Notes from my recent visit to Cambridge – by David Farrell
I’ve had the immense privilege of working with the University of Cambridge over the last ten or so years as a contributor to the sustainability programmes they run through their Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL). For many years this was limited to their programmes in South Africa, but in 2022 I was asked to co-convene […]
The Modern Food System – Ready for the Next Revolution
David Farrell, founding partner of Blue North Sustainability and co-lead of CISL’s Sustainability Practitioner Programme in South Africa, discusses food, global sustainability and how we approach the challenges of feeding the world:
Virtuous Engagement Loops – An approach to move beyond certification.
We are of the firm conviction that real change only becomes possible when it happens in an “inside-out”, or, when thinking in terms of dynamics in supply-chains, in a “bottom-up” manner. Our SHERPA Management System is specifically and purposefully designed to encourage, support and enable this type of change process. The more decision makers on […]
Limits…the baby in the bathwater?
One just has to reflect on the anxiety evoked by the word “recession” to confirm how strongly we associate the concepts of “growth” with our collective and individual well-being. Understandably then, anything that seeks to limit growth is, almost by default, resisted. Sustainability, when honestly and correctly framed, lays bare the inherent conflict between our […]
Reflections on the EU Green Deal, Brexit, and the US rejoining the Paris Agreement
The South African exports of fruit, wine and other agricultural commodities to the EU are a significant contributor to the economy, both in relation to GDP produced and employment provided, and the trade relationships between South Africa and the European Union as a regional bloc are both longstanding and extensive. South Africa now faces uncertainty due to the recent exit […]
Sustainable Fish – 5 Things You Should Know Before Buying
Where does our fish come from? Why does it matter? How does this knowledge translate to action? The vast majority of consumers are out of touch with the origin of the fish they eat, how it was caught and whether it is endangered or not. There are many people who depend on a healthy fishing […]
COVID-19: A lesson in resilience. What the current pandemic is teaching us about what matters most for socio-economic and ecological strength.
With the influx of the coronavirus, we have experienced the depression of much economic activity both within and between countries. The extent of the knock-on effects is yet to be realised, but some estimate that South Africa will face a loss of 1 million jobs . South Africa faces a number of internal and external […]
Do healthy food systems = healthy diets? What regenerative agriculture can teach us about diet
The past ten years have seen veganism go from an unknown concept to a prevalent household term. In the UK alone, the number of “vegans” has increased four-fold from 2014 to 2020.1 The environmentally-detrimental effects of certain agricultural activities have resulted in the conscious cultural movement towards “plant-based” diets, based on the belief that production of […]
A First Introduction to SHERPA
I’ve been in some very tough meetings with farmers over the years. The most difficult ones were inevitably those where, in our wisdom, and in an attempt to be efficient in introducing a new concept or idea, we felt it best to convene a large group of farmers in one room; not always the best […]
What Makes a Good Farmer?
What are the attributes of a really good farmer? Would they include a penchant for order and neatness? A single-minded focus on efficiency and yield maximization? A bullet-proof resolve in the face of risk? What about drive for expansion and scale or technical proficiency? While some or all of these may currently inform our rating […]