Local Food & Community Farm Land Trusts
The CLT model can also be used to meet aims related to sustainable
community-led sustainable agriculture and horticulture within local communities
through a local food initiative such as a Community Farm Land Trust. The desire
for a project based on the production of locally sourced and sold food may arise
from a need to:
- Increase community control of food production.
- Reduce the carbon footprint of your food.
- Stimulate local economic activity through social enterprise.
- Protect local environmental resources and land.
One of the most successful examples of a local food initiative is the case of
Fordhall Farm. Fordhall Community Land Initiative was formed and incorporated as
an Industrial & Provident Society for the benefit of the community (see our
Legal Structures section for more info). You can read more about the
initiative
here. Another example of a successful community farm using a similar IPS
structure is Wye Community
Farm.
For more information on how to form a Community Farm Land Trust, possible
legal and organisational structures, and points to consider visit the
Stroud Common Wealth website
which contains an array of online resources
oriented towards aiding CFLT development.
You will also want to explore the Soil Association's role in the development
of community supported agriculture. The Soil Association are operating a Big
Lottery funded support project until March 2012 aimed at supporting the
development of community farming and agricultural schemes.
Their website contains information on technical support for setting up a CSA
project, an action manual, and advice on funding sources and community
finance.
Support and advice can also be found at
Making Local Food Work, an
initiative funded by the Big Lottery Fund and managed by the Plunkett Foundation
to explore community enterprise approaches to the reconnection of people and
land through local food. The initiative run several projects related to the
development of local food initiatives, ranging from community supported
agriculture to the creation of food co-operatives and community shops. More
information on opening a local community shop can be found in our Community
Economic Regeneration section.
Similarly the Federation of City
Farms and Community Gardens exist to support, represent and promote
community food initiatives across the UK. Their website can provide advice,
support and allow you to find initiatives local to you.
Another programme financially supported by the Big Lottery Fund is the
Local Good Grants project, which
distributes lottery grants to a variety of local food projects which have a
vision of increasing accessibility and affordability of local food within their
community. Applications for grants are currently closed but you may wish to
check the website for information should the programme reopen, in addition to
sources of project inspiration.
The Landshare movement aims to
connect under-utilised private land with people wishing to grow their own food.
Using their website as a platform, people can post the land they have available
for others to use and connect with people in their local area who wish to use
it. This aims to help local food initiatives and create a movement which allows
under-used land to be managed in a more efficient and productive manner.