Oxford 2024: ORFC spreads message of hope for food and farming

Speakers at the opening plenary of the 2024 Oxford Real Farming Conference (ORFC) have spoken of their hope for the future of food and farming amid political uncertainty and turmoil in the UK and across the globe.

Now in its 15th year, the ORFC is a global event which attracts more than 400 speakers and is now recognised as the largest gathering of the agroecological movement on the planet.

This year, 45 sessions will be livestreamed to thousands of delegates around the UK and beyond.

See also: Oxford 2024: Clearer labelling to help consumers ‘buy British’

This year’s conference is a two-day event spread across eight venues in Oxford. It started with a ceremony in Oxford Town Hall and the blessing of a Blenheim Orange apple tree, which will bear fruit for generations to come.

The tree was taken onto the stage in the Main Hall and blessed by singing from Charlotte Pulver, a modern day alchemist from the South West; Anna Mudeka, from Norfolk, who sings Mbira music from her Zimbabwean roots; and music from Simmy Singh, a violinist and composer.

Oxford Real Farming Conference opens with blessing for local Blenheim Orange apple tree which will bear fruit for generations to come. What a way to open a conference 👏#ORFC24 #ORFC @ORFC @FarmersWeekly pic.twitter.com/ly3OYs3H2n

— Philip Case (@PhilipCaseFW) January 4, 2024

Addressing delegates, Robert Fraser, executive director of the Real Farming Trust and conference organiser, told of his hope amid challenging times for farmers.

“As farmers, we have to cope with drought and flood and volatile markets, fallen stock, and other external forces we are unable to control,” he said.

“We face an uncertain future with cheap imports, broken supply chains, lack of funding, policy changes and terrible governance, and often quite a bit of criticism.

“But yet, as stewards of the land, we turn up every day, caring for our crops and animals and working long hours to the best of our ability to provide for our families and our communities.  

“We are tenacious, pragmatic and resilient because we believe in tomorrow.”

‘Profession of hope’

Mr Fraser quoted the Canadian poet Brian Brett, who said “farming is a profession of hope”.

He said there were no better ways for farmers to prepare for the year ahead than to “fill our heads with inspiration and hearts with hope at this conference… which has grown from 80 people at a fringe event in 2010 to over 1,800 people in person and many more online”.

Paula Gioia, a peasant farmer in a community farm in Germany and a committee member of the European Coordination Via Campesina (ECVC), made a call for globalised hope for food and farming.

“From a farming perspective, agroecology is the path to get there. Agroecology is also a science and for most, agroecology is a movement for social transformation,” she said.

Alternative way

Helen Browning, chief executive of the Soil Association, told delegates that, like the organic movement, the ORFC had always been about “trying to show an alternative way”.

“This conference has been so influential in setting up that alternative pathway and the Soil Association is delighted to be able to partner with the Real Farming Trust and with all the people who make this happen who have done an extraordinary job,” she said.

Ms Browning said it was a symptom of the ORFC’s success that the theme at this year’s Oxford Farming Conference, being held concurrently, was diversity.

“The world is shifting on its axis really fast and I hover between real hope and despair,” she said. “I’m sure all of us feel that way in our everyday life. There are so many people doing so much brilliant work and yet there is so little time.

“And it’s a huge responsibility… when what we do will be so crucial to the survival – not just of humanity, but of every species on this planet.”

Ms Browning said this “load of responsibility” was hugely lightened by people coming together at ORFC and learning and sharing what they did.

Farm groups including the Soil Association, the Nature Friendly Farming Network, the Sustainable Food Trust and others have come together to agree a consensus on the future of food and farming.

Politicians ‘must recognise farming’

In an election year, Ms Browning said it was more important than ever for more farmers to get behind the consensus and show solidarity across nature, farming and food, “to ensure politicians will recognise this is important and they need to invest in the future of our farming, of our landscape and of nature, and that society will really welcome that”.

ORFC conference director Francesca Price ended the plenary session by telling delegates she learned a new word this week which summed up her feelings about food and farming.

“Respair is a word that died out in the 17th century, but what it means is fresh hope,” she said.

“We need this conference to be full of fresh hope, and for you to take that back to your homes around the country and around the world.”