Building a Resilient Farmer Network in the Face of Climate Disruption

View the project final report

Commodities

Practices

• Sustainable Communities: community development, local and regional food systems, social networks, sustainability measures

Climate disruption is a growing threat to Upper Valley food producers and the communities that rely on them. Having spoken with several local producers about what would best assist their response to our changing climate, Vital Communities’ Valley Food & Farm (VFF) staff proposes a series of regularly scheduled, farmer-directed gatherings to focus on peer-to-peer learning, discussions with experts, on-farm models and demonstrations, and access to other resources that could improve farm resiliency.

As indicated, there is significant expertise among our farmer base and we have cultivated a culture of convening and sharing. This project seeks to directly assist approximately 35 farmers in adapting their farm practices to climate instability through education, awareness-building, technical assistance, and peer support. They will also be coached to take a leadership role in securing our region’s food supply by creating food system resiliency in their communities.  An additional 75 farmers will benefit from by-products of the project: powerpoints, reports, and other residual materials online.  Objectives include

- Building a community of farmers focused on sharing knowledge, equipment, production, or other resources needed for the coming decades;

- Providing a central clearinghouse to make relevant resources continuously available to Upper Valley producers;

- Collaborating with farmers to develop a convening format that accommodates their busy schedules, including content they find practical and relevant;

- Facilitating individual farms and/or the group as a whole in identifying gaps in resources needed over the short term to meet their farm and community goals related to climate change.