Farming for Climate Justice

Farming for Climate Justice [Transforming Policy and Practice Towards Agroecological Transitions for Resilient and Just Food and Farming Systems in a Changing Climate] was a collaboration between the Centre for Agroecology, Water & Resilience (CAWR) at Coventry University and the Bio-Economy Research Chair at the University of Cape Town (UCT), that created a network of early career researchers (ECRs) from the UK and South Africa to build capacity for transformative thinking and research practice around just food and farming systems.

Challenges & Opportunities

Alongside a growing consensus that the dominant food regime is failing against key metrics, including rates of hunger and malnutrition, decent agricultural livelihoods, and its environmental impacts (HLPE 2019; IPCC, 2019), recognition of the need to transition to agroecological (AE) farming systems that are resilient to climate stress has grown in prominence (IAASTAT, 2009; UNCTAD; 2013; Anderson et al, 2018). Agroecology has been shown to result in higher productivity and yield stability when climate stressors are taken into account (FAO, 2020), and to provide multifunctional social, ecological, cultural and economic benefits for farmers and society.

Research Emphasis

As climate change, food systems, seed, soil and water, gender and political ecology specialists we have aimed to promote critical ECR collaborations between natural and social scientists, drawn from both academia and civil society networks across urban and rural spaces. Our focus emphasises the co-generation of socially just and inclusive research capable of collectively restoring ecosystem functions and building adaptive capacities for the co-creation of just and climate resilient food & farming systems.

The overall objectives of Farming for Justice have been to:

1. Develop an interdisciplinary network of ECRs in SA and UK to strengthen skills and capabilities for collaborative working and co-production of high-quality research on climate resilient food systems with real-world impacts.
2. Discuss, plan, and build up a network for longer-term collaboration between participating institutions and specialists (e.g. project proposals & ECR fellowships; co-author papers; staff exchanges).
3. Co-develop and -present high-quality research, through creative multi-media tools and channels, disseminated at high-level fora for evidenced-based policy making.

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For further information about Farming for Climate Justice, see the following pages:

• International webinars
• Early career researchers
• Challenge Prize Project Teams:
  • Seed Literature Team
  • Seed Practice Team
  • Seed Solidarity Team