Tasting tomorrow is a series of three participatory events exploring food futures in Malta. The first workshop was a conversation about the current situation on the island, focusing on initiatives that promote wellbeing for people and the environment alike. During the workshop local food-experts and enthusiasts had a chance to share their individual and collective insights, map interesting food initiatives in Malta, and discuss their activities, challenges, needs and opportunities. The information collected during the workshop forms the basis for a futuring exercise and a food event in the spring.
Workshop participants: Kurt Mifsud, Peppi Gauci, Malcolm Borg, Ghislaine Calleja, Greta Muscat Azzopardi, Veronica Farrugia, Natalie Debono, Claire Borg, Yasmin De Giorgio, Jo'Anna Vella, JD Farrugia, Kurt Micallef, Tom Diacono, Emanuela De Giorgio, Claude Falzon, Ingrid Zarafa, James Schiavone, Antoine Borg Micallef, Stephen Schiavone, Joe Schiavone, Johannes Buch, Debbie (Pure), Trevor Diacono, Stephen La Rosa, Jorge Spiteri, Richard Vella, Alana (Coffee), Gilbert (Coffee), Gloria Camilleri, Krisztina Hangya, Neal Debono.
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Photos of the workshop on Flickr
Interactive map of interesting Maltese food initiatives on Kumu.
(The information on this map can be edited using this online spreadsheet.)
Workshop design and facilitation: Maja Kuzmanovic and Nik Gaffney of FoAM
Co-ordination: Tina Auer and Tim Boykett of Time's Up and Gaby Giacchino
The workshop took place on the 9th of March 2017 in the Xrobb L-ghagin Nature Park and Sustainable Development Centre.
Actions contributing to a thriving food culture:
Increasing knowledge and awareness of all aspects of food culture
Having access to seasonal fresh food; using food preparation techniques that preserve nutritional values of ingredients (e.g. juicing, raw food…)
Buying from the source, connecting with producers
Growing (organic) food; farming; permaculture; working the land - growing, farming, watering, weeding…
Finding connections between food and local environment through activities such as foraging
Meeting and working with like-minded people, cooking together
Developing sustainable/alternative businesses
Celebrating food in all its guises, including pop-up events and restaurants
Emotions involved in experiencing (aspects of) a thriving food culture:
engagement, involvement, contribution, empowerment
curiosity, interest, openness
connection, being a part of a larger whole
a good balance between humility and pride
tension, resistance, culture shock, not giving in, moving from frustration to action
responsibility
nostalgia
excitement, elation, entusiasm, happiness, joy
gratefulness
hope
Resources required for a thriving food culture to exist:
Good food and a healthy diet
Time (together)
Money
A healthy ecological habitat
(Farm)Land, good relationships with land-owners, healthy plants & animals
Access to good markets and local produce
Access to knowledge, open sharing of information
Connections with like-minded people; getting support from friends & family; connecting to micro-communities; access to human resources with a diverse mix of skills; connecting through social media
Sustainable economic factors: a good balance between supply and demand; Sustainable, innovative, dynamic business development; Sustainable tourism
Challenges preventing the emergence of a thriving food culture in Malta:
No cohesion, fragmentation, no platform to share ideas and collaborate
Unsustainable meat production (animal concentration camps)
Wide-spread fast-food culture
Profit driven mass imports
Fish-farms
Mass/conservative tourism
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'Thriving' across the whole food-chain:
(Undisturbed) Land, pesticide free, soil preservation
Urban gardening and other green spaces in cities
Sustainable fishing
Better supply of a variety of produce, local fresh fruit and vegetables in larger volumes, closer connection to 'real' food
A healthy bakery
More vegan options and resources
Matching distribution process between catering and local farmers
Food recycling, composting and other food-waste solutions
People:
Human resources - (young) workers in agriculture and foodservice (including volunteers)
Access to-, support and attention from clients, government, industry, politicians and policy makers
People open to try new things, a more open-minded and environmentally aware consumer base
Involvement of scientists, R&D and food laboratories
Better marketing for food initiatives
Connecting food and culture through arts and design, more pop-up events and creative cohesion
Supportive economic and political climate:
Funding, including financial support for micro-businesses
Better government policies
Less bureaucracy and top-down regularisation, more tax incentives and other resources to make the sector grow
More outlets
Less traffic
Collaboration and networking:
Interesting initiatives and more collaboration and discussion between initiatives
Networking with likeminded people; Creating a network of a “thriving food culture in Malta” to be presented in public and media, sharing good practices and creating a critical mass that can’t be ignored
Creating a multistakeholder network across the whole food chain
Raising awareness and education:
Awareness of water issues, water harvesting, collaboration for a water campaign
Environmental awareness of the carbon foot-print of food, sustainable development
Transparency and awareness of the whole supply chain (what it takes to get food to your plate), including conventional and alternative approaches to farming, ethical consumption as well as better monitoring and labelling of food origins
More widespread food education
Responsibility and care, respect for nature
Acknowledgement and appreciation of the work of farmers
Collective access to data and statistics about local food systems
Outdoor food-related activities for inspiration and information
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