Terra Madre, Forging a New Global Network of Sustainable Food Communities

04 Feb 2010 | English

Slow Food’s founder and president Carlo Petrini will present the English edition of his new book Terra Madre – Forging a New Global Network of Sustainable Food Communities, published by Chelsea Green, on a tour of the USA this month.

Following Slow Food Nation (2007), Petrini provides an update on his analysis of the world crises and on the current ideology and development model that he argues lies at the root of these problems; a model that will fail to find the innovative solutions needed, as they are outside the global system it has created.

In response, Petrini reflects on the Terra Madre network, a global alliance of food communities founded by Slow Food in 2004, which includes thousands of small-scale farmers, fishers and breeders, as well as cooks, youth, educators and others from more than 150 countries. These communities are working towards sustainable food production around the world, and unite in their cause by coming together regionally and at an international meeting held every two years.

With this new network attracting great interest for its potential in rebuilding food sovereignty, sustainable production and healthy local economies, Petrini invites us all to become involved. It is only through an alliance between producers and consumers, he argues, that we will be successful in creating sustainable local food systems.

The role of the consumer is considered fundamental, so much so that Petrini has coined a new term “co-producer” to identify a shift in consumer awareness. Co-producers are alert consumers who, by favoring local products and considering themselves active in the process that brings food to our table, are essential to achieving change.

The Terra Madre food communities can play a central role in creating this constructive dialogue between producers and consumers, says Petrini, and to restoring a more balanced relationship between humans and the earth that is fundamental to understanding and appreciating the true value of food.

Carlo Petrini’s tour of the United States includes four dates:

February 19-20 at the annual Georgia Organics Conference, being held in Athens, Georgia.
February 21 at Cordon Bleu Culinary College, Atlanta, Georgia
February 22 at the Center for Disease Control and Barnes and Noble Bookstore at Emory University Atlanta, Georgia.
February 23 at Blue Bicycle Books at the Charleston College, South Carolina.

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