I look forward to moderating this critical discussion at the 2026 Terra Madre Salone del Gusto in Turin, Italy.
Topic: From market access to fair livelihoods: Strengthening producers, communities and local food economies
Date and time: Friday, 25 September, 13:00 - 14:00 local time
Location: Sala Carpanini (Palazzo di città), Turin, Italy
More details: Small-scale farmers need access to markets, but under what conditions? Integration into conventional value chains can create new commercial opportunities, yet it often comes at the cost of reduced bargaining power and price pressure that can undermine the economic sustainability of farming enterprises. This conference will explore the trade-offs between market access and fair remuneration, examining alternative models that place people and the value of food at the center of the food system: farmers’ markets, Indigenous food value chain, community-supported purchasing groups, and Slow Food Earth Markets, where producers can sell directly to consumers while adhering to principles of quality, sustainability, and transparency.
The discussion will also touch on innovative collaborations with retailers and non-conventional large-scale distribution initiatives, alongside experiences from different countries that seek to strengthen producers’ position in the market while ensuring a fair share of value creation.
Drawing on examples from diverse contexts, the debate will seek to identify strategies that provide producers not only with market opportunities, but also with dignified livelihoods, fairer relationships across the value chain, and greater economic resilience for local communities.
Proposed speakers include:
For more details, visit the Terra Madre / Salone del Gusto website. Link
Visit Geneva, New York in the Finger Lakes — the bioregion that brings you deep glacier lakes, waterfalls, rolling hills, vineyards, cheesemakers, Amish farmers, the Haudensaunee Confederacy, utopian communities, the birth of the Women's Movement, and The Underground Railroad. Rent our short-term rental, the Andes Suite.
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L’inizio di una silenziosa rivoluzione "verde," ma niente a che vedere con la rivoluzione verde del passato.
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From market access to fair livelihoods: Strengthening producers, communities and local food economies
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