Food for all … for ever – a report from Tony Weekes (South Belfast Quaker Meeting and Richard Clarke (South Belfast Methodist Church).
This was the title of the second Harvest weekend conference at the South Belfast Methodist Agápē Centre on 23rd September. A similar event last year – Enough is Plenty – inspired the form and content. Short presentations followed by small discussion groups and plenary feedback.
The social, environmental and ethical impacts of food are enormous: how we treat animals and the earth; the livelihoods of the farmers; the distribution and processing of their produce; food poverty, and food as a basic human right.
At the start of our planning, we found ourselves a little overwhelmed. Where do we start? The Spirit gave us a prompt: Dr Laurence Graham, this year’s President of the Irish Methodist Conference, has worked as an agronomist in Haiti and in Africa. We met with him and he agreed to make the introductory presentation.
Other names then came to mind. John McCormick, founder of Helen’s Bay (Co. Down) Organics; Mary McManus and Kerry Melville, two women whose work brings them face to face with the causes and consequences of food poverty. All willingly accepted our invitation to contribute.
About 50 people participated in the event. Dr Graham spoke about food security, globally and locally; the precarious situation of many growers consequent upon climatic threats and the prevailing economic system. John McCormick reminded us that plant life is the basis of our food system, and that plants require two elements: nitrogen and phosphorus. Nitrogen can be provided by industrial means … or by using the capabilities of certain plants to fix nitrogen in the soil. If we rely on nature’s way, we can have access to a very small ration of meat – or enough plant based food provide an adequate diet.
He left it to each of us to think what this means for our lifestyles.
Mary McManus is an independent social benefits adviser. She spoke with passion and eloquence about the failures of the present social benefits system to fulfil people’s need for an adequate diet. She asked us to reflect on the need for food banks – at a time when food supermarkets offer overwhelming choices to those who can afford them. She recognised – unreservedly – the concern and generosity of those of us who donate to food banks, but asked us to think about the wider social and political aspects, particularly in the context of the incoming Universal Benefits System. A system with a minimum of six weeks waiting between making a claim and receiving the payment.
The final contributor was Kerry Melville, who described the work and aspirations of the Belfast Food Network. A project which embraces food in all its aspects, from local growing to healthy eating and the need for better awareness of the social and ethical aspects of our food system. She ended with an invitation to us: to read the Network Charter and to make a pledge.
See www.belfastfoodnetwork.org/belfast-food-charter/ for more information.
The theme of the conference contributed to the Harvest Festival Service at South Belfast Methodist church, with Dr Graham giving the address to the congregation.