How community gardens can support biodiversity | Pam Warhurst | TEDxManchester

Key Concepts

Incredible Edible, food sovereignty, public realm repurposing, community nurturing, right to grow, vegetable tourism, climate change action, local leadership, food injustice, Northern Greenhouse, urban farming, food entrepreneurs.

Main Topics and Key Points

The Genesis of Incredible Edible

• Origin: The speaker recounts the origin of Incredible Edible 16 years ago in Todmorden, driven by frustration with the lack of effective action on climate change despite international summits like Kyoto, Copenhagen and Paris.
• Motivation: The initiative was born out of a desire to "do something about it" at a local level, demonstrating an alternative way of life that leaders should be promoting.
• Action: Planting vegetables, fruits, and herbs in public spaces (police station, college, bus station, train station) to make a difference.
• Not about Expertise: The speaker emphasizes that they were not expert growers, highlighting that passion and action are more important than expertise.

The Power of Food and Community Engagement

• Simple Mechanism: Using food as a simple and accessible way to engage the community and tell a story.
• Public Planting: Planting in public places sparks conversations and memories, fostering a sense of community.
• Vegetable Tourism: The initiative led to a new form of tourism in Todmorden, attracting visitors from around the world.
• Global Movement: Incredible Edible has inspired similar groups worldwide (Lambeth, Los Angeles, Singapore), demonstrating a global desire for local action.

Challenges and the Call for Systemic Change

• Lack of Support: Despite the widespread adoption of the Incredible Edible model, there's a lack of support from local authorities in providing land for community growing.
• Bureaucracy: Difficulty in obtaining permission to use public land due to bureaucratic processes (reports, cabinet approval, scrutiny).
• Right to Nurture: The speaker argues that communities have a right to nurture themselves and should not need to ask permission to grow food on public land.
• Repurposing Public Realm: The proposition to local authorities is to repurpose public land for food growing, which offers benefits like improved mental health, increased biodiversity, and community regeneration without significant cost.

Global Examples and the Need for Food Sovereignty

• Global Impact: Examples of cities like Rio, Manhattan, Munich, and Argentina repurposing public land to feed thousands of people.
• Food Sovereignty: Referencing Tim Lang's report, the speaker highlights the potential for food sovereignty problems, food injustice, and the need to empower communities to nurture themselves.
• Right to Grow: Advocating for the creation of a "right to grow" in the country to address these issues.

The Northern Greenhouse Initiative

• Economic Regeneration: Proposing the creation of an "Incredible Northern Greenhouse" to connect city regions from coast to coast.
• Benefits: This initiative aims to repurpose public land, foster urban farming and food entrepreneurship, reduce carbon footprint, and educate the next generation about the importance of food.
• Current Progress: Mentioning ongoing work with city regions in Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, and Hull, and inviting Manchester to join.
• Call to Action: Urging local governments to be brave and embrace the initiative, given the current state of the world.

Overcoming Barriers and Trusting the People

• Ignore Naysayers: Encouraging people to ignore those who say it can't be done due to lack of qualifications or research.
• Power of Small Actions: Emphasizing the importance of small actions and the will to do things differently.
• Trust the People: The speaker concludes by stating that if you trust the people, they will not let you down.

Important Examples, Case Studies, or Real-World Applications Discussed

• Todmorden: The origin and success story of Incredible Edible, leading to "vegetable tourism."
• Rio, Manhattan, Munich, Argentina: Examples of cities repurposing public land to feed their populations.
• Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Hull: City regions in the UK currently working on repurposing public land for food growing.

Step-by-Step Processes, Methodologies, or Frameworks Explained

• Incredible Edible Model:
  1. Identify available public spaces.
  2. Plant vegetables, fruits, and herbs without seeking permission (unless necessary, like in front of a police station).
  3. Label the plants as "food for share."
  4. Engage with the community and tell the story of food.
• Repurposing Public Land:
  1. Local authorities identify underutilized public land.
  2. Communities are empowered to use the land for food growing.
  3. Benefits include improved mental health, increased biodiversity, and community regeneration.

Key Arguments or Perspectives Presented, with Their Supporting Evidence

• Lack of Leadership: The speaker argues that there is a lack of leadership in addressing climate change and food sovereignty issues. Evidence: Continued reliance on fossil fuels despite climate agreements.
• Communities Have a Right to Nurture Themselves: The speaker asserts that communities should not need to ask permission to grow food on public land. Evidence: Public land is paid for by taxpayers, and communities have been growing food for centuries.
• Repurposing Public Land is Beneficial: The speaker argues that repurposing public land for food growing offers multiple benefits without significant cost. Evidence: Examples of cities around the world successfully implementing this approach.

Notable Quotes or Significant Statements with Proper Attribution

• "We did it not because we dead good Growers because I'm one of the world's grow worst Growers that you could ever imagine... we did it because of this I woke up one morning and I thought what the hell is happening in this world when we're going to hell in a hand cut." - Explaining the motivation behind starting Incredible Edible.
• "Permission is p what we need is a generation of people who have enough confidence and enough compassion that they do believe in the power of small actions." - Encouraging people to take action without waiting for permission.
• "If you trust the people the people will not let you down because we are incredible." - Concluding statement emphasizing the power and potential of communities.

Technical Terms, Concepts, or Specialized Vocabulary with Brief Explanations

• Food Sovereignty: The right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems.
• Public Realm: Spaces that are publicly owned or of public use, including streets, parks, and other open areas.
• Biodiversity: The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.
• Urban Farming: The practice of cultivating, processing, and distributing food in or around urban areas.

Logical Connections Between Different Sections and Ideas

The video progresses logically from the personal story of Incredible Edible's origin to a broader critique of systemic issues and a call for systemic change. The speaker connects the local action of planting vegetables in public spaces to the global challenges of climate change and food insecurity. The argument builds from the need for community empowerment to the proposal of repurposing public land and the vision of a Northern Greenhouse.

Data, Research Findings, or Statistics Mentioned

• Tim Lang's Report: A report published in February highlighting potential food sovereignty problems and food injustice.

Brief Synthesis/Conclusion of the Main Takeaways

The video advocates for a shift in mindset and action towards community-led initiatives for food sovereignty and environmental sustainability. It emphasizes the power of small actions, the importance of trusting communities, and the need for systemic changes to support local food production. The speaker urges individuals and local authorities to embrace the Incredible Edible model and work towards creating a "right to grow" in order to build more resilient and equitable communities.