
2023
Thanks to all for another great year of the People's Food Summit.
Across social media platforms, we had more than 3.2 million views of the session videos.
Help support our work in organizing future 24-hour food summits.
Make a tax-deductible donation to Regeneration International today ♥
Watch The Trailer
Links:
Regeneration International Hosted the Third People’s Food Summit, World Food Day, October 16, 2023
This was the third time that Regeneration International hosted the People’s Food Summit. This unique event is a major 24-hour event celebration of World Food Day, October 16, 2023, featuring exciting speakers from every region of our planet.
The 2021 and 2022 events were spectacularly successful, with over 500,000 people, each time, from all regions of our world, tuning in to watch and listen to our numerous speakers and their essential topics.
In 2022, we promoted videos that we regarded as highlights of each region and reached another 700,000 views, bringing the total views to 1,200,000. Because we reached so many people, this event had a very high impact and will continue to.
The People’s Food Summit enhances the connectedness of global work amongst numerous like-minded organizations. We seek to engage hundreds of thousands by exchanging information and sharing inspiring stories.
Our hope for the outcomes:
1. Information Exchange
2. Creating connections where different groups can continue working together after
3. Stimulating a citizen-led research and storytelling journey
4. Starting a partnership where RI continues to enable the scale-up of projects
5. Increasing the reach of this vital information to hundreds of thousands of people
It is the only 24-hour global, participatory, virtual summit starting in Oceania and moving westwards through the time zones of Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and North America. The People’s Food Summit is a truly participatory summit that empowers most of the world's food producers: the family farmers, pastoralists, and foresters who produce 70% of our food. Regenerative organic agriculture, agroecology, and climate change feature in the summit.
*Information by Region*
1 - Pacific - Asia Program (GMT+12)
Local Time: Fiji (5pm) — Tokyo (2pm) — Mumbai (10:30am) — London (6am) — Bogotá (12am) — Chicago (12am)
Moderators: Dr. Andre Leu, International Director, Regeneration International and Oliver Gardiner, Regeneration International
-Opening: Prof. Dr. Andre Leu, Introduction and Welcome to the Peoples Food Summit 2023
-Keynote Speech: From Degenerative Industrial Agriculture to Regenerative Organic Agriculture - The real future of food, farming and communities, Dr Vandana Shiva. Vandana discusses Bill Gates and the Billionaires’ corruption of agriculture and food systems compared to the positive alternative, regenerative organic agriculture of smallholder family farms, which produces more health and wealth per acre.
-Uniting the Australian Organic Sector, Tim Marshall, Chair, National Association of Sustainable Agriculture Australia Tim will discuss a new initiative that united the Australian organic sector and future initiatives to grow the sector.
-Regenerating Ecosystems and Communities, John D Liu, Filmmaker and founder, Ecosystem Restoration Camps.
-Mr. Shinya Imahashi, Farmer trainer - Shumei International - Japan
-Mayor. Rommel Arnardo - Mayor of the Municipality of Kauswagan - Founder of ARMS2FARMS - Philippines
-Mathana Aphaimool of Green Organic Center, Farmer/Seed Saver owner of Metta Farm - Thailand
-Vittoon Panyakul,founder of Green-Net Foundation and Coop - Thailand
-Sam Merito CEO of Merito Farm - Thailand
-Jacob Jose, PDS Organic - India
-Mr. Taim Malik (Founder of Drawdown Farm - Pakistan)
2 - Europe Program (GMT+3)
Local Time: London (11am) — Tokyo (7pm) — Mumbai (3:30pm) — London (11am) — Bogotá (5am) — Chicago (5am)
Dr. Gilles Seralini Cedric Chabrol Patrick Worms Dr. Irena Ateljevic Philippe Birker Bonnie Welch Yanniek S. Thomas Legrand
Moderated by Oliver Gardiner, Regeneration International
Scheduled Speakers:
- Dr. Gilles Eric Seralini – France
- Dr. Irena Ateljevic Terra Meera – Croatia
- Mr. Thomas Legrand - UNDP - Conscious Food Systems Alliance - France
- Ms. Yaniek Schnoonhoven - La Junquera Farm & The Regeneration Academy - Spain/Netherlands
- Patrick Worms President of the International Union of Agroforestry - Belgium
- Cedric Chabrol - Rancher/Farmer - France
- Ms. Bonnie Welch Head of Projects - Sustainable Food Trust - UK
- Philippe Birker Climate Farmers - Germany
Discussing about:
- Regen organic farming solutions to weather drought & biodiversity loss
- GHG draw down through holistic livestock management
- How corporate interests drive policy and regulation
- New/emerging/critically needed EU farming policies
- Public-led Initiatives on sovereign food autonomy
- Rural regeneration in post-conflict zones
- Human health and well-being
- Consciousness in food systems
- Feeding Society from the Ground Up
3 - Africa Program (GMT+3)
Local Time: Nairobi (7pm) — Tokyo (1am) — Mumbai (9:30pm) — London (5pm) — Bogotá (11am) — Chicago (11am)
Chifundo Kokwa Precious Phiri Juliet Nangamba Method Gundidza Ferdinand Wafula Vanessa Black Ntando Ndlovu
Moderator: Precious Phiri, African Coordinator, Regeneration International
Speakers:
Chifundo Kokwa- SCOPE Malawi- Vanessa Black-Biowatch South Africa
Etienne Osthuzien-Africa Centre for Holistic Management-Zimbabwe
Ntando Ndlovu- Female Farmer and activist-DUMANDO Investments,Zimbabwe
Juliet Nangamba- Community Technology Development Trust (CTDT) Zambia
Method Gundidza-Earthlore-South Africa and Zimbabwe
Discussing about Continental to household level view of the issues and actions being taken. Connecting the dots of the crises, Building Hope, Resiliency and Abundance through agroecological and regenerative actions.
- The bigger picture, Food issues, landscape level crises and insights on seed and food laws in the Continent- Keynote
- Advocacy issues and in depth sharing on the green revolution and false solutions.-Vanessa Black
- Mobilizing communities and movement building around issues of seed and food. Juliet-
- Seed and Food sovereignty at household level. A mother’s personal story-Ntando
- Engaging schools, youths- (Water harvesting at landscape level) and Value addition for small-holder farming communities -Chifundo
- Engaging local wisdoms and the culture of food and Seed issues - Method Gundidza
4 - North America Program (GMT-5)
Local Time: New York City (4:30pm) — Tokyo (5:30am) — Mumbai (3am) — London (9:30pm) — Bogotá (3:30pm) — Chicago 3:30pm)
The Organic Consumers Association has teamed up with the Real Organic Project to bring you highlights from the 2023 Real Organic Conference: Saving Real Organic.
Section 1
Part 1: Linley Dixon, Real Organic Project
“Saving Organic: The first five years of the farmer-led Real Organic Project”
Linley is co-director of the Real Organic Project and a vegetable farmer in SW Colorado. Her MS in organic farming systems and Ph.D. in plant pathology led her to the fungal systematics lab at the USDA, and then on to organic policy. Principled farmers who believe in the ethical foundations of fair return to the earth need a critical point of differentiation in the marketplace. There are now over 1,200 farms across the country certified to Real Organic Project’s higher standards for animal welfare, soil health, and worker protections. What sets these farmers apart and how can we better support them?
Part 2: Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin,
Tree-Range Farms
“The need for a real regenerative movement”
Reginaldo is a prominent chicken farmer and leader of the regenerative movement. Based in Minnesota, Regi "engages immigrant, young, small, new and established agricultural entrepreneurs in the US in refining and championing a global model for small-scale, poultry-powered (and planet cooling), scalable regenerative agriculture system." His powerful speaking is calling attention to the real roots of regenerative agriculture.
Part 3: Glenn Elzinga, Alderspring Ranch
“Raining beavers and political suicide:
Why cattle are ruining our public lands in spite of a better way”
Glenn is a well-known organic beef rancher from Idaho. Their Alderspring Ranch is run by Glenn, his wife, Caryl, and their seven daughters. They are pioneering "in-herding," a way of herding cattle over the 40,000 acres of rangeland they manage. They have witnessed the transformation of the land through their return to the ancient techniques of cattle herding. Glenn often speaks at conferences, presenting with Dr. Fred Provenza, a leading expert on rangeland management and livestock nutrition. Alderspring Ranch was one of the original pilot farms certified by the Real Organic Project.
Part 4: Ben Dobson, Hudson Carbon
“The politics of farming for climate”
Ben Dobson has been a grower of intensive organic greens production in Maine, followed by working in Biodynamic production in Central America, and then on to managing Stone House Grains in New York. He is a co-founder of Hudson Carbon, a research facility on the actual intersection of farming, carbon, and climate. Also a co-founder of Hudson Hemp and a founding board member of Regeneration International, Ben is ever active in leading the change that we seek. He has been active in the recent efforts of the Mexican government to reject importing grain treated with herbicides.
Section 2
Part 1: Iriel Edwards, Real Organic Project
“Why is race in this? USDA discrimination, land access, and collective liberation”
While sometimes misconstrued as a peripheral topic to conversations in sustainable agriculture, addressing diversity and equity in the organic movement is a core action in tackling the corporate takeover of our public institutions. In this session, Iriel will tell the story of how the USDA knowingly stripped the BIPOC community from land and how this is fueling the consolidation of our food system. She will highlight how the cultural shift within the next generation of farmers to prioritize systemic racism will liberate us all and save Real organic. Iriel is a young BIPOC farmer who recently joined the staff of the Real Organic Project as an inspector. Previously she was part of the non-profit Jubilee Justice which works with BIPOC farmers focusing on dryland rice production. Based in Louisiana, Iriel is well connected with the network of farmers of color in the Southeast.
Part 2: Alan Lewis, Natural Grocers
“Food system betrayal”
Alan is Vice President of Policy at Natural Grocers, based in Colorado. Alan has spoken eloquently at Real Organic Project conferences at EcoFarm and Dartmouth on the consolidation of power in the distribution and retailing of food. He is also deeply knowledgeable about the consolidation of the dairy industry and concerns around lab meat. Alan served a term on the original Real Organic Project Standards Board.
Part 3: Chellie Pingree, U.S. Representative
“The power of the chemical Ag lobby”
Congresswoman from Maine, Chellie still participates in her working farm. Chellie is well known as the organic champion of the House of Representatives. She has spoken at the Thetford Rally In The Valley alongside Senator Pat Leahy and then Congressman (and now Senator) Peter Welch. A co-sponsor of the Green New Deal, Chellie is courageous in her defense of real organic farming. She speaks eloquently about the power of the Big Ag lobby in Congress.
Part 4: Dave Chapman, Long Wind Farm
“Saving Organic: the Future of the Real Organic Project”
Lifelong Vermont farmer, Dave is co-founder and co-director of the Real Organic Project. He is co-founder of the Vermont Organic Farmers and the grassroots movement Keep The Soil In Organic. Dave manages a one hectare glass greenhouse that produces delicious tomatoes in fertile soil. Dave served on the USDA Hydroponic Task Force. He has interviewed over a hundred leading organic thinkers with his co-director, Linley Dixon.
5 - Latin America Program (GMT-3)
Local Time: Buenos Aires (10pm) — Tokyo (10am) — Mumbai (7:30am) — London (2am) — Bogotá (8pm) — Chicago (8pm)
Luis Arturo Carrillo Mercedes López Leydy Pech Marcos Filardi Panfilo Hernández Ercilia Sahores Dr. Vandana Shiva
Moderadores:
Mercedes López Martínez, Asociación de Consumidores Orgánicos, Vía Orgánica y Ercilia Sahores, Regeneration International América Latina
Secciones:
- Primera parte
-Billion Agave Project - Luis Arturo Carrillo, Coordinador del Billion Agave Project
-Diplomado de Agaves y Mezquites en Vía Orgánica 2023
- Segunda parte
-Alianzas y movimientos sociales para la transición agroecológica
En el marco del Congreso de Agroecología a celebrarse en Oaxaca en noviembre de este año, presentamos una sesión sobre la transición hacia el movimiento agroecológico en América Latina, avances y desafíos:
Ponentes:
- Miriency González Zapata, Mecanismo de la Sociedad Civil y Pueblos Indígenas (MSCPI); Corporación para el Desarrollo Humano Sostenible - Colombia
- Marcos Ezequiel Filardi, Unión de Científicos Comprometidos con la Sociedad, Movimiento por la Salud de los Pueblos (MSP), Cátedra Libre de Soberanía Alimentaria de Argentina, Red de Abogados en Soberanía Alimentaria - Argentina
- Pánfilo Hernández Ortíz, integrante de la organización campesina Proyecto Desarollo Rural Integral Vicente Guerrero, A.C., representante de la Campaña Nacional Sin Maíz No Hay País - México
- Tercera parte
-Evento de premiación de Pax Natura 2023, para reconocer la lucha para combatir el maíz transgénico. Con la participación de Leydy Pech, Jane Goodall y Vandana Shiva.

Liu has dedicated his life to researching and documenting the critical issues of degraded landscapes and climate change, with a special focus on the restoration of ecosystems globally. Link to Bio

Vitoon Panyakul
Green Net Cooperative - Thailand
Link to Talk
Vitoon Panyakul has been working with the Thai organic movement since 1991. As an organic pioneer, he helped to establish several organisations active in organic agriculture promotion like the Green Net Cooperative (organic and fair trade distributor and exporter), the Earth Net Foundation (non-profit foundation working to support small-scale farmers for organic conversion in Asia region), the Organic Agriculture Certification Thailand (organic certification body active in southeast Asia region), and the Thai Organic Trader Association. Link to Bio

Shinya Imahashi
Shumei Natural Agriculture - UK
Link to Talk
Shinya Imahashi was practising Shumei Natural Agriculture for 3 years before moving to England in 2005. Starting with a small allotment outside London, he moved to Harlow in Essex, and since 2010, hehas been practising Natural Agriculture in Yatesbury. From 2014, the philosophy of Shumei Natural Agriculture has been shared with farmers in other countries in Europe. Shinya gives advice to farmers in Ireland, Spain , France, Greece, Italy and Germany. Link to Bio

Mathana Aphaimool
Green Organic Center - Thailand
Link to Talk
Mathana Aphaimool of Green Organic Center, Farmer/Seed Saver owner of Metta Farm. Link to Bio

Tim Marshall
National Association of Sustainable Agriculture - Australia
Tim has been a leader in organic agriculture and certification in Australia for 45 years and a significant contributor to organic standards and certification in worldwide forums. Tim has worn many hats at NASAA over the years, he co-founded NASAA in 1986, first chairperson 1986-1988, board member until 1997, certification coordinator 1990-92 and Inspector 1990-2004. He was also the first Organic Guarantee System Coordinator for the world peak body in organics IFOAM in 2001. Link to Bio

Dr. Vandana Shiva
Navdanya International - India
Vandana Shiva, a world-renowned environmental thinker, activist, feminist, philosopher of science, writer and science policy advocat, is the founder of Navdanya Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology (India) and President of Navdanya International. Link to Bio

Sam Merito
Merito Farm - Thailand
Link to Talk
MeritO Farm is the first coconut plantation in Thailand which received international standard accreditations for organic agriculture, integrating sustainable farming and conservation work. Over four decades ago, the farm emerged along with the establishment of the coconut oil business and its requirement to have owned harvest of raw material for better procurement and control. Link to Bio

Mayor Rommel Arnado
ARMS2FARMS - Philippines
Link to Talk
With its remarkable achievements and respect of the Future-Just Lawmaking Principles and Elements of Agroecology, Kauswagan’s programme was recognized with an Honourable Mention of the Future Policy Award 2018, awarded by the World Future Council in partnership with FAO and IFOAM – Organics International. Link to Bio

Taimur Malik
Drawdown Farm - Pakistan
Link to Talk
Taimur Malik helped family members with agricultural lands regenerate this farm. Working with “dead soils” this autodidactic journey has been bumpy to say the least. But even during the toughest times, names and titles can inspire us to keep chugging on. Link to Bio
Speaker Recap - Europe
Dr. Gilles Seralini
Researcher - France
Link to Talk
Professor Gilles-Eric Seralini is an international researcher working on the effects of pollutants on health, especially GMOs and pesticides. He has discovered major hidden toxicities for these products. Link to Bio
Cedric Chabrol
Rancher/Farmer - France
Link to Talk
"After 22 years of research and development in material chemistry in a subsidiary of a large French group, after various achievements as "sophisticated" as each other, my experiences increasingly orient me towards agronomy with disruptive regeneration performance and in fact towards the climate." Link to Bio
Patrick Worms
European Agroforestry Federation - Belgium
Link to Talk
Patrick Worms, originally educated as a molecular geneticist, represents the world’s premier research institution devoted to the study of the roles of trees in agricultural landcapes to policy makers in Brussels and elsewhere in Europe. Link to Bio
Dr. Irena Ateljevic
Terra Meera – Croatia
Link to Talk
Dr. Irena Ateljevic is Terra Meera’s founderess and visionary. She is an acclaimed academic and researcher in the field of sustainable development through community and individual empowerment. Link to Bio
Philippe Birker
Climate Farmers - Portugal
Link to Talk
Philippe Birker, co-founder of Climate Farmers, ready to scale up, the transition of conventional systems, to regenerative, and organic. Link to Bio
Bonnie Welch
Sustainable Food Trust
Link to Talk
Head of projects at the Sustainable Food Trust, its mission is to accelerate the global transition to sustainable food and farming systems, which work in harmony with nature, combat climate change, and promote positive health. Link to Bio
Yanniek S.
La Junquera - Spain
Link to Talk
Yanniek Schoonhove is La Junquera founder, a regenerative, organic farm in Spain. Link to Bio
Thomas Legrand
Conscious Food Systems Alliance
Link to Talk
Thomas Legard is the Lead Technical Advisor of the Conscious Food Systems Alliance.
Speaker Recap - Africa
Speaker Recap - North America
Linley Dixon
Real Organic Project - Colorado
Link to Talk
Linley Dixon is the Co-Director of the Real Organic Project while farming a small organic vegetable farm in Durango, CO. She has a Ph D in Plant Pathology from the University of Florida and a Masters in Plant and Soil Science from West Virginia University. She worked as a post-doc researcher at the USDA Systematic Mycology Laboratory in Beltsville, MD and has been working on organic integrity for the last decade at the national level. Link to Bio
Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin
Tree-Range Farms - Minnesota
Link to Talk
Reginaldo is a prominent chicken farmer and leader of the regenerative movement. Based in Minnesota, Regi "engages immigrant, young, small, new and established agricultural entrepreneurs in the US in refining and championing a global model for small-scale, poultry-powered (and planet cooling), scalable regenerative agriculture system." His powerful speaking is calling attention to the real roots of regenerative agriculture. Link to Bio
Glenn Elzinga
Alderspring Ranch - Idaho
Link to Talk
Glenn is a well-known organic beef rancher from Idaho. Their Alderspring Ranch is run by Glenn, his wife, Caryl, and their seven daughters. They are pioneering "in-herding," a way of herding cattle over the 40,000 acres of rangeland they manage. They have witnessed the transformation of the land through their return to the ancient techniques of cattle herding. Glenn often speaks at conferences, presenting with Dr. Fred Provenza, a leading expert on rangeland management and livestock nutrition. Link to Bio
Ben Dobson
Hudson Carbon - New York
Link to Talk
Ben Dobson has been a grower of intensive organic greens production in Maine, followed by working in Biodynamic production in Central America, and then on to managing Stone House Grains in New York. He is a co-founder of Hudson Carbon, a research facility on the actual intersection of farming, carbon, and climate. Also a co-founder of Hudson Hemp and a founding board member of Regeneration International, Ben is ever active in leading the change that we seek. He has been active in the recent efforts of the Mexican government to reject importing grain treated with herbicides. Link to Bio
Iriel Edwards
Real Organic Project - Colorado
Link to Talk
Iriel Edwards is a farmer and Certification Coordinator with the Real Organic Project who joined the team in May of 2023. Iriel graduated from Cornell University in 2020 with a BSc in Entomology and a BSc in Environmental and Sustainability Sciences. Link to Bio
Alan Lewis
Natural Grocers - USA
Link to Talk
Alan Lewis navigates government affairs and food and agriculture policy for Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, a health food store chain operating more than 140 stores in 19 states. He also oversees organic certification and compliance while supporting the development of small local food producers. Link to Bio
Chellie Pingree
Maine's Congresswoman - USA
Link to Talk
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree represents Maine’s 1st District. Since starting her career as an organic farmer in the 1970s, she has become a nationally recognized leader in food policy. In Congress, she advocates for reforming federal policy to better support the diverse range of American agriculture-including sustainable, organic, and locally focused farming. Link to Bio
Dave Chapman
Real Organic Project and Long Wind Farm - Vermont
Link to Talk
Co-Director of the Real Organic Project. He is a founding member of the Vermont Organic Farmers. He has been active in the movement to Keep The Soil In Organic. He is proud to be a current member of the Policy Committee of the Organic Farmers Association. He served on the USDA Hydroponic Task Force. Link to Bio
Speaker Recap - Latin America
Luis Arturo Carrillo
Vía Orgánica - Mexico
Link to Talk
Co-Director of the Real Organic Project. He is a founding member of the Vermont Organic Farmers. He has been active in the movement to Keep The Soil In Organic. He is proud to be a current member of the Policy Committee of the Organic Farmers Association. He served on the USDA Hydroponic Task Force. Link to Bio

Mercedes López
Asociación de Consumidores Orgánicos - Mexico
Link to Talk
Mercedes López Martínez holds a PhD and MA in Latin American Studies from UNAM. She is an activist, academic, workshop leader and facilitator on issues such as food sovereignty, organic agriculture, fair trade and climate change. She is currently the director of Vía Orgánica, AC in Mexico City and a member of Asociación de Consumidores Orgánicos. Active member in the law action against GMO corn in Mexico. Link to Bio
Marcos Filardi
ETC Group - Argentina
Link to Talk
Human rights defender and weaver of networks for Agroecology, Food Sovereignty and Good Living. Link to Bio
Session Videos
2023 Asia-Pacific Session #1 - Replay
2023 Asia-Pacific Session #2 - Replay
2023 Europe Session #1 - Replay
2023 Europe Session #2 - Replay
2023 Europe Session #3 - Replay
2023 Africa Session #1 - Replay
2023 Africa Session #2 - Replay
2023 North America Session #1 - Replay
2023 North America Session #2 - Replay
2023 Latin America Session #1 - Replay
2023 Latin America Session #2 - Replay
2023 Latin America Session #3 - Replay