Next month I’m starting a Master’s degree in Food Studies at the University of Exeter.
I’ve been thinking about doing a Master’s for the past couple of years. I have spoken with several people and been given some brilliant advice. I have questioned my motivations and my commitment. I wanted to focus on something that brought together various strands from the past ten years since I retrained. To sharpen them to a point, perhaps.
My experience and learning over the past few years have led me inexorably to focus on food systems. That much is obvious if you look at the last several posts I’ve made on this blog.
My experience managing Deepdale Farm through a period of transition was transformative, for the farm and probably even more so for me. Since then and relocating to Devon I’ve had time to read, talk, listen and learn at many farm walks, talks, conferences, webinars and courses. An interest in systems thinking and practice was sparked by a course in Agroecology at FarmED in 2022. I took a 12-week Skills Bootcamp in Regenerative Land-Based Systems at the Apricot Centre earlier this year.
I have read greedily, reports and books; Monbiot’s Regenenis, Chris Smaje’s counterargument Saying No To a Farm-Free Future, Henry Dimbleby’s Ravenous and more. One quote in Ravenous stood out, from Richard Waite at the World Resources Institute: “Worried about biodiversity loss? Focus on food (production & consumption). Worried about freshwater supply & quality? Focus on food. Worried about deforestation? Focus on food. Worried about overfishing? Focus on food. Worried about climate change? Focus on energy, and food.”
It has become clear to me that how we eat, our food systems, are central to addressing a range of issues from climate breakdown to biodiversity collapse, resilience and health. As Carolyn Steel puts it, “look through the lens of food and you can address all the catastrophes in the world.”
I don’t think I can address all the catastrophes in the world, but I do think that how we eat is how we start to address them, and I want to find a way to act effectively on that belief. Not just addressing catastrophes, but living better, being happier and healthier, thriving. How we use land, farm, produce and eat food has that power.
I’m really looking forward to study, and to go from self-guided learning to a more structured approach with support, and challenge, from tutors and fellow students. I’ll be learning aloud on this blog.