on Intellectual Property related to sustainability, especially in the field of food production and rural development.

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Check out the films by:
- Inn Churches
- Feeding Bradford and Keighley
- Catholic Care
- Horton Community Farm
- Eyarun Nessa (Eden Association)

👉 Films: youtube.com/playlist?lis...

👉 More on the project: environment.leeds.ac.uk/dir-record/r...

Rory Padfield headshot

GFEI spotlight: Dr Rory Padfield is an Associate Professor in Sustainability & Business.

As an interdisciplinary social scientist, he explores themes of social & environmental justice, sustainability in business & organisations, and storytelling & communication.

👇

Parkinson Building, University of Leeds

We have three upcoming webinars scheduled and open for registration. Have you booked your place?

Our webinars are free and open to all. They last around 40 minutes and include a 10 min Q&A session with the speaker.

Check out the schedule and register:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/global-foo...

Display of fresh fruit and vegetables on a countertop

Today is #WorldHealthDay.

So, we thought we would introduce you to some of our colleagues whose research lies in the crossover between food and health or takes a 'one-health' approach.

Check out our blog: medium.com/globalfoodle...

👇

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Do try to find the time to watch these short videos.

Our June lunch time webinar.

Bradford cityscape

Dr Rory Padfield will deliver a webinar: ''Food on Film': Community-led film making in the context of Bradford food'

Rory led the project in partnership with Bradford Council. It trained Bradford community organisations in film-making & critical sustainability storytelling.

Wed 4th June, 12.00pm 👇

Black and white image of a derelict green house

Migrant workers are the backbone of Andalucia's agricultural sector, with women from Morocco participating in the industry through bilateral visa agreements between the 2 countries.

They face precarity, exploitation & harsh working conditions, yet they return for the picking season each year.

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Inside a large greenhouse with crops growing.

Jessica's PhD project aims to illuminate the interconnectedness of issues around climate, race and gender within our globalised agri-food network, and practices that can challenge normative ideas of power and resistance.

Read more:
research.ethicalconsumer.org/research-hub...

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Jessica standing under a tree. Photo credit: Younes Idihoum

GFEI spotlight: Jessica El Mal is a PhD student in the School of Fine Art, Art History and Cultural Studies.

Jessica is exploring cultural & digital techniques that migrant land workers use to build networks of solidarity & resistance because of grave exploitation in the fields of Almeria.

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Preventing food waste: food surplus redistribution in the UK YouTube video by GFEI, University of Leeds

Continuing with our #FoodWasteActionWeek research spotlight, next up is Dr @effie25.bsky.social.

Effie led a research project called Famished. They examined challenges & opportunities for surplus food redistribution (SFR) in the UK, & the ideal future scenario of SFR: youtu.be/wsaLMnNLE9I?...

👇

Over and done with quick this year.