Growing Change Together: Building Food Resilience from the Ground Up
Last weekend, CAG Devon hosted an engaging event focused on building food resilience locally through grassroots action. Led by CAG East Devon Coordinator Carolyn, and co-delivered with the Blackdown Hills Eco-Hub at their site in East Devon, the workshop brought together CAG members including Chardstock Eco Group, Broadclyst Environment Group, Blackdown Hills Eco-Hub, Okehampton Community Garden, and Transition Exmouth. Participants greatly appreciated the workshop, highlighting the value of connecting with like-minded individuals and learning about inspiring projects across the region. Many found it encouraging to see so many groups engaged in meaningful activities, such as promoting growing and local organic food to increase food resilience and lower carbon footprints, healthy eating, linking allotments with community larders and food banks to reduce waste, and supporting those facing food insecurity. Shared challenges included encouraging healthier food choices, supporting people in chaotic living situations who struggle to cook, securing volunteer support for community gardens, and accessing funding.
There is strong evidence that the South West has considerable potential to boost its food resilience. In 2023, the UK’s overall food self-sufficiency was around 60%. With its diverse agricultural landscape, fertile soils, and a rich tradition of local food production, the South West is well placed to play a larger role in food security. By enhancing local food systems, minimising food waste, and promoting sustainable farming practices, the region could further strengthen its food resilience.
Craig shared his extensive knowledge of foodbanks, food injustice and impressive experience of uniting numerous food larders, food shares, food banks, charities, links to allotments and churches across Exmouth over the past five years through Transition Exmouth’s Mushroom Exmouth & District Community Food Network. As an ex baker, he emphasised how bringing people together through making bread, pizza, and sharing lunches with homeworkers at the Community Hub at Sideshore on Wednesdays helps strengthen community bonds. This approach supports social cohesion, discussions around climate change, inequality, resource scarcity, promotes healthy food and fosters long-term resilience.
He brought a vintage apple peeling and coring machine for people to try out, along with homemade bread rolls to accompany the soup, which was cooked on the Tawi Stove (which makes biochar from waste twigs and garden materials whilst providing heat for cooking) using vegetables and herbs grown on site for everyone to enjoy.
Patricia, a local activist raising awareness on the harmful effects of Glyphosate, highlighted while individual agricultural chemicals may fall below recognised safety thresholds, there is growing evidence that the combined effects—or “cocktails”—of these chemicals can pose serious risks to human health, particularly by disrupting endocrine systems.
Glyphosate (many gardeners still use Round Up) is widely used in agriculture, with hundreds of thousands of kilograms sprayed on farms and food each year—particularly on crops like wheat and oats where it’s used to artificially dry them. Despite industry claims of safety, research (Toxic Legacy Book) increasingly links glyphosate to serious health concerns, including damage to the gut microbiome, disrupted protein synthesis, and impaired sulfur metabolism. Residues remain in food after washing. It not only poses risks to human health but also causes serious harm to ecosystems, affecting the wider environment we share with other species (effect on bees has been well known for years). This growing impact highlights the importance of using natural methods in our gardens and choosing organic alternatives whenever possible. She also brought along her delicious sourdough and crackers that she makes with the ends of sourdough bread mixture, topped with nettles and baked! Many of us will be experimenting with baked nettles I’m sure!
Finally we heard from Vicky, a previous organic farmer with an MSc Land and Ecological Restoration. Vicky runs regenerative farming workshops with Blackdown Hills Eco Hub and went on to explore the vital role of nature-based solutions and the often-overlooked “unsung heroes” of our meadows, such as dung beetles and deep-rooting plants. While the green hillsides of the Otter Valley may appear natural, beneath the surface many pastures lack biodiversity, dominated by shallow-rooted ryegrass. Historically, meadows were rich in a mix of grasses and forbs that co-evolved with grazing herbivores over millions of years, creating resilient ecosystems with deep root systems that enhanced soil health, water filtration, and nutrient cycling. Dung beetles, once thriving alongside migratory herds, are now critically endangered due to insecticides and deworming chemicals. Yet, they offer powerful ecosystem services—burying dung to aerate soil, transport nutrients, reduce parasite survival, and even support other species like predatory mites that help control fly populations. Their work especially when soil is treated with biochar, transform compacted, nutrient-poor soils into sponge-like, biodiverse ground capable of filtering rainwater and preventing flooding and runoff, which currently threatens both farmland and marine ecosystems like those in Lyme Bay. By supporting organic farming practices free from harmful chemicals, we can protect these essential organisms and restore the health of our landscapes—just as the ancient Egyptians once revered them for their life-giving role in nature.
Participants especially valued learning more about biochar – its ability to adsorb nutrients from dung and field runoff, enhance microbial networks, add carbon back into the soil and the links between soil microbiomes and our gut microbiomes. They also appreciated insights into how to healthy living soils, pesticide residues in food, and the health benefits of fermented foods like sourdough compared to highly processed, nutrient-deficient white bread. Attendees appreciated the clear and accessible communication of complex, whole-system approaches to healing soil and ecosystems.
Overall, the opportunity to engage, share experience, knowledge, and access support from CAG Devon was seen as both uplifting and invaluable. Many went away with lovely fresh vegetables and herbs from the Eco Hub Growing Area – an edible reminder of the power of community and regenerative practices.
Inspired? Join the Pesticide-Free East Devon Gathering on Saturday 22nd November at Offwell Village Hall. This free event, organised by Green Futures Devon CIC, is a chance for individuals, groups, and organisations across East Devon to come together, share ideas, and co-create practical steps to reduce pesticide use in our communities.
