Better Land-Based Economies

= report findings planned for the summer of 2017

URL = http://www.sharedassets.org.uk/project-report/better-land-based-economies/

Description

"Community food enterprises are a success story of local collective action and have the potential to make significant contributions to local economic resilience. However despite its success, and the existence of some supportive policy drivers, the sector faces barriers to realising its full potential. Better Land-Based Economies explores these contributions, the issues they face, and space for solutions.

Shared Assets is delighted to be working with three leading community food growing organisations to explore issues around accessing land. The Ecological Land Co-op, Kindling Trust, and Organic Lea are looking to create sustainable livelihoods for growers through innovative approaches to sourcing land, providing housing, and distribution and marketing. We are taking an action research approach as they work to secure ownership or leases of new land, and to demonstrate to local authorities how their activities contribute to local economic resilience and meet multiple public policy objectives.

We are currently supporting and working alongside each organisation as they seek land at a price, and with conditions, that will enable them to provide low cost access to land for new entrants to food growing. We will capture and describe the innovations and practical models of enterprise being developed by each organisation, and how these contribute to the development of local economic resilience. We aim to report on our learning, and provide evidence and resources to support other organisations, in Summer 2017."