Thursday 30 October 2025

The event will bring together diverse sectors to nurture collaboration, highlight the vital connections between agriculture, nutrition, and public health, and explore the potential of public procurement and community wealth building principles as powerful levers to support local producers and enhance community wellbeing.

The Symposium – An afternoon of inspiration in Trinity

Thursday 30th October I 13.30 – 17.30 Regent House, Trinity College Dublin

How can we better support local food producers and nourish communities through stronger local food economies in Ireland?

An afternoon of inspiration and dialogue focused on strengthening local food systems. The event will bring together diverse sectors to nurture collaboration, highlight the vital connections between agriculture, nutrition, and public health, and explore the potential of public procurement and community wealth building principles as powerful levers to support local producers and enhance community wellbeing.

Contributors Include –

Rupa Marya – Physician, activist, writer and recently appointed Trinity School of Medicine Adjunct Professor of Land, Food and Medicine.
Fergal Anderson – Leaf and Root Farm and a founding member of Talamh Beo
Caroline Whyte – Ecological economist at Feasta, the Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability, and a core member of the Wellbeing Economy Hub for Ireland.
John Gibbons – Journalist and author of ‘The Lie Of The Land – A Game Plan for Ireland in the Climate Crisis’.
Ruth Hegerty – Food systems specialist with Food Policy Ireland
Sean McCabe – Head of Climate Justice & Sustainability, Bohemian FC
Thomas O’Connor – Manna Organic Farm and a founding member of Talamh Beo
Beck Vining – Talamh Beo and PhD Researcher at Maynooth University
Colin Doherty – Head of School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin.
Oliver Moore – Researcher at Centre for Co-operative Studies, University College Cork, CODECS and Cultivate 

Facilitated by Davie Philip, EU4Advice Irish Living Lab coordinator, Cultivate, and Eimear McNally, illustrator and facilitator specialising in live graphic recording and visual facilitation. 

Plus introductions from innovative initiatives that support producers and or help strengthen local food systems from – Janet Power, Gorse Farm Talamh Beo – Siobhan Hubbard, Newbard Farm – Martina Mullin, Trinity College Dublin  – Evonne Boland, Open Food Network Ireland – John Mckeon, Kyrie Farm – Maeve Foreman, Community Gardens Ireland – Roger Ahern, Green Man’s Garden – Dee Sewell, Carlow County Council – Gareth Conlon, Síolta Chroí 

14.00 – Opening and Introduction
14.05 – Welcoming Mistica – Appreciating Local Food producers
14.15 – Why We Need to Transform Our Food System 
Panel discussion on the context, the vulnerability of our current system, the need to support farmers better and why we have to strengthen local food economies.
14.50 – Voices from the Field 
Introductions from innovative initiatives from across Ireland 
15.15 – Networking Break 
15.30 – The Future We Can Taste 
A small group conversation where participants are invited to imagine and describe a future where local food producers thrive and communities are nourished –  followed by a harvest of ideas for action.
16.30 – Community Wealth Building 
What are the opportunities for local wellbeing through food? 
16.45 – From Vision to Action 
Panel on the innovation, practice, and policy needed to build thriving, healthy, and sustainable local food systems.
17.20 – Invited closing reflection
17.30 – Close 

Book afternoon session Trinity

Farming is Medicine
18.00 – 21.00 I Regent House I Trinity College Dublin

FILM SCREENING | CONVERSATION WITH PROF. RUPA MARYA and DR OLLIE MOORE | NETWORKING BUFFET MEAL

A screening of the short film ‘Farming is Medicine’ featuring physician, activist, writer and recently appointed Trinity School of Medicine Adjunct Professor of Land, Food and Medicine, Rupa Marya will be hosted. This film explores the deep connections between farming, health and community. The screening will be followed by a conversation on decolonising food systems with Professor Marya and Researcher Dr. Ollie Moore, and includes a relaxed buffet meal from Cornucopia.

This can be booked as a standalone event or together with a ticket for the Symposium.

Email Alison.brogan@feasta.org

Organised by:

Feasta, Talamh Beo, and Cultivate, through the Feeding Ourselves Community of Practice as part of the ‘Strengthening Local Food Economies’ project that is supported by the Irish Environmental Network. Held in collaboration with Trinity Sustainability, Open Food Network Ireland, Food Policy Ireland, Bohemians FC Spark Project, Deep Medicine Circle,  EU4Advice, CODECS  – and other partners to be announced.