FOODPRINTS_AALU_2022-24_PAGES

FOOD -PRINTS

TRANSLATING LANDSCAPE PRODUCTIVITY TOWARDS LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION

By Parth Mehta & Reshma Susan Mathew

FOOD- PRINTS

Translating landscape productivity towards local food production

BY Parth Mehta Reshma Susan Mathew

for M.Arch. in Landscape Urbanism at Architectural Association

Acknowledgments

We extend out heartfelt gratitude to all those who took time to speak with us and teach us all that we learnt.

Clo Carbon Cymru

Richard Edwards ‘the Stickfarmer’ Cai Matthews

One Planet Council

Marc Scale

One Planet Developement Sites

Dr. Chris Vernon & Dr. Erica Thompson, Dan Y Berllan

Tao Wimbush, Llammas Eco-village

Sylvie Michielon & Wycliffe Tippins, Ty Gwennol

One Planet Centre

David Thorpe

James Shorten

Who Owns Cymru

Sioned Haf

Alex Heffron

Sam Hollick

Gleebelands

Adam

Hari Byles

Credits

Thesis Guide : Clara Oloriz

Program Tutors : Jose Alfredo Ramìrez Eduardo Rico

Technical Tutors :

Daniel Kiss

Carlotta Olivari

Elena Luciano Suastegui

William Huang-Shen Yuan

Project Partners : Runqi Ye Wenxue Hu

Copyright note:

Images: The external graphics have been sourced and duly credited. All other drawings are works of the authors unless specified otherwise.

It challenges the prevailing norms of food production, land management and climate action that all fail to prioritise ecological sustenance over economic greed.

ABSTRACT

The climate crisis that has gripped the planet has led to a variety of responses from global governments. This thesis began by looking at one such policy for climate action in Wales, UK. The One Planet Development (OPD) Policy introduced in 2011 was aimed at leading climate action by reducing the individual Ecological Footprints (EF) of residents. A close examination of the policy led the project to explore what role landscapes play in mitigating the climate crisis for a small country like Wales.

Wales is a small, proud country with a population of 4 million people living in a magnificently scenic landscape. One would then assume that they would not have such a heavy impact on the planet’s resources, but this was not true. Seeing this country rack up an ecological footprint that rivals many of the top contenders, forced us to question the nature of global climate action. We found that at best, global climate action is a misguided attempt to place responsibility of change on the individual rather than envision much needed new forms of governance.

We began to explore the nature of landscapes in Wales and came to understand that a vast majority (roughly 80%) of the landscape was used for agriculture (Welsh Parliament, 2022). But with supply chains that span across the globe, Wales is far from reaching food sovereignty. Through engagements with local climate activists and farmers, the project sought to build a more resilient and efficient food system for the locals. By changing the way food is produced, the project goes further to suggest how this food can reach the people. Knowing where your food comes from is a luxury in the modern age and this project imagines what that might mean for the Welsh landscape. The project revises the current relationship people share with their lands and also makes proposals to encourage methods of land conservation that not only preserve the ecosystems but also help capture the carbon emissions more effectively.

It challenges the prevailing norms of food production, land management and climate action that all fail to prioritise ecological sustenance over economic greed. As the onslaught of climate change gets more severe, it becomes almost impossible for countries like Wales to rely on increasingly volatile external sources for support. It is critical that they regenerate depleted resources and build up resilience through collective action as envisioned by this thesis.

CONTENTS

1 Climate Emergency

1.1. Climate Crisis

1.1.1. Global Climate action

1.1.2. Pitfalls of Global Climate Action

1.1.3. UK Climate action Plans

1.2. Climate & Carbon

1.2.1. Ecological Footprints

1.2.2. Contributors to Ecologcal Footprints

1.2.3. Agricultural Emissions

A1. A New Land Deal: Essay

1.3. Lessons from a Small Country

1.3.1. Historical Background

1.3.2. Welsh Climate Action

1.3.3. One Planet Development Policy

A2. Need of Sustainable Agriculture Business Models in Wales: Essay

2 Analysing the OPD Policy

2.1. Details of the Policy

2.1.1. Application Procedure

2.1.2. Calculating the EF in the Policy

A3. Interview with Marc Scale

A4. Interview with David Thorpe

A5. Interview James Shorten

2.1.3. Multi-unit OPD

2.2. First Hand Discoveries

2.2.1. Mapping the OPD Policy

2.2.2. Four Primary Case Studies

A6. Interview with Rhiw Las OPD Applicants

A6. Interview with Lammas Ecovillage OPD Applicants

A7. Interview with Clo Carbon Cymru

2.2.3. The OPD Storyline

2.3. Under the microscope

2.3.1. Samples from Wales

2.3.2. Samples from OPD Sites

2.3.3. Case 01: Samples from Hooke Park

2.3.4. Case 02: Samples from Wakelyns Farm

2.4. What is the OPD now?

2.4.1. Overlaying the many layers

2.4.2. Loopholes in data sets

2.4.3. Challenges and Potentials

3 Understanding Food Landscapes

3.1. Building on the OPD

3.1.1. Revising the goals

3.1.2. Conceptal Strategy

3.2. Agriculture in Wales

3.2.1. Food Trade

3.2.2. Livestock Farming

3.2.3. Dietary patterns

3.2.4. Farmers and Language

A8. Conversation with Owen

A9. Conversation with Richard

3.2.5. Housing

3.2.6. Wildlife Tourism

A10. Conversation with Alex Heffron

A11. Conversation with Sam Hollick

3.2.7. Proposed Agriculture Model

3.3. Un Cymru Policy

3.3.1. Phasing the policy

3.3.2. Phase 01: Land Aquisition and Local Collaboration

3.3.3. Phase 02: Logistics and Services

3.3.4. Phase 03: Infrastructure

4 A New Food Policy

4.1. Zooming In

4.1.1. Case of Pembrokeshire

4.2. Feeding Wales

4.2.1. Agroforestry and Wales

4.2.2. How much food do we need?

4.2.3. Market Garden Renaissance

4.2.4. Spatialising the Food Zones

4.3. Designing the Food Zones

4.3.1. The algorithm development

4.3.2. Visualising the Food Zones

4.3.3. Uplands and Lowlands

4.3.4. Food Zones

4.3.5. Lowlands

4.3.6. Uplands

4.3.7. The Expansion Strategy

5 A Food Renaissance

METHODOLOGY

The project was developed over a year’s time as a joint effort. The study was conducted through a variety of methods and skillsets brought forward by every member. A summary of our methodology is listed below.

A. Site Visits

There were several site visits conducted to dig into the subject (literally). The visits made it possible to get a first-hand experience of the site conditions and gauge the impacts of different land management strategies. Samples of soil and field work along with the concerned stakeholders were also arranged over these visits.

B. Interviews

The most crucial insights and revisions made in the project were based on data collated from numerous conversations with people. Interviews were arranged with people from all roles ranging from policy makers to local farmers. Grassroots inputs were critical in rooting the project as proposal that addressed their concerns primarily.

C. Drawing Methods

As a collaborative effort, many different methods of drawing were used to illustrate the ideas. Digital means were used to process large data sets and further design and model the large scale proposals. More analogue methods were used when the drawings were used to study and represent the human and microscopic scales. This distinction in the language of representation keeps the visualisation distinct and comprehensible to all those who may need it.

D. Project Development

The project has constantly dealt with multiple scales, from questioning the planetary networks to studying impacts on soil structure under the microscope. The analysis has been condensed with expert assistance and multiple reviews. The initial study of looking at one policy in detail was used to cross over to several other areas of enquiry. Once the policy was dissected thoroughly, future areas of enquiry were identified. Six months in, the project had crystallised into an effort to feed the Welsh people with locally grown food. The project ends by spatially demonstrating the feasibility and visualising various aspects of this proposal.

Season

Interviews

SiteVisits

Project Development

DOWN TO EARTH : SWATCHES FROM WALES

UP IN THE SKY : SWATCHES FROM WALES

CLIMATE EMERGENCY

Climate Crisis

Over the last many decades, we have seen a change in our climate and evolve into a full-blown global crisis. What has now become a global concern has been a topic of continuous deliberation and policy reform for the last several decades. There have been countless movements and initiatives by local governments and community groups to mitigate the environmental damage within their own borders however, international efforts are naturally far more complex and far less efficient.The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) established in 1992, called for action against human interference in the climate and curbing greenhouse gas emissions. It also called for more scientific research and regular negotiations to enforce climate action policies. Since then, we have seen numerous treaties signed, the most recent being the 2015 Paris Agreement, which sought to keep the planet from warming over 1.5 °C.

However, seven years and seven conferences later, we are yet to make tangible progress with regards to our consumption habits and carbon emissions. In the last COP28, there was still no tangible commitment made by the world leaders for radical reform or transitioning out of fossil fuels. A disaster fund was set up to provide financial aid to the countries that are facing the brunt of the climate crisis and at the UN General Assembly in September 2023, an adjacent Climate Ambition Summit was held to highlight the efforts of the most ambitious countries when it came to combating the crisis. The world’s largest emitters namely USA and China were not among them.

Fig. 1.2  | KEY FACTORS OF AVERAGE TEMPERATURE RISE DrawingbyWenxueHu

2. Fig1.1DataSource-UNFCC.(n.d.).Processand Meetings.RetrievedfromUnitedNationsClimateChange: https://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol

3. Fig1.2DataSource-OurWorldinData, Surfacetemperatureanomaly,2017.OurWorldnData, Contributiontoglobalmeansurfacetemperature1851 to 2021.

In order to facilitate international cooperation and effectively mitigate the crisis, we need to end half-hearted greenwashing efforts and set firm goals for regional action against the climate crisis

As the discussions surrounding climate action and global cooperation progressed, it became imperative to quantify environmental destruction to uniformly chart the course of action across the globe. Several standards have been developed and utilised to build cases for climate action. Ecological Footprint has been the most recent and evolved standard of measurement so far, however there are limits to this method and while nations continued to evade responsibility, the climate crisis evolved into a catastrophe.

The UK currently has several such policies in place for when it comes to tackling climate change, the British government does not lack awareness. As home to many climate scientists, activists, and grassroots movements against fossil fuels, they have all the means to lead global community on climate action. However, the current government led by PM Rishi Sunak has backtracked on all major climate promises made thus far, plunging the faith of the international community. In addition to backing out of the government’s commitment to achieving net zero goals from the Paris Agreement, by 2050, the government has also sanctioned several environmentally hazardous projects causing more harm than revival. Ecological

Ecological

Ecological

Fig. 1.4  | GLOBAL DIPARITY BETWEEN EF IN NORTH AND SOUTH

Fig. 1.5  | GLOBAL CARBON EMISSION source/credits DrawingbyWenxueHu

Fig. 1.6  | GLOBAL BIO CAPACITY DrawingbyWenxueHu

5. Fig.1.5&Fig.1.6 DataSource-Footprint DataFoundation,YorkUniversityEcologicalFootprint Initiative,andGlobalFootprintNetwork:NationalFootprint andBiocapacityAccounts,2023edition.Downloaded [22/01/2024]fromhttps://data.footprintnetwork.org

2.6M MT

3.9B MT

<10M GH

>1B GH

The environmental systems continue to breakdown in record speed and anyone with knowledge of ecology can identify that these slews of never-ending disasters are not normal

Climate & Carbon

Ecological Footprints

While the ecological footprint (EF) as a metric accounted for the disparity in consumption and production between nations, it remains a fictional entity that needs reconsideration. Attempts to reduce EF without tackling issues of capitalism i.e. over consumption and relentless extraction, fails to address the root cause of climate breakdown. EF as a metric created a uniform system of evaluation globally. This derived number essentially allocates an imaginary ecological budget to every nation based on its own resources. However, to treat this number without comprehending its nuance is a grave mistake. When countries overshoot their ecological budgets, without reducing emissions they break the natural cycle of regeneration and rob future generations of its resources. It also leads to fragmented proposals that fail to restore the natural carbon cycles.

Fig. 1.7

1.8  | CYCLE OF REGENERATION AND CONSUMPTION

The nature we have (Supply)

The nature we use (Demand)

Total carbon deficit (+ve / -ve)

Natural regeneration of resources Human Consumption

Productive assets of the world

Consumption needs extracted as ecosystem services

1.9  | ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT CALCULATION

7. Fig.1.9DataSource-FootprintDataFoundation, YorkUniversityEcologicalFootprintInitiative,andGlobal FootprintNetwork:NationalFootprintandBiocapacity Accounts,2023edition.Downloaded[22/01/2024]from https://data.footprintnetwork.org

Rate of carbon extraction

Fig.

Fig.

01.2.2

Contributors to Ecological Footprints

According to the latest data available [8], the ecological footprint of the United Kingdom was estimated to be 3.57 global hectares (gHa) per person in 2022. This projection also implies that, if everyone on the planet consumed as a resident in the UK did, then we would need 2.36 earths to support everyone. Although a relatively small island, the inequalities of consumption patterns and global supply chains make the UK raise alarming figures of carbon emissions. The UK relies heavily on the import of several goods and the material footprint generated by these heavy imports combined with the loss of ecological systems within the country inflate the UK’s ecological footprint.

It is worth noting that these numbers are an attempt to quantify productivity of all landscapes. This is done by engineering all forms of landscapes into comparable quantities with sweeping generalisations. Croplands, forests, mines, fossil fuel beds, polar caps are all forced to the same baseline of productivity to measure the rate at which they are being consumed and regenerated. As a result, It becomes more apparent that these numbers cannot be used blindly as landscapes are more complex systems than that represented by these statistics. While EF can measure the nation’s consumption alongside its natural resources, it is not a reliable figure when it comes to accessing the health of the ecosystems. What appears as a lush green countryside is a landscape that is fast losing biodiversity from its soil to its forests and is in desperate need of sitespecific regeneration methods; developed not with the aim to reduce EF but to restore the landscape’s resilience and natural capacity. Many of these benefits may not be quantifiable by the metrics developed today, but they will mitigate climate change far better than the misguided efforts slapped on currently.

5.2-5.3

8. WWF-UK.(2006).UK:Countingconsumption: CO2emissions,materialflowsandEcologicalFootprintof theUKbyregionanddevolvedcountry.Surrey:Arrowhead Printing.

9. FootprintDataFoundation,YorkUniversity EcologicalFootprintInitiative,andGlobalFootprint Network:NationalFootprintandBiocapacityAccounts, 2023 edition. Downloaded 12 December 2024 from https://data.footprintnetwork.org.

Fig. 1.10  | UK ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT DrawingbyWenxueHu

10. Fig.1.10DataSource-WelshGovernment,Survey ofagricultureandhorticulture,June2020

11. Fig1.11DataSource-OfficeForNational Statistics,UKTradeCensus,December2018

12. Fig1.12 DataSource-OfficeForNational Statistics,UKTradeCensus,December2018

Fig. 1.12

Fig. 1.11  | UK IMPORT ACROSS GLOBE

Livestock feed supply chains have wreaked havoc across the globe with swathes of rainforests cleared for growing soyabean to plump up livestock on the far side of the earth

Global estimates place the agriculture industry as one of the largest carbon emitters, particularly the livestock rearing which releases record amounts of methane. Even as agricultural yield per acre rises in historic proportions, the areas cultivated have also exponentially increased. This superproduction of food cannot be accounted for by the human population alone. These areas are also feeding the excessive numbers of livestock reared indiscriminately. Livestock feed supply chains have wreaked havoc across the globe with swathes of rain forests cleared for growing soya bean to plump up livestock on the far side of the earth. The UK is not exempt from this network. Wales supports a livestock population of over 10 million while home to only about 4 million people. Producing food for people and animals to eat should never have become such a bane to the planet’s survival. 01.2.3

Land-Use Change Supply Chain

1.13  | GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION PER KILO-GRAM OF FOOD PRODUCT

1.14  | GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION FROM FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN

13. Fig1.13DataSource:-Poore,J.,&Nemecek,T. (2018).Reducingfood’senvironmentalimpactsthrough producersandconsumers.Science.–ProcessedbyOur World in Data

14. Fig1.14DataSource-Poore,J.,&Nemecek,T. (2018).Reducingfood’senvironmentalimpactsthrough producersandconsumers.Science.–ProcessedbyOur World in Data

Fig.

Fig.

15. Fig1.15DataSource-FoodandAgriculture OrganizationoftheUnitedNations(viaWorldBank)–processedbyOurWorldinData

16. Fig1.16DataSource-LandUseData-HYDE (2017)–processedbyOurWorldinData

Fig. 1.16  | AGRICULTURAL LAND AREA

Fig. 1.15  | ARABLE LAND NEEDED TO PRODUCE FOOD

A1 A NEW LAND DEAL

Translating land from estate to ecology

By Reshma Susan Mathew

Green New Deal based seminars_ April 2023

Abstract Who possesses this landscape?

The man who bought it or I who am possessed by it?

– Norman MacCaig (Shrubsole, 2019)

This essay explores the role of land ownership in the global carbon economy and its implicationsfor climate action. Land has been deemed as worthless or profitable “real estate or property,” but in the era of the carbon economy, the value of land acquires an additional quality as an absorber of carbon. Therefore, addressing the disparity in land ownership and reversing it through community action is becoming critical in the Green New Deal mission. In order to effectively sequester sufficient carbon from the atmosphere, we must hold those with the resources to do accountable. In the pursuit of environmentally sustainable and economically feasible solutions to the climate crisis, the essay argues that access to the knowledge of who owns the land and how it is being used is paramount. A primary demand that can be incorporated into the Green New Deal should be that for transparency in land records, their ownerships and use.

Drawing on the idea of a “gift economy” of land management and stewardship, from Robin Wall Kimmerer’s work, one can argue that it is necessary to reimagine land

ownership as a bundle of responsibilities, serving the common good of all life forms. Landowners must either be held accountable for their ecological responsibility towards ownership of a piece of the environment or alternatively, the land must be managed towards restoring and rejuvenating the crumbling natural systems. The essay argues that this applies to all types of landowners within the 10% bracket, be it aristocracy, corporations, industries, or public sector departments.

The reading ends by looking at the work of the many other organisation that have commenced on the mission of land reforms and justice. There is a need to decolonize and restore the land to all the disenfranchised people, where land-to-the-tiller agrarian reforms schemes could initiate the decline of large-scale industrial agriculture, which has caused significant harm to the environment. By holding landowners accountable for fulfilling their ecological responsibility of ‘ownership’, we can build a new world that prioritizes the restoration of ecosystems, the revitalization of communities, and the creation of a sustainable future.

What is the role of land in the years to come? What is the future of land under the GND?

As our climate breaks down due to the

17. Adams,T.(2019,April28).WhoOwnsEngland? byGuyShrubsolereview–whythislandisn’tyourland. RetrievedfromTheGaurdian:https://www.theguardian. com/books/2019/apr/28/who-owns-england-guyshrubsole-review-land-ownership

18. Ajl,M.(2021).PlanetofFields.InM.Ajl,APeople’s GreenNewDeal(pp.117-145).PlutoPress. 19. .BakerMcKenzie.(2023).China-RealEstate Law.RetrievedfromGlobalCorporateRealEstateGuide: https://resourcehub.bakermckenzie.com/en/resources/ global-corporate-real-estate-guide/asia-pacific/china/ topics/real-estate-law

carbon we have pumped out and released into the world, we have all come to realize one fundamental truth. If we do not urgently re-capture and trap all this carbon that swells to burst, we do not stand a chance. Governments are scurrying to build their carbon economies to monetise this new order of transactions hoping to capitalize on the last vestiges of natural resources that have been spared erasure. (Pandey, 2023) After centuries of environmental degradation and alienation, we are now aiming to reverse the havoc wrecked by the destabilising activities of humans in the carbon cycles of the environment. In this new order, the value of land acquires an additional quality as an absorber of carbon and not just real property. Land has always been a valuable resource, even before we enclosed it for ourselves and began measuring it in our local unit of currency. It has been the provider of all our basic necessities.

Following the spread of the capitalist world

order, through enclosure policies and the like; land came to be deemed as worthless or profitable ‘real estate or property’. It would provide returns on your investment and prove its worth. And other aspects of the land were rendered as mere anecdotes. The real property once purchased gave its owner the “usage rights” over the physical parcel of land and appendages.

With the active burgeoning of a carbon economy worldwide, we will soon be forced to re-evaluate what is our money’s worth.

As land becomes the most critical cog in that mission to sequester carbon from the atmosphere effectively, we must have a conversation on how that can be facilitated in line with the tenets of the global Green New Deal movement.

What are the necessary steps to be undertaken?

In the absence of constraints on urban

20. Christophers,B.(2018).TheNewEnclosure-The AppropriationofPublicLandinNeoliberalBritain.London: Verso.

21. .Cwmpas.(n.d.).Cwmpas-Foreconomicand SocialChange.RetrievedfromCwmpas:https://cwmpas. coop/

22. Evans,R.(2019,April19).HalfofEnglandis ownedbylessthan1%ofthepopulation.Retrieved fromTheGaurdian:https://www.theguardian.com/ money/2019/apr/17/who-owns-england-thousandsecret-landowners-author

Fig. 1.17  | PUBLIC COASTLINE WALK ON THE WEST COAST OF WALES

economic practices, land ownership in the UK has remained skewed grossly in favour of a handful of rich and powerful2. The figures almost portray the sense that feudalism never died. Several studies have poked to the point of numbness at the alarming inequality that is prevalent. In England, half of the land is owned by a meagre 25,000 people and unsurprisingly, several of these 25,000 people sit in parliamentary offices determining the future of all their landless constituents. (Adams, 2019) In Wales, there is a stark disparity between land use and land value. Residential area land contributes to 70% of the land prices even though they occupy only 5% of the actual land area. Inversely, while agricultural land occupies almost half (50%) the land area, its value is only 5.4% of the net value of land in Wales (Haf, Gwerth Tir Cymru | The Value of Land in Wales, 2021).

The landowners have retained their property rights for decades and impacted the country more than the combined citizens that have lived in it. This impact has driven environmentally destructive developments, promoted longer supply chains, degraded local landscapes, destabilised small farm holdings, decreased internal food security and a host of other social and economic pitfalls.

To begin developing environmentally sustainable (and economically feasible) solutions to the climate crisis, we first need to gauge who has the most responsibility and power towards climate action. Access to the knowledge of who owns the land we stand on and how is it being used is paramount. This information should be public and accessible, not shrouded in secrecy as it is now. As a very basic step towards land reform, it is important to demand the publishing of the data sets of ownership. This information remains opaque and guarded by the very instruments elected to protect the people’s best interests. It is estimated that accessing

records of land ownership in England would cost an individual up to £72 million in fees paid to the land registry (Adams, 2019). As cries for just transition and land redistribution ring louder every day, agencies that work towards imagining that future need access to that knowledge.

What after gaining access to land records?

In her book Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer talks of how indigenous communities live in a ‘gift economy’. She says that “goods and services” were not purchased but received as gifts from the earth and the land was a gift for all. In her poignant book, she describes how her Native American tribal community saw land not as a bundle of usage rights but instead as a bundle of responsibilities. These were the responsibilities of serving the common good of all life forms – creatures small and large, flora or fauna.

In modern rhetoric, it has become impossible to imagine an alternative reality to the consumer economy. A gift economy seems almost like a fairy tale, but the reality could not be any further from true. These models of land management and stewardship existed for centuries before present systems came to be and it is not impossible or impractical, in fact, it is necessary. Controversial as it may be, landowners must either be held accountable for their ecological responsibility towards ownership of a piece of the environment or alternatively, the land must be managed towards restoring and rejuvenating the crumbling natural systems.

This applies to all types of landowners within the 10% bracket, be it aristocracy, corporations, industries, or public sector departments. Having seen the disproportionate damage wrecked by the tiny elite, it would be remiss not to place the

23. GiacomoD’Alisa,GiorgosKallis,&Federico

24. Haf,S.(2021,April30).GwerthTirCymru|The Value of Land in Wales. Retrieved from Who Owns Wales ||PwyBiaCymru:https://whoownscymru.wordpress. com/2021/04/30/gwerth-tir-cymru-the-value-of-land-inwales/

sizeable responsibility of climate restoration on the same creatures.

In his book ‘A People’s Green New Deal’ Max Ajl talks of how the land must be decolonized and restored to all the disenfranchised people. In his imagination titled ‘a planet of fields’, he elaborates on the impact of introducing land-to-the-tiller agrarian reforms that could initiate the decline of capitalist markets and restore the means of production to the labour forces.

We need to translate the value of land from real estate to real ecology, its original form and function. And this transition must be chalked out for the different types of institutions that occupy the land such as the variety of industries, corporations, authorities and public agencies. Strategies for degrowth should embark on a mission for reducing national consumption and promoting more sustainable land practices. If the land has

been the most sought-after public asset in the past, those who own land also own the capacity for alternative futures. It is critical to ensure that this capacity is channelled towards the larger common good.

What is the work that is currently underway in Wales?

The task that lies ahead is daunting and by no measure a small feat. Most academics and farmers have been in consensus while advocating for a more diverse portfolio of enterprises within the farming industry. Large-scale supermarket chains and their intensive farming practices have homogenised agricultural activities with blatant disregard for socio-economic consequences. So naturally, transitioning away from these models towards ecologically restorative farming and labour practices will entail reviving more traditional relationships with the land.

25. Haf,S.(2022,February28).TheWelshAgenda. RetrievedfromWhoOwnsWales?:https://www.iwa. wales/agenda/2022/02/who-owns-wales/ 26. Kimmerer,R.W.(2013).BraidingSweetgrassIndigenousWisdom,ScientificKnowledgeandthe TeachingsofPlants.MilkweedEditions.

Fig. 1.18  | SUBTLE ENCLOSURES IN PUBLIC AREAS AT NEWLY REOPENED BATTER-SEA POWER STATION

Agroecological farming models are being explored where farms and farmers work more closely with local communities to provide them with their requirements, often building bespoke relationships with members of the community to create more dense networks of production. Agriculture can be closer to the cities and connect the urban centres to their hinterlands. There must be more government initiatives to lock carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the ground and policies must protect and value the labour expended on ecological restoration. (Ajl, 2021)

As a Welsh farmer Rhidian Glyn said in an interview with The Guardian, ‘Agriculture is just the recycling of carbon, isn’t it? Whereas the companies that are buying carbon credits are just burning fossil fuels, aren’t they, which is just a one-way system.” (Levitt, 2021) In transitioning ahead of current models caught up in superficial greenwashing measures, adequate financial subsidies and support must be provided to boost healthy practices in the industry.

Banks must be propositioned to lend more generously towards these initiatives. With the clock ticking, it is imperative that we build collectives and learn from each other. There are a remarkable number of radical and progressive agencies working towards land justice and reform in the UK.

The LION (Land In Our Name) is an organization that works with marginalised BPOC communities to reimagine the dynamics of land stewardship – one where they cultivate a relationship with the land that “extends beyond extraction”. Through multiple projects, the organisation has curated the narrative of reparations owed to black communities centring the stories of their community’s land workers. They also conduct a variety of knowledge dissemination activities such as podcasts, talks, discussion circles and skill-sharing presentations and facilitate network building. In one project, Jumping Fences they worked to map BPOC-led land-based businesses and to discover what challenges they face and how they seek to overcome them.

Another organisation that is working towards making land more accessible is Shared Assets. They reimagine local economies, natural resources, governance and policy through land reform proposals. Towards this effort, the organisation is also working to build collective knowledge on working with land for the common good and the complex challenges it entails. Cwmpas is an organisation previously known as the Wales Co-operative Centre that works towards providing expert financial and legal assistance to support people seeking funds to develop their own businesses or to move into their own homes. By providing advice (often free of charge) they have

27. Levitt,T.(2021,December28).‘It’lltakeaway ourlivelihoods’:Welshfarmersonrewildingandcarbon markets.RetrievedfromTheGaurdian-Rewilding:https:// www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/dec/28/ agriculture-recycling-carbon-farmers-reframe-rewildingdebate

28. Pandey,K.(2023,April12).Indiapreparesfora domestic carbon market with release of a draft carbon tradingscheme.RetrievedfromMongabay: 29. https://india.mongabay.com/2023/04/ india-prepares-for-a-domestic-carbon-market-withrelease-of-a-draft-carbon-trading-scheme/?mc_ cid=346aaf1a15&mc_eid=5670febf58

Fig. 1.19  | NATIVE LAND DIGITAL INDIGENOUS MAPPING

Fig. 1.20  | WELSH LAND OWNERSHIP VS LAND VALUE

been working to empower the community through novel means of cooperation within the private sector in the form of cooperative consortia that protects the interests of their community. Their projects cover a wide range of portfolios including proposals in the housing sector, digital inclusion policies, community financing models, social enterprises and the launching of new businesses. A popular strategy adopted by them has been using Community Shares to save local businesses or starting new ones to provide services to the community. (Cwmpas, n.d.)

Resilient green spaces is a Welsh government-funded project involving multiple organisations to tackle better food systems with better quality food, better access to land, improved community farms and biodiversity. The New Economic Foundation, the Real Farming Trust, the Landworkers Alliance, the Future Narratives Lab are all many other

organisations that work towards exploring new farming techniques that are built on a sustainable model of farming that responds to the climate crisis and the pressing needs of a community that has been alienated from the landscape.

As we can see there are numerous teams and organisations working towards a more equitable and just future. These numerous examples are evidence that it is possible to imagine an alternative shared reality that works for the benefit of all. The government needs to catch up with these communitydriven initiatives and facilitate more such enterprises. With more political will, the larger systemic issues can be addressed to tackle the climate crisis. The saying goes ‘an organized people, need no state’ however the government remains responsible for serving the best interests of its people, especially when the movement has already taken shape on the ground.

30. Perkins,R.(2019,February12).Making small farms work: lessons from 59°N. Oxford Real FarmingConference2019.OxfordRealFarming. Retrieved2023,fromhttps://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=nb3jBPF7NLs&ab_channel=OxfordRealFarming

31. Shrubsole,G.(2019).WhoOwnsEngland.Great Britain: William Collins. 32. Wood,E.M.(1998,July1).TheAgrarianOrigins ofCapitalism.TheMonthlyReview,pp.1-15.

Fig. 1.21  | PRIVATISED POCKETS IN ENCLOSED PARK AT BEDFORD SQUARE IN LONDON

01.3.1 Historical Background 01.3

Lessons from a Small Country

Wales is a small proud country with a rich history. It is home to many historical cultures and has a long agrarian history. There are even entire sections of medieval Welsh poetry written on cattle and its trade (Lewis, 2013). During the Industrial Revolution, the Welsh landscapes were plundered heavily to supply coal to the factories all over the UK. Depictions of Welsh landscape from this period tends to show the picturesque landscape forming the backdrop of smoking chimneys from the coal mines. By the end of the 20th century, with transition to other fuels, the coal mines slowly shut down. The landscape now serves primarily as vast areas of livestock farming or as avenues for wildlife or adventure tourism. It has become a holiday haven for many from neighboring areas and its landscapes remain as enchanting as before. There is considerable sense of pride (and nationalism) surrounding these regions and with climate conditions getting harsher, there is movement to preserve these spaces too.

1.22  | ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS CLIPPINGS FROM WALES

33. Lewis,B.(2013).‘GwalchCywyddauGwyr’: FifteenthCenturyWales.InB.L.DFEvans,‘Apoetinthe landscape:Walesanditsregionsthroughtheeyesof Guto’rGlyn’(pp.149-76). 34. Fig23DataSource-Beaver,T.H.,Patricia.(2013, March4).LifeAfterCoal:DoesWalesPointtheWay?The DailyYonder.https://dailyyonder.com/lifafter-coal-doeswales-point-way/2013/03/04/

Fig.

Fig. 1.23  | COAL MINING AREAS IN UK

Coal Mining regions

Edinburgh

Newcastle

London

Cardiff

35. Fig1.24 &Fig1.25 -ArtisticImpressions ofNineteenthCenturyIndustrialSouthWales.(n.d.). Thomasgenweb.com.http://thomasgenweb.com/

Fig. 1.25  | DOWLAIS IRONWORKS, GEORGE CHILDS, 1840.

Fig. 1.24  | MERTHYR RIOTS, PENRY WILLIAMS, 1816.

01.3.2

Welsh Climate Action

The One Planet Development emerged under the umbrella of such Acts and is a ‘forwardthinking’ planning policy that is aimed at providing people with the means to live sustainably off their own land if they were able to reduce their ecological footprints

The Welsh government has been working towards addressing the climate crisis and building a suitable action plan towards it. Numerous attempts have been made to draft policies that tackle global warminggenerated issues in this small nation. These efforts are directed towards curbing carbon emissions, building energy-efficient buildings, and managing the waste generated to reduce the long-term shifts in temperature (Welsh Government n.d.). The earliest of such legislation was the One Wales, One Planet scheme which was introduced in 2009. This piece of legislation advocated for cutting down the country’s consumption to its fair share of the earth’s resources as per the EF. Wales also rolled out multiple legislations to prepare their climate action strategies like the Wales Climate Change Strategy (2010 revised in 2014) which aspires to create 50,000 Ha of new woodlands by 2040; the Environment (Wales) Act 2016 which further enlisted numerous supplementary policy briefs to ensure natural resources are managed sustainably. Some of them are the National Natural Resources Policy for Wales to ensure the sustained preservation of all documented natural resources through effective naturebased solutions for the prosperity of the country. Another policy is the Biodiversity and Resilient Ecosystems Duty which made the responsibility of public bodies to protect and preserve the ecological systems within their jurisdiction. A more recent one of these policies was the Well-being of Future Generations Act (2015) under which, public bodies are advised to pursue the economic, social, and environmental well-being of Welsh citizens in ways that build resilience and adaptations to the onslaught of the climate crisis (Wales 2015). It put in place necessary guidelines for sustainable development and outlined the statutory roles of public bodies. The One Planet Development emerged under the umbrella of such Acts and is a ‘forwardthinking’ planning policy that is aimed at providing people with the means to live sustainably off their own land if they were able to reduce their ecological footprints.

Lewis,B.(2013).‘GwalchCywyddauGwyr’:

2009 - One Wales One Planet

The sustainable development scheme of the Welsh assembly government

2010 - Technical Advice Note 6

Planning for sustainable rural communities

2012 - Practice Guidance Document

One Planet Development TAN 6 Planning for sustainable rural communities

2021- Review of OPD Policy

A review was conducted by the One Planet Council to identify the performance of the policy over the last 11 years

2020- Net Zero Strategic Plan

Net Zero goals in keeping with the UK targets for the Paris Agreement devised and introduced

2015- Well-being for Future Generations Act

Act introduced in Senedd promising to safeguard planetary health and create a just and equitable world for posterity

Post Brexit loss in farm subsidies

Fig. 1.26  | WELSH CLIMATE ACTION TIMELINE

01.3.3

One Planet Development Policy

The One Planet Development is a planning policy implemented under the guidelines set forth by the Welsh parliamentary legislation called the Future Generations Act. In a quest to reduce environmental impact on the planet, this policy set out to reduce individual EF by promoting avenues to a new lifestyle. The Welsh government announced this policy to encourage individuals to reduce their footprints, hoping the trend would reflect on the national figures as well.

The Welsh government announced this policy to encourage individuals to reduce their footprints, hoping the trend would reflect on the national figures as well.

Applicants who signed up to be a part of this policy were allowed to build eco-homes on their own farmlands if they were able to sustain themselves from the land on a reduced ecological footprint. The ecological footprint allowance was estimated to be 1.88 gHa per person, based on the national EF in the year the policy was drafted. Since the calculation of Welsh EF cannot be directly transferred to the individual scale, under the OPD scheme the individual EF was to be calculated based on a system designed to measure their performances over seven parameters (marked in drawing beside). The interested applicants are to submit a detailed business model to the Local Planning Authority (LPA), highlighting their strategies and five-year plan to achieve the stipulated targets under the 7 parameters. There are several clauses and conditions that must be met. These are annually monitored by the LPA for the plot be considered a successful OPD site.

Through this policy the legislators hoped to address both issues of climate change and a burgeoning rural housing crisis.

Through this policy the legislators hoped to address both issues of climate change and a burgeoning rural housing crisis. Due to the intense tourist interest in Wales, a unique condition has arisen where the purchase of second homes have driven up housing prices making housing a scarce commodity in the countryside. The OPD application provided an answer to both and encourage rural repopulation. The guidelines also created frameworks for several types of OPDs to facilitate sharing of tools and systems; such as the multi-unit, land based enterprises, small group, small planned community and the ecovillage.

Community Impact 06. Transport 05. Waste & Water

04. Energy

03. Land Management

02. Zero Carbon Building

01. Land Based Activity

Eco house built on agricultural land

Reducing Ecological Footprint to 1.88 GHa

Community Impact

39. Fig1.27LandUseConsultants;Positive DevelopmentTrust.(October2012,October).Practice Guidelines:OnePlanetDevelopment.Cardiff:Welsh Government.RetrievedJanuary26,2023,fromOne PlanetCouncil:https://www.oneplanetcouncil.org.uk/ planning-policy/

Fig. 1.27

Fig. 1.28  | VIEW OF TY GWENNOL OPD FARM

Fig. 1.29  | VEGETABLE BEDS AT DAN Y BERLLAN

Fig. 1.30  | POULTRY FARM AT DAN Y BERSHAN

Fig. 1.31  | ECO HOUSE AT THE LAMMAS ECO VILLAGE SITE

A2 NEED OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE BUSINESS MODELS IN WALES

A Path Towards One Planet Development and the Green New Deal

By Parth Mehta

Green New Deal based seminars_ April 2023

Introduction

“Industrial farming significantly contributes to climate change, releasing greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere” (EPA, 2022).

These emissions have far-reaching impacts, including droughts and floods, that require immediate action. At the cost of climate change, industrial farming is also linked to the Global economy generating significant revenue and creating millions of jobs. To address this, it is crucial to change current agricultural practices (Climate Change and Land, IPCC, 2019).

Wales has implemented the one planet development policy to promote sustainable agriculture and land-use practices with low-impact living. In addition, ‘the Green New Deal provides a comprehensive vision for generating a low-carbon economy that prioritises social and environmental justice’ (H.Res, 2019-2020). By embracing sustainable agriculture practices such as agroforestry, permaculture, and regenerative agriculture, “Wales has the potential to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, enhance biodiversity, and support local communities” (One Planet Development Wales, 2012). However, these farming methods face inevitable short-term setbacks due to the significant investment in time, resources, and knowledge. Furthermore, the current economic system has created financial barriers, including a lack of financial

incentives and support from the market and government, which limits adoption of sustainable agricultural practices.

Business models can play a crucial role in overcoming these limitations, and help farmers have a stable source of income and reduce any financial risk. This model can also build relationships between farmers and consumers by creating a sense of community and promoting more sustainable agricultural practices (Community supported agriculture, 2020).

This essay will explore different business models for sustainable agriculture and land use in Wales that support One Planet Development’s goals. I will begin by discussing the current business models used in Wales and highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. I will explore alternative business models like cooperatives, social enterprises, community-supported agriculture, and land use that can create new green jobs. The essay will conclude with ways to include these business models in the One Planet Development policy and how they can contribute to Green New Deal.

The Present

In Wales, agriculture is heavily focused on livestock farming, with sheep and cattle being the most commonly raised animals. The goal is to maximise production by keeping many animals in confined spaces. (BBC, 2020).

40. AgriculturalSourcesofGreenhouseGas Emissions,’Greenhousegasesreleasedfromagricultural practices,EPA2022,accessedApril202023,https:// www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gasemissions#agriculture

41. ClimateChangeandLand,”Intergovernmental PanelonClimateChange,August8,2019,https://www. ipcc.ch/srccl/chapter/summary-for-policymakers/

42. “H.R.109-RecognizingthedutyoftheFederal GovernmenttocreateaGreenNewDeal,”116thCongress (2019-2020),Congress.gov,accessedApril20,2023, https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/houseresolution/109.

This condition generates profuse animal waste in small areas, polluting soil, and water. These impacts have raised concerns about the environment and animal welfare.

Most fields in Wales are monoculture crops of wheat and barley. The reliance on synthetic fertilisers and chemical pesticides, often used with heavy machinery, has profoundly affected the environment and human health. (BBC, 2020). In Wales, synthetic fertilisers are common on crops such as potatoes and maise. The impact of agribusiness is not limited to the environment. Large business corporations have marginalized small-scale farmers, leading to a concentration of land ownership and loss of traditional farming practices and local knowledge. It has created a power imbalance, leaving small-scale farmers at the mercy of large corporations and commodity markets. (Welsh government, 2018)

These agricultural practices in Wales are

based on conventional business models of maximising productivity and profits, often at the expense of quality. Intensive farming may help to increase agricultural production, but it comes at the cost of the environment and human and animal welfare. (EPA, 2022)

For example, river Wye in Wales has been affected by nitrogen runoff due to the extensive use of synthetic fertilisers in the surrounding fields. It resulted in algal blooms and low oxygen levels in the water, affecting aquatic life and local communities that rely on the river for fishing and recreation. (Farhoud, Nada, and Tomas Malloy. 2022These conventional agricultural practices in Wales urgently need reform. The business models need to change from maximising productivity and profits gained at the expense of the environment, human health, and traditional farming practices to more sustainable alternatives that can benefit both the environment and local communities.

43. OnePlanetDevelopmentinWales,”Welsh Government,accessedApril15,2023,https://www.gov. wales/sites/default/files/publications/2020-01/practiceguidance-using-the-one-planet-development-ecologicalfootprint-calculator_0.pdf

44. CommunitySupportedAgriculture:ANew BusinessModelforSustainableAgricultureinWales,” WelshGovernment,accessedApril20,2023,https:// communitysupportedagriculture.org.uk/wp-content/ uploads/2020/07/CSA-Evaluation-Full-report-JULY-2020. pdf

Fig. 1.32  | INDUSTRIAL FARMING PRACTICE

The Alternatives

The new business model needs to operate on community involvement, shared ownership, social impact, and environmental justice principles. Various strategies can be adapted from alternative business models such as cooperatives, social enterprises, and community-supported agriculture (CSA) to address the challenges of sustainable agriculture and land use while creating new green jobs.

1. Cooperatives

These are the businesses that their members democratically control. In agriculture, it helps small farmers pool resources and share costs. This model can result in more bargaining power and tip into markets, which is otherwise impossible as an individual. (UN Food and Agriculture Organization, 2012). One such example is US-based Co-op Coffees which sources from farmer cooperatives across the globe, ensuring

fair prices for the farmers and promoting sustainable practices in coffee production (Co-Op Coffees).

2. Social enterprises

In this business model, profits are secondary; it needs to have a social or environmental mission as its core objective to develop sustainable and regenerative agriculture practices. It also creates jobs for disadvantaged communities or reduces food waste (Social Enterprise UK). This innovative model is adopted by UK-based Farm Urban, which uses hydroponic technology to grow vegetables in urban environments to reduce the carbon footprint associated with food transportation and promote access to fresh vegetables in cities. (Farm Urban)14

3. Community-supported agriculture (CSA)

In this alternative business model, consumers are connected with local farmers, providing them with fresh and seasonal

45. BBC.“Nitrogenpollution:Welshfarmersurged tocutemissions.”BBCNews,10Jan.2020,https://www. bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-55217228

46. SustainableAgricultureinWales:AReviewof CurrentPracticeandFutureResearchNeeds,”Welsh Government,accessedApril20,2023,https://www. gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2018-10/ independent-review-into-the-resilience-of-farming-inwales.pdf

Fig. 1.33  | SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES

produce from small-scale agricultural practices. As a common practice in this model, monthly subscription fees are charged to the consumer in exchange for a share of the harvest throughout the year. It enables farmers with stable income while allowing sustainable agricultural practices, also reducing carbon emissions associated with food transportation (Soil association).

In the UK, the CSA network in Stroud, Gloucestershire, houses many CSA farms and has a thriving local food system. These farms provide weekly harvest shares to consumers who pay upfront for the season’s worth of produce. This model helps local farmers and provides fresh food to the local community while saving the environment (Stroud community agriculture)

Stacking Alternatives

The integration of these alternative models requires a multi-functional agroforestry approach. Integrating different crops,

animals, and land uses within the same farming system allows ecological and economic benefits. In Suffolk, UK, Wakelyns is a Co-op social enterprise combining agroforestry and traditional farming practices. The farm is a mixture of growing different crops, fruits and vegetables around the year while having trees, shrubs, and hedgerows. This practice has helped improve soil conditions, increasing biodiversity and sequestering carbon. The stacking model at Wakelyns creates a resilient, sustainable farming system that benefits the environment and local communities

In the context of Wales, these models, if adopted, can provide new green jobs. For example, cooperative provides the platform for farmers to share knowledge, resources, equipment, and experience of sustainable agricultural practices. It creates job opportunities like resource management that facilitates and monitors supplies or data.

47. Farhoud,Nada,andTomasMalloy.2022. “RiverWyeTurnsinto‘OpenSewer’asWatersAre Polluted.”GloucestershireLive.April6,2022.https://www. gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/gloucester-news/riverwye-turns-open-sewer-6911722.

48. UNFoodandAgricultureOrganization. “CooperativesandRuralDevelopment.”AccessedApril20 2023,https://www.fao.org/3/ap088e/ap088e00.pdf

Fig. 1.34  | THE JOY OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Additionally, it requires an administration that monitors the coordination of farming activities.

We can create more value-added products from the social enterprise models of the farms. It enables opportunities for training and education sectors in sustainable agriculture practices. In the CSA model, direct links can be created between farmers and consumers, allowing more sustainable agriculture, and shortening the food supply chain. This model creates scope for marketing and consumer services, also for farm themselves, including farm managers, farm labourers and delivery staff. The overall integration of these models can create a range of new green jobs related to sustainable agriculture and land use practices.

Integration with One Planet Development

One Planet Development, Wales, allows lowimpact living by integrating multiple land-use activities such as forestry, horticulture, and animal husbandry. Today, this happens at an ‘individual scale’ with less than 50 single unit OPDs across Wales serving negligible/no impact on the vision of the policy (To reduce Wales’ ecological footprint while increasing the well-being of citizens). Briefly, the result of the failure of the policy is a need for more government funding, slow administration processes and an extensive application process (One Planet Development Wales, 2012). In addition, if integrated, the discussed business models can promote a more community-based approach, where groups work together to manage land and create a sustainable, resilient community.

49. SocialEnterpriseUK.“TheEnvironmentand SocialEnterprise.”AccessedApril202023,https://www. socialenterprise.org.uk

50. Soil Association. “What is CSA and How DoesitWork?”,AccessedApril202023,http://www. communitysupportedagriculture.org.uk 51. WakelynsAgroforestry.“AboutUs.”,AccessedApril 202023,https://wakelyns.co.uk

Fig. 1.35  | SPRAYING MORE FERTILISERS

Fig. 1.37  | FROM FARM TO CUP

Fig. 1.36  | IS THERE ANY CLEANUP POSSIBLE

Fig. 1.38  | THE FAR IN THE CITY

It is crucial to ensure that integrating alternative business models with OPDs remains a community approach, and a few measures must be considered.

1. OPDs should create community land trust (CLT), allowing common ownership over land and resources. It will share benefits from sustainable agriculture and land use practice within the community.

2. Community engagement and involvement must be increased in developing OPD projects. It is achievable through community consultation, workshops, and training programs. This process will ensure the active participation of community members in decision-making processes.

3. The OPD policy should priorities social enterprises and community-supported agriculture initiatives to create more sustainable agriculture and land-use practices that could benefit the community. In addition, OPD policymakers should

provide support and incentives for their implementation :for example, financial assistance, training, and equipment to integrate alternate business models can bring innovative solutions. Local authorities can also play a role by providing communityled initiatives prioritizing environmental and social justice.

Conclusion

While integrating alternative business models into One Planet development policy, we can also contribute to the Green New Deal vision; by promoting renewable energy, reducing carbon emissions, prioritising environmental protection and social justice we can create a resilient and sustainable economy (Climate Change and Land, IPCC, 2019). In short, these business models can pave the way for a more innovative and community-based approach to economic development in Wales that ensures long-term health and prosperity of planet and people

52. “CoopCoffees.”n.d.,AccessedApril20,2023. https://coopcoffees.coop.

53. GreensforGood.”n.d.FarmUrban.,Accessed April20,2023.https://www.farmurban.co.uk/greens-forgood.

54. Agriculture,CommunitySupported.n.d.“Stroud CommunityAgriculture.”AccessedApril20,2023.https:// communitysupportedagriculture.org.uk/farms/stroudcommunity-agriculture/.

Fig. 1.39  | AGROFORESTRY CONTRASTED WITH INDUSTRIAL

55. Fig1.40.GoogleEarth7.3.6.9345,(2006) Glyncorrwg51°58’0.92”N, 4°12’24.17”W,elevation280M. SatelliteImagery.[Online]Availableat:http://www.google. com/earth/index.html[Accessed15December2023]

Fig. 1.40  | 2009 SATELLITE IMAGERY OF GLYNCORRWG, AFAN VALLEY

56. Fig1.41GoogleEarth7.3.6.9345,(2021) Glyncorrwg51°58’0.92”N, 4°12’24.17”W,elevation280M. SatelliteImagery.[Online]Availableat:http://www.google. com/earth/index.html[Accessed15December2023]

Fig. 1.41  | 2020 SATELLITE IMAGERY OF GLYNCORRWG, AFAN VALLEY WITH THE PEN Y CYMOEDD WIND FARM

ANALYSING THE OPD POLICY

Details of the Policy

The EF Analysis (EFA) for the purposes of the OPD Policy is new tool developed by the policy makers specifically to measure performance across the seven parameters enlisted by the policy. EFA for the individual was designed to measure the difference “between the products and services consumed by the OPD applicants and (...) those consumed by typical UK citizens”. Practical challenges posed by the scale of the assessment made this a calculation based on economic expenses rather than ‘land productivity’ as done with EF calculations for countries. This number was instead designed to build an assessment where the low energy, low consumption lifestyle promoted by the policy would rate highly. And ‘where assumptions cannot be verified, they have not been included. The tool is therefore likely to be relatively conservative in its results.’ 02.1.1 Application Process

The application process for the OPD policy is known to be long and quite taxing. Interested candidates are required to prepare a document known as the Land Management Plan in accordance to the stipulated guidelines. The LPA is the authority that reviews, recommends modifications, and approves the project. The sanctioned projects have a five year period to set up and achieve their goals and are further monitored annually by the LPA. The process is financially quite extractive from procuring the land to hiring experts to help in preparing the document. It can also be quite circuitous with no promise of achieving a positive outcome making it an arduous process draining both time and monetary resources.

1. LandUseConsultants;PositiveDevelopment Trust.(October2012,October).PracticeGuidelines: OnePlanetDevelopment.Cardiff:WelshGovernment. RetrievedJanuary26,2023,fromOnePlanetCouncil: https://www.oneplanetcouncil.org.uk/planning-policy/

2. Fig2.1&fig2.2datasource-:LandUse Consultants;PositiveDevelopmentTrust.(October2012, October).PracticeGuidelines:OnePlanetDevelopment. Cardiff:WelshGovernment.RetrievedJanuary26,2023, fromOnePlanetCouncil:https://www.oneplanetcouncil. org.uk/planning-policy/

Fig. 2.2  | OPD ECOLOGICAL TARGETS

Fig. 2.3  | PHOTOGRAPHS OF TARGET ON SITE

01. Land Based Activity

02. Zero Carbon Building

03. Land Management

04. Energy

05. Waste & Water

06. Transport

07. Community Impact

made thus far by the British government plunging the faith of the international community. In addition to backing out of the the government’s commitment to achieving

INTERVIEW WITH MARC SCALE

Marc Scale was the head of the One Planet Council in March 2023. The One Planet Council is a collective of all approved OPD projects in Wales. The council assists new and interested parties with their applications to the LPA. They act as a knowledge sharing platform for all those interested in the policy and also act as a point of contact between OPDs to facilitate collaborations between each other. Below are a few key snippets from the conversation with Marc Scale on 22nd February 2023.

Why is land a scarce commodity in Wales?

The mountainous terrain has built a traditional history of rearing cattle. At present most farmers prefer to use their land for monoculture which has also degraded the fertility of the land. And in general people prefer not to sell their land since it is a asset inherited and passed down. The land in the North is also more expensive so everyone can mostly buy land only in the south. As a business model how much do the OPDs make? I would say perhaps on an average across the board 4000 a year.

What are the main challenges to the OPD policy right now?

A major challenge is in interpreting the planning guidelines. A lot of them are also rejected at the local council which is later overruled by the LPA. And the OPD Policy was initially going to come out with more types of OPDs but the process stopped with the Open Countryside Type. The council has tried to ease the process and share knowledge but it is taxing and it costs a lot of money to prepare and succeed. Also the OPDs need a lot more support once successful but the

LPA is no funded enough to do it. Like the winters in the eco-homes can get difficult and producing energy is difficult without sunlight then.

Why do you think the locals would rather not have OPDs?

There isa lot of misconception around the policy. When we first set up our OPD, nobody was ready to buy produce from us and there was hostility but on our Open Days, when they visited the site, many of them remarked that this was the way their grandparents used to live long ago, it wasn’t something as radical as they had perceived.

What does the OPD Council do?

We help new applicants find their feet on the ground, providing them assistance with the guidelines. The document even for measuring the Ecological Footprint Analysis is also very tedious to comprehend and nay mistake with the application can set them back unnecessarily.

How is the Ecological Footprint Analysis calculated individually?

There is an excel file with inbuilt calculations

designed to measure consumption against production. Not sure how the metrics within that works.

How does the OPD Council address challenges with the Ecological Footprint Analysis (EFA) calculation?

The OPD Council offers guidance to applicants navigating the complexities of the Ecological Footprint Analysis (EFA). We assist in interpreting the guidelines and provide support in completing the EFA accurately. Additionally, we collaborate with experts to ensure applicants understand the calculations and metrics involved. While the process can be daunting, our aim is to streamline the EFA calculation process and help applicants accurately assess their ecological impact.

What role does community engagement play in OPD initiatives?

Community engagement is fundamental to the success of OPD initiatives. We actively involve local communities through outreach programs, workshops, and open days to foster understanding and support for OPDs. long-term sustainability and positive impact on the environment and society

Fig. 2.4  | CARICATURE OF MARC SCALE

INTERVIEW WITH DAVID THORPE A4

David Thorpe is an active member of the One Planet Centre and was consulted in better understanding the inception of the One Planet concept. A conversation with him was arranged over Zoom on 19th April 2023.

David commended the OPD policy for its bold approach in tackling the climate crisis through lifestyle adjustments. He stressed the necessity of increased funding for Local Planning Authorities to effectively implement and support the policy. David proposed extending the use of Ecological Footprint Analysis (EFA) to all planning applications, beyond just those under the OPD Policy, to enhance environmental considerations across the board.

However, he expressed concerns regarding the outdated nature and complexity of the EF metric. He suggested simplifying the EF by presenting it as a pie chart or bar graph to improve comprehension and accessibility for all stakeholders involved. Additionally, David raised an important issue regarding the laborintensive nature of the lifestyle promoted by the policy, which currently excludes disabled individuals from participating as applicants.

He recommended that future iterations of the policy consider the lifespan and future health of applicants to ensure inclusivity and accessibility for all demographics. These insights underscore the potential for refining the OPD policy to not only address environmental challenges more effectively but also to promote inclusivity and sustainability in its implementation.

Fig. 2.5  | CARICATURE OF DAVID THORPE

INTERVIEW WITH JAMES SHORTEN

James Shorten was a member of the team at Land Use Consultants, the agency used by the Welsh government to draft the OPD Practice Guidelines. A conversation with him was arranged on 9th June 2023 and below is a summary from the conversation between James and the team.

The conversation primarily revolved around trying to understand the process by which the policy was conceptualised, commissioned and drafted. We came to understand that the research started in 2002 and it took a long time to finalise as it was an unconventional piece of legislature and also political shifts in the Welsh Parliament Senedd challenged the process. One year after the contract was awarded to the Land

Use Consultants by a steering committee the policy was introduced in public domain. James believed the Ecological Footprint was not an adequate measure as the work on it has stalled and the conversion factors are increasingly complicated with technological advancements. Innovations like electrical vehicles complicate the metric and he recommended the use of carbon footprints instead to measure climate action plans at that scale.

He asserted that the policy was not an alternative to housing as it was dedicated towards reducing adapting to climate emergency while ensuring access to housing, food and wellbeing. He remarked on the lack of land access and said that options of renting land out to OPDs should be considered more closely.

Fig. 2.6  | CARICATURE OF JAMES HORTEN

OPDs beyond rural areas, exploring types like multi dwellings, land-based enterprises,

Under the OPD practice guidelines published by the TAN-6: Planning for Sustainable Rural Communities in October 2012, the terms listed are assuming that all OPDs will first take shape primarily in the rural countryside. The long-term vision for this policy had sought to expand this scheme to other typologies as well. Speculations were made for OPDs to appear in other regions such as the edge of settlements and within existing settlements. Apart from variations in location, the OPD policy also envisioned a quantitative expansion by increasing the number of stakeholders involved. While these options were never explored in total capacity, the TAN-6 document has elaborated on multiple types within the open countryside. These are (1) Single Dwelling (2) Land based enterprise (3) Small group of dwellings (4) Small planned community and (5) Ecovillage. By 2023, there were very few projects that explored these varieties with the vast majority of projects applying as single units or as land-based enterprises that had small market interests. A small number of projects have explored the third type or multi-unit OPDs and an even fewer number of projects have explored the prospects of an ecovillage.

Examples

Exploring

the Dynamics of Multi-Unit OPDs: Unveiling Opportunities and Challenges

The farm known as Rhiw Las serves as an example of a multi-unit OPD. Four households collaborated, submitted an OPD application for a 21-acre farmland, now fully operational. Similarly, the Lammas eco-village, a well-known case, involves collaboration among twenty households across 120 acres. Direct conversations with these applicants unveiled the challenges and advantages of this development type. All parties agreed that alliances enhance resource management efficiency and establish vital support systems crucial in an isolated location. However, many emphasized the increased complexity associated with heightened collaboration. Despite this, the consensus remains on the positive impact, as alliances contribute to more efficient resource management and foster essential support systems in isolated areas. 7.

8. Fig2.4LandUseConsultants;Positive DevelopmentTrust.(October2012,October).Practice Guidelines:OnePlanetDevelopment.Cardiff:Welsh Government.RetrievedJanuary26,2023,fromOne PlanetCouncil:https://www.oneplanetcouncil.org.uk/ planning-policy/

Fig. 2.7  |

First Hand Discoveries

02.2.1 Mapping the OPD Policy

Upon mapping all the sanctioned OPD projects as of 2023, clear patterns begin to emerge. Between 2010 and 2021, the policy garnered 63 applications, with 39 receiving approval. Notably, a significant concentration of projects is observed in the southern regions, particularly in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire counties.

All operational OPDs are established on freehold lands purchased by applicants. A closer examination of 12 of these projects reveals an average farm size of 15 acres, supporting small families consisting of approximately 2 to 4 individuals each. Aside from the main eco-house approved by the Local Planning Authority (LPA), ancillary structures such as greenhouses, polytunnels, wood sheds, and animal shelters are commonly erected. The majority opt for a grassland type with moderate Agricultural Land Classifications (ALC). These lands yield around 30% of the occupants’ food requirements, as stipulated by policy guidelines, while income generated sustains the purchase of an additional 35% of their food needs. Most OPDs are situated at least a kilometer away from the nearest town, primarily due to more affordable land prices. However, the income generated is often insufficient to cover all household expenses, prompting many residents to seek secondary employment outside the OPD. These jobs are typically pursued remotely or entail commuting to off-site locations.

The prevalence of OPDs underscores a growing trend toward sustainable living and alternative land use practices. Despite challenges such as limited self-sufficiency and the need for supplemental income, these projects contribute to local food production and rural economic diversification. As the popularity of OPDs continues to rise, policymakers may consider further support mechanisms to enhance their viability and effectiveness in fostering resilient, community-based livelihoods.

9. Banks,J.,&Clare,T.(2014).ParcyDwr.One Planet Council.

10. Bartlam,C.M.(2019).CarolynMoody,andPaul Bartlam. One Planet Council.

11. Brannoc,S.,&Hawthorn,T.(2013).BrynyrBlodau ManagementPlan.OnePlanetCouncil

12. Eames,T.(2018).CoedAlltGoch.OnePlanet Council.

2.8  | CASE STUDY OF TWELVE OPD SITES

Fig.

Fferm Pwll Lili

Baradyws

Allt Cefn Ffynnon

Perllan Herberdeg

Pencoed

Hebron Farm

Grassland Marsh

Built-up Areas

Tall Fern

Woodland & Scrub

02.2.2

Four Primary Case Studies

Cryn Fryn

This site, abutting a twenty year woodland was two fields sloping gently to the southeast. Separated by a drain ditch and hedges of hazel, hawthorn, holly and elder in the middle. The land was used for cultivating organic beef and lamb and seasonally open to camping tourists.

Golweg Gwenyn

Three fields on the boundary between cultivated land and moorland on the slopes of Carningli Mountain. A business based around eggs and honey production while being nesting grounds to valuable species of bats. A stream along the west boundary was considered for hydro electric power generation.

Alt Cyn Fynnon

High canopy ancient deciduous woodland with mixed broadleaf species. Low earth banks and hedgerows with trees form the borders with a stream to the east. Site to support business plans of timber cultivation, woodworking and charcoal production. Private holiday park to the north-west.

Perllan Herberdeg

This site on the slopes of the Gwendraeth valley, was ‘patchy’ and had areas of poor drainage however it was possible to plant ninety apple trees, grow peas, squashes, sunflowers, and chard on test beds in the first year. Priority habitat areas were conserved as wildlife habitats.

16. Murton,a.B.(2018).LandatCryn-Fryn.One Planet Council.

17. Smith,L.M.(2017).AlltCefnFfynnon.OnePlanet Council.

Fig. 2.9  | KEY MAP OF OPD SITES

Fig. 2.10  | SATELLITE IMAGERY OF OPD SITES

(Quite a Hill)

(Sight of a Bee)

(Well behind a Hill)

(Herberdeg Orchard)

Fig. 2.11  |  STUDY OF CRYN FRYN

Fig. 2.12  |  STUDY OF

WENYN

22. Fig2.10Smith,L.M.(2017).AlltCefnFfynnon. One Planet Council. 23. Fig2.11Moody,C.,&Bartlam,P.(2019). ManagementPlan.Carmarthenshire:OnePlanetCouncil.

Fig. 2.13  |  STUDY OF ALLT CEFN FFYNNON

Fig. 2.14  |  STUDY OF PERLLAN HERBERDE g

Woodland

Mosaic

Cross Inn New Quay

OPD Site

Llanarth

Charcoal

Juice Firewood Wood crafts

Acres

Acres

Llanelli Burry Port Carway

OPD Site

Pontyates

CONVERSATION WITH OPD APPLICANTS

SYLVIE AND WYCLIFF

Q: Although the OPD policy has envisioned as a very good approach, it has not managed to attract the number of required people to create an impact. So, from your perspective, as people who are already on the scheme, how you think it can be better or how it can be.

Sylvie: I think one of the biggest problems with the policy is that it’s really difficult for the planning people to enforce it. For example, you have five years within the OPD policy to kind of set up and achieve your goals; start to build your house and have a base business. But every year you submit the monitoring report, but that no one has ever gone through. We submit it every year and no one ever comes back to us. And I don’t think anyone even looks at it. I don’t know if they do, but it doesn’t seem like anyone is interested in what we’re doing to the planet, because they’re really busy and underfunded and understaffed. Since it is very new and it does attract people. I think also from our perspective, I mean, we did it. We bought land 10 years ago. But people that are now trying to get into the one planet, lots of people don’t find land. You could get farms of 100 acres. So you have to find a farmer that’s willing to split the land into a smaller parcel.

Wycliffe: Or it might be a small farmer who goes out of business, and they split into a small farm. But actually, the small farms are the ones that we kind of want to continue to exist.

And there isn’t really an overall, well, there is an overall improvement. But also, there’s a big problem with local knowledge of the policy. I think, because most people that have an OPD, frequently come from England, frequently of a certain class and education,

and they’re the people who were first interested in climate change related stuff. Whereas one of the big criticisms we get when we make an application is that such and such local farmer who wanted to build a house for their son and wasn’t allowed so, why should these newcomers be allowed? And that’s because they didn’t know the policy existed and to know that this as an available option for their children.

Sylvie: Oh, but also to put together an application. If you see our application, it’s really big. It’s a book and it’s like, we all have PhD degrees here. We know how to tackle something quite academic. But all the farmers that look at it, have to take like a big undertaking. And I think if it could be made simpler that way, then it would be more accessible to people, you know, I mean, because we did it in a group of four plots, so we kind of split the tasks as well. And Chris and Erica are really clever, so they did a lot of the numbers for us all and but it’s all quite tricky, really.

Q: From Tao we know that authority don’t follow up and they don’t check five years and things like that but have you made changes to the way you had set out from your application? And do you think there’s a way in which the planning office could make it more flexible?

Wycliffe: I don’t think it matters that what’s the plan you’ve got. One plan is what you intend to build and that obviously must stay very close to proposal. Then the other part is the business you propose to have. And really, I think this is the case of a lot of things. If you were applying for a loan or something like that, the business plan really is proving that you can plan a business.

Sylvie: Like it’s likely to change from what it

says from when we wrote the application to when we started doing it, there was like 6,7 years. So in that time we had children and then we learnt stuff and things change. So actually, one part of our business still the same, yes, but we we’re going to have a micro dairy and have two cows and make cheese because we lack bacon and

cheese, and we also then start to sell cow’s milk. And it’s completely changed because we are constantly learning. There’s loads of things you can do with herbs, with loads with craft woods working, you know. But until you’re doing it, you don’t really know. And a lot of us come from cities, so we didn’t have this lifestyle. You can just imagine what it’s going to be like. But then it can change. And they don’t mind if your plan changes. What they want to see is that you’d be able to achieve the same kind of target that you set out.

ERICA AND CHRIS

Dr Erica Thompson and Dr Chris Vernon were a couple who were neighbours with Sylvie and Wycliffe on the Rhiw Las cluster. They ran the Dan Y Berllan farm in the cluster and were interviewed to collate their views of the OPD Policy. As one of the authors of the Review of the OPD

Project from 2011-2021, Dr Erica was an important resource person to consult.

The conversation spread across multiple issues plaguing climate action today and also delved into the current situation of the OPD policy.

On their farm they produced apples and apple juice from them. They also housed a few varieties of poultry animals like turkeys and geese for eggs, as well as bees for honey. They believed this model could not be scaled up directly without due consideration. For instance, to bridge the housing gap, this bespoke model would never be able to meet the demand and instead the housing crisis needs infrastructure to be put in place ready to move into.

The aspects of the policy that needed attention when scaling up were land access, site services and community. When talking about community, we asked about how the OPD policy was received by the local population. We were told that while there was no direct animosity, they were scorned at as the “eco-warriors” as what they are doing on the land is still very alien to everyone. The isolation faced due to the lack of affordable land near towns was a major challenge.

Fig. 2.15  | CARICATURE OF WYCLIFFE ERICA & CHRIS

CONVERSATION WITH OPD APPLICANTS

Tao Paul Wimbush Founder of the Lammas Ecovillage, Wales and one of the earliest applicants of the OPD Policy.

Q: Could you provide an overview of the history of the Lammas Ecovillage, a highly regarded and innovative eco-community known for its rational and exciting approach to sustainable living?

Tao: About the history of Lammas Ecovillage Cooperative. So basically some others and I in 2005 got together, because we were all from the alternative community culture in West Wales. We were like what we need to do is getting get an equivalent through the plannings. We need to make this lifestyle more accessible; you need to make it more accessible to people and so we worked how does the 3 best at the beginning and we put together a plan and we were very lucky.

There was a planning initiative in Pembrokeshire called low impact development which suggested that some kind of large scale off grid development was possible. We found this land, negotiated to buy this land, put together up are planning application and around that time that’s when we formalized the project and created a society limited that was going to carry the legal take the legal role project we then we spent three years in the planning system you finally got planning permission and then, and, as I said earlier the cooperative is now from date?

But it did what it was meant to do, in that it enabled us to, to create this project and the local policy the permission policy called low impact development what became evolved into the Welsh policy. We got scaled up that evolved into the Welsh policy. So we did what we set out to do.

Q: What word are your thoughts on with your OPD policy in terms of how to expand the policy?

Tao: The OPD policy itself provides quite a good framework to assess. I bro sustainable land based. The problem I think isn’t with the policy itself is with the application. of. First, they’re making sure that the application is. Absolutely meticulously met on every single point. They also throw obstacles in the way, require, bring things that aren’t necessary, really, things like logical surveys something like that. They also take a super long time. Now, it’s not uncommon for no OPD application to wait 12 to 24 months before a first decision. Okay. And then they’ll refuse it. And it, so it just makes the whole process very bureaucratic, very over. Now, it doesn’t have to be that way. When the opt policy first came out, this guidance first came out, so between, say, 2012,2015. The applications that we’re going through were really quite straightforward.

Yes, there was a management plan, maybe 60,80 pages, and ecology report, and but that was kind of it. The planning authorities were processing applications in about 12 weeks but it was basically, it was I was working, but what happened was there was some political

resistance to it. Plus, there have been a few, high profile cases of applications that should have been passed that were turned out both locally and appeal and Cardiff, good people who are living one planet lifestyles who they should have been given planning permission and got turned down unreasonably. And so that has so far for potential applicants coming forward has created serious reservations.

First of all, so to give you a general idea to do an OPD application at the moment it’s gonna cost between 6000 pounds and 8000 pounds, something like that and it’s gonna take two years. And there’s something like 75% chance of getting it assuming it’s a good application. And this is a man less quiet so very encouraging box. And so that’s that has put people off reduce the number of applications.

Q: Is there a need for any modifications to the policy itself?

if you’re situated on the edge of a village or within a village or within a town or something like that which is more based on the lifestyle, footliving one panic footprint and less. On being productive with the land itself so I think there’s massive potential to scale.

Fig. 2.16  | CARICATURE OF TAO PAUL WIMBUSH

CONVERSATION WITH CLOCARBON CYMRU

Richard Edwards-‘the Stickfarmer’ Founder of Clo Carbon Cymru also a Welsh farmer and climate activist. Cai Matthews Founder of Clo Carbon Cymru.

Richard Edwards ‘the stickfarmer’ and Cai Matthews are founding members of a climate action group based in Wales known as Clo Carbon Cymru. They were instrumental in helping bring critical insights from the Welsh people to this project. An early conversation with Richard brought insight into the carbon credit market that runs climate action in Wales at present. Purchasing land for rewilding to offset corporate emissions has become all the trend but has led to disruptions in local landscape and not brought any benefits to the local people.

Fig. 2.17  | CARICATURE OF CAI AND RICHARD

Over a field visit in March 2023, a meeting was held with both Cai and Richard where the discussions were looking at the larger implications of the OPD Policy. The ineffectiveness of the EFA and the isolated nature of the scheme that had been established through the project’s secondary research was confirmed by them. The Clo Carbon Cymru was interested in developing an OPD framework within conventional farming guidelines to build a faster momentum towards climate action. “People who plant trees as climate solutoins, don’t know anything about carbon chemistry or trees. If we had 200 years of climate stability then it’s a great fucking idea but we only have 7 years now.” A major concern that they both shared was the lack of strong local economies in Wales and the growth of corporate supermarket chains that have come to dominate the farming sector over the last 30-40 years. They recognised the strong potentials and strengths that were embedded in the local communities but also highlighted the lack of co-operative action that was holding them back. “we don’t want to change the way you use the land, but only enhance it.” The challenges of feeding larger metropolises like Cardiff was a concern but if prevailed, the income and profit generated for local businesses would be infinitely more desirable than lining the pockets of multinational corporations abroad.

Q: Basically, it shows locations such as North Wales which is very hot land. But most of the OPD is located south of it. So, we think that might be what’s causing the price problem. Is there an issue of ownership or something like that happening?

Cai: Possibly. There’s a disparity in general in. Richard: North Wales and South Wales. Even so it’s only 100 odd miles there is. It’s black and white. It really stark difference. I just think about that. I have never, traditionally, none even how, traditionally it is, but the habit has always been that west Wales, purely because of the space, the open spaces and the beauty has attracted a large number of people from all over the world, even from,

the early 1960s when they can hippies flower power. The culture of, moving away from the cities and where you could give up all the parcel, the pain of him to work in an office and you could work land and grow your own food. Extremely, you too, Ian. However, and in all honesty of the hundreds and hundreds of tried it, very few succeed. If I have friends who move into areas of West Wales on the dream of living off the land, I’ve been telling them, you do it and they’ll go. We will. And they don’t.

Richard: For sure. Interestingly if you look at our history you go back to. The 11th century when the the Normans invaded Britain quite a lot of. Oh, this area of Wales and here where these one planets are we handed over to barons and to dukes and then you brought with them. That’s how, culture of surf them where the Lord of the manner run the man, I don’t know, everyone worked for him or her. Politically, that whole area is a conservative. It’s got nothing. There’s no socialism there at all.

Q : In the international context, when examining factors such as ecological footprint and carbon emissions, terms like agricultural productivity and soil quality frequently enter the conversation. How exactly do these terms contribute to our comprehension of carbon impact, a critical factor in addressing the climate crisis?

Cai: So local quality is a big one, shouting at me from there as well because we do a lot of it or we’re doing a lot of work around that. And lots of people claim lots of things about soil carbon. It’s an area worth or maybe not on the broader sense but if you were to investigate just soil quality and what that actually means to different people, then you could probably apply the vagueness to all of these.For example, the broadness of that statement, like what is good soil quality? There isn’t necessarily a sensors, especially around soil carbon. Yum so it’s not just how these relate to each other that might bear scrutiny, but it’s actually these measurements themselves.

02.2.3 The OPD

Storyline

A. Finding Land for OPD

The primary challenge that all applicants encounter in the OPD policy is the limited access to land. Land in Wales is a difficult resource for individuals to procure, given the mountainous terrain, many areas are not conducive to farming activities. Additionally, land owners are reluctant to sell property as it remains a profitable family asset over generations. Despite a long history of farming, the Welsh landscape has degraded severely with years of industrial farming practices. Prospective applicants to the OPD policy require categorically fertile land to support their land-based business model and this is a limited resource.

If farmers could not make a living from full-sized farms, he (Cllr Llewellyn) asked, how could the applicants be self-sufficient on five acres or so each?

OPD applicants also require land that is not too isolated from other villages or towns. Proximity to towns reduces expenses and carbon emissions on goods, services as well as improved access to amenities like education and healthcare facilities. Lastly, the land must also be affordable, leaving only the land in the open countryside as an option for the OPD applicants. The practice of building second homes in the rural countryside of Wales has driven up house prices exorbitantly in many parts of the countryside, especially the more scenic parts of the lansdcape. Many Planning Area Authorities have implemented increased premiums in areas where this is a major concern to curb, however it has done little to curb the rural housing crisis. (Evans and Necke 2021)

B. Application process

The new lifestyle and policy has not been able to bridge the cultural differences and have left the locals feeling like their traditional way of life is under threats of encroachment and erasure.

Upon securing a parcel of land suitable enough for their OPD proposal, the applicants must begin a long process of preparing a ‘Management Plan’ that will provide a detailed report of the existing conditions on the land and how they plan to utilize it in future. The cumbersome document enlists proposals for tackling the seven points listed in the Practice Guidelines from land management strategies to community impact. The business model and their financial plans to survive on landbased activities are also included. Most applicants must rely on external consultants

and field experts to assist them with baseline reports and assessments of the land. The One Planet Council (a coalition of OPD members) and its members provide some assistance in this endeavour. This bureaucratic process is an expensive affair that can take up to three years. While the difficulty of the process is to ensure agricultural land is protected from misuse, it also discourages many locals and next generation farmers. Once a proposed OPD is sanctioned by the LPA, it is passed onto the local council for review. In most cases, the council rejects the OPD application, due to common hostilities and reservations towards foreign ‘eco-warriors’ settling in their locality. Most locals see this policy as wishful thinking that is a blight on their tranquil landscape. The Planning Authority is known to side with the OPD applicant and quash the council’s views. The animosity of the local people against the scheme is a major cause for upheaval, leading to social ostracisation and tensions.

C. Once a successful OPD

Assuming the applicant is successful in their process once they set up their OPD farm, they have a five year incubation period to switch to the OPD lifestyle. In most cases, the farms regenerate into more healthy ecosystems with richer biodiversity in place of the degraded land they began with. All farms produce very different products from one another, and they can operate small businesses that sell to the nearest community. However, the income generated is just enough to operate the farm and not build long-term savings for contingency needs. Several participants resort to second jobs (remotely or travelling long distances) outside the OPD farm, dividing their time over the week. Despite the successful farming activity on the farm, the locals still regard the OPD participants with animosity. They do not see eye to eye and at times tensions have also seen the situation erupt. This is largely due to the local trepidation surrounding the newcomers on the landscape they claim.

28. LandUseConsultants;PositiveDevelopment Trust.(October2012,October).PracticeGuidelines: OnePlanetDevelopment.Cardiff:WelshGovernment. RetrievedJanuary26,2023,fromOnePlanetCouncil: https://www.oneplanetcouncil.org.uk/planning-policy/

Second homes has caused a rural housing shortage

We have spent two years and £8000 already!!

These ecowarriors are taking over Wales and making slums

Good quality farmland is not accessible

The town is so far from our business

I still need to go to the market to get food items and work a second job.

Fig. 2.18  | SCENES OF STARTING AN OPD

Fig. 2.20  | SCENES FROM A SUCCESSFUL OPD

Fig. 2.19  | SCENES OF SETTING UP AN OPD

02.3.1

Under the Microscope

Samples from Wales

To better gauge the feasibility and impacts of farming methods in Wales a closer look was taken at the soil.

Site A

sample taken from a relatively new woodland showed traces of fungal growth and equal concentrations of bacterial presence in the samples. The particles were porous dark shades of brown with rounded edges indicating good presence of carbon and organic matter.

Site B

The more ancient woodland site showed much more dense traces of fungi. The soil was held together in many clumps with fungal networks visible even under the microscope. The clumps that disintegrated were porous and showed high organic content. There was not much bacterial activity spotted in these samples, which reduced as one went deeper into the ground..

Site C

The sample from the open grasslands, used mainly for pasture was extremely clayey and porous. No clumps were found or any fungi, even microbial presence as limited. The water logging on site and the presence of a nearby stream filled the samples with water globules. It was a lighter shade of brown and showed very few organic content.

Fig. 2.21  | SAMPLE SITE LOCATION

Fig. 2.24  | SITE C: PASTURE LANDS

Fig. 2.23  | SITE B: OLD WOODLANDS

Fig. 2.22  | SITE A: NEW WOODLANDS

Agriculture Land Classification: 3A

Land Type: Open Forest

Agriculture Land Classification: 3A

Land Type: Open Forest

Agriculture Land Classification: 3B

Land Type: Herbaceous Vegetation 30. Solbakk,K.,&Mikroliv.(2020).Do-ityourself

Fig. 2.25  | MICROSCOPIC VIEWS OF SAMPLES

02.3.2

Samples from OPD Sites

The sample from Ty Gwennol farm in the Rhiw Las cluster was collected from their oat fields before the sowing season, likely in March. The soil layer observed was approximately 20cm deep and interspersed with chips of slate. Classified as 3b, or moderately fertile, according to governmental Agricultural Land Classifications, this designation primarily caters to large-scale industrial farming. Consequently, sloped sites where sizable machinery cannot operate are often dismissed as “unproductive.” However, this overlooks a crucial aspect: microscopic examination of the samples revealed vibrant microbial activity, indicating a potentially rich ecosystem within the soil.

This oversight underscores the limitations of conventional productivity assessments, which prioritize mechanized efficiency over ecological vitality. The abundance of microbial life suggests that despite being deemed “unproductive” by traditional standards, these sloped sites may possess untapped potential for diverse agricultural practices, such as regenerative farming or agroecology. Recognizing and harnessing the inherent fertility and biodiversity of such landscapes could not only enhance soil health and resilience but also contribute to more sustainable and resilient agricultural systems. Thus, reevaluating how we measure and value soil productivity becomes imperative for fostering agricultural practices that prioritize ecological integrity and longterm sustainability.

Agriculture Land Classification: 3A

Land Type: Grassland Marsh

Agriculture Land Classification: 3A

Land Type: Grassland Marsh

Agriculture Land Classification: 3A

Land Type: Grassland Marsh

Fig. 2.26  | SAMPLE SITE LOCATION

Fig. 2.27  | MICROSCOPIC VIEWS OF SAMPLES

Fig. 2.28  | VIEW OF RHIW LAS

Fig. 2.29  | 15 CM SLICE OF SOIL SAMPLE ON SITE

02.3.3 Case 01: Samples from Hooke Park

Hooke Park, Dorset, is an educational campus that belongs to the Architectural Association. The site is a 350 acres, managed woodland that is used to provide building materials for students who study on campus about material processing and construction techniques. The woodland management uses sustainable techniques to ensure both quality of timber harvested and allowing for regeneration of the woods. The samples collected from the different parts of the Park showed many differences in organic matter, microbial activity and fungal content.

The samples taken from the older parts of the forests showed signs to erosion and loss of organic matter. Where as the samples collected from the woodlands that were being managed by the resident forester showed a much more healthy balance of bacteria and fungi. Some samples collected also showed diatom fossils indicating the presence of an ancient stream in the area. The stark differences between samples collected from the same ALC but treated with different land management measures, showed that there were loopholes when the datasets were cross checked on ground. The purpose of most datasets remain unilaterally towards measuring productivity of the landscape along .

Fig. 2.30  | SATELLITE IMAGE OF HOOKE PARK

Fig. 2.31  | VIEW FROM HOOKE PARK

Broad

Closeup Within

Agriculture Land Classification: 3A

Land Type: Wetland Pasture & Woodland

Agriculture Land Classification: 3A

Land Type: Wetland Pasture & Woodland

Agriculture Land Classification: 3A

Land Type: Wetland Pasture & Woodland

Fig. 2.32  | MICROSCOPIC VIEWS OF THE HOOKE PARK SAMPLES

Fig. 2.33  | SKETCH OF HOOKE PARK SOIL HORIZONS

02.3.4 Case 02: Samples from Wakelyns

Soil samples from Wakelyns, an agroforestry farm in Suffolk, was instrumental in the project’s initial analyses. In a 30cm soil section, clear color variations marked the horizons, with richer hues indicating higher organic matter content in the upper layers, supporting a thriving earthworm population. However, samples from the third horizon appeared denser and more granular, suggesting diminished organic matter and microbial activity, rendering these deeper layers more erosion-prone and posing challenges for agricultural productivity and soil health.

These disparities highlight the importance of soil management practices. Nutrientrich upper layers with vigorous microbial activity provide resilience against erosion and support plant growth. Techniques like mulching, cover cropping, and agroforestry can enhance soil health by enriching organic matter and microbial diversity. Understanding and addressing these soil characteristics are crucial for effective land management, prioritizing soil conservation and fertility through sustainable practices to foster resilient agricultural systems. Continuous research and application of soil management strategies are essential for preserving soil health and ensuring sustainable food production.

Fig. 2.34  | SATELLITE IMAGE OF WAKELYNS

Fig. 2.35  | VIEW FROM WAKELYNS FARM

Broad

Closeup Within

Fig. 2.36  | SKETCH OF WAKELYNS SOIL HORIZONS

Fig. 2.37  | ON SITE - SOIL SAMPLE COLLECTION

What is OPD now?

02.4.1 Overlaying Varied Data

From studying the planning applications submitted to the One Planet Council and engaging with the multiple stakeholders, we can see a clear set of patterns emerging across the board of all OPD sites thus far. All applicants begin by looking for affordable land on the market, that is not too far from a settlement and one that falls under government endorsed land classifications and agricultural measurements. These land classifications are not absolute conditions as demonstrated by the soil samples collected and successful OPD projects operating on allegedly ‘unproductive’ landscapes.

To collate these contradictions, we built a suitability index overlapping all the primary sough after parameters to see the areas available for prospective OPDs. With over 80% of land in Wales used for agriculture, it is hard to believe that this policy has limited reach. However, on overlaying these layers as a multi-criteria analysis function, it is evident that majority of OPDs remain limited by these real-life constraints and fall under the same brackets of land type (i.e. the grassland type) and ALC (i.e. the moderately fertile).

This is indicative of a limited reach the policy has had in attracting diverse applicants and also demonstrates the rigidity of the model when implemented. In relying on conservative standards without due scrutiny, the OPD policy has unintentionally narrowed its pool of applicants and become inaccessible to most people.

Even if the conservative parameters dictate that the land is unsuitable, through effective management strategies, it can be restored to healthy landscapes that help capture carbon effectively.

Ownership Data

Proximity to the Settlement

16Km to 28Km

Agriculture Land Classification

6K to 11Km Grade 3a/3b

Grade 5

Mire/Swamp 11Km to 16Km Grade 4

Woodland Scrub

Cultivated/Marginal Land Grassland and Marsh

Fig2.33Datasource:DataMapWales,Welsh

Fig. 2.39  | ANALYSIS OVERLAYING MULTIPLE CRITERIA

02.4.2

Loopholes in Data Set

Land classifications such as ALC

(Agricultural Land Productivity) and land cover are blatantly used to map vast national territories. But there are several aspects that are not questioned since they have come to be accepted as a norm. Agricultural productivity, for instance, is actually defined as land that can easily be used for cultivating food crops using industrial means. The subtext this omits is that land too steep for machines to operate is deemed poor regardless of soil fertility.

While land cover looks at the type of vegetation and species supported by the terrain, it often resorts to clumping together the in-between categories as mosaic landscapes or other sweeping generalisations. Even simply overlapping these two categories as in the figures adjacent, brings to attention the various complexities that are embedded within each category.

Land management at an individual level (like that of an OPD) should address these contradictions and respond to creating development typologies for restoring and reviving landscapes that are not measured solely by industrial metrics. In order to reduce the national ecological footprint, we must focus on strategies that restore the health of landscapes outside these imposed classifications.

This necessitates a paradigm shift towards more holistic approaches that value biodiversity and ecological resilience over narrow industrial metrics. By embracing such strategies, we can work towards restoring degraded landscapes and fostering a more sustainable relationship between human activity and the environment. It’s imperative to recognize the intrinsic value of all landscapes, regardless of their classification, and to prioritize their restoration and conservation for the well-being of present and future landscapes

Fig. 2.40  | LAND COVER VAR i AT i ONS i N MED i UM ALC

Fig. 2.41  | LAND COVER VARIATIONS IN HIGH ALC

Tall Herb - Fern 1.8%

Open Water + Marine 0.6%

Heather land 2.5%

Rock Exposure - Waste 0.1%

Cultivated land 1.4%

Built-up Area 2.7%

Coast-land 2%

Woodland Scrub 7.9%

+ Mine/Swamp 22%

- Marsh 59%

44. Fig2.35&Fig2.36Dataource:DataMapWales, WelshGovernment.PredictiveAgriculturalLand Classification(ALC)Map2,2019EditionDownloaded [March2023]

Fig. 2.42  | LAND COVER VARIATIONS IN POOR ALC

Mosaic

Grassland

02.4.3

Potentials and Challenges

With all the gaping contradictions, it is evident that the ecological footprint on which the OPD Policy is centred, while effective in the global context, is ineffective locally. Although the policy was geared towards promoting an alternative sustainable lifestyle, owing to the lack of accessibility to land and other resources it has created more hurdles than attractions. The many limitations have created a rigid monopoly allowing only a handful of applicants to even consider the policy. Failing to attract the local population and its farmers has been a major pitfall in the policy’s implementation.

Additionally, the approach of placing the onus of climate action on the individual has led to other contestations. It has created a very disintegrated and isolated effort when climate action demands a more powerful organised and consolidated action. Climate

action requires collective action that treats the ecology as a unified network and manages landscape accordingly instead of piecemeal attempts to achieving reduced EF goals. The arbitrary nature of the EFA within the OPD policy further dilutes the effects of the policy. Ultimately after almost 10 years in action, the policy has had little to no effect on mitigating climate crisis in Wales and has not been successful in reducing the Welsh Ecological Footprint either.

The policy has however been a cornerstone of promoting alternative lifestyles in the countryside and raising awareness on consumption habits and personal footprints left on the planet. It has exposed the loopholes in the metrics and impositions of industrial agriculture and shown that the land is fertile and capable of much more if the right expertise is applied.

45. LandUseConsultants;PositiveDevelopment Trust.(October2012,October).PracticeGuidelines: OnePlanetDevelopment.Cardiff:WelshGovernment. RetrievedJanuary26,2023,fromOnePlanetCouncil: https://www.oneplanetcouncil.org.uk/planning-policy/

1. A successful agroforestry model with a suitable lifestyle is established

1. A successful agroforestry model with a suitable lifestyle is established

1. A successful agroforestry model with a suitable lifestyle is established

C. Proximity to the settlement

2. The soil condition has been restored to fertile landscapes

Fig. 2.43  | POTENTIALS OF OPD AS ICONOGRAPHY

01. Fragmentation of ecological systems is a significant issue

01. Land planning authorities suffer from a lack of funding

01. An individualistic approach is evident

02. There has been no reduction in ecological footprint

02. The majority faces financial risks and land inaccessibility

02. It appears alien to the local community

03. There is a lack of design variation

04. The calculation of ecological footprint is complicated

Fig. 2.44  | CHALLENGES OF OPD AS ICONOGRAPHY

03. There is a neglect of surrounding communities

Fig. 2.45  | SITTING INSIDE LOOKING OUT: AN OPD ECO-HOUSE

Fig. 2.46  | SITTING OUTSIDE LOOKING UP: HOME GARDENS OF AN OPD

UNDERSTANDING FOOD LANDSCAPES

Revising the Goals 03.1.1 03.1

Building on the OPD

The study of the OPD Policy and its implementation thus far made several potentials and challenges apparent. As an innovative and contextually driven piece of legislature, it must not be discarded for its faults but developed further by addressing the loopholes identified. Extending the policy in scale and shifting to more radical measures to mitigate climate change certainly becomes paramount.

The primary causes for climate change will always be the unchecked carbon emissions and reckless consumption habits. Any climate action plan must address this at every scale of intervention. Considering the global metric of Ecological Footprints and its lack of permeating through other scales, the first step taken was to revise the metrics of the OPD Policy. The seven goals of the original policy were redistributed to make optimise on the scale of intervention.

Conditions like transport, energy, waste and water were reallocated to the community scale whereas the goals of land management and activities remain at the local scale to allow flexibility to the very many different site conditions. Collective management of resources makes for a more optimum action.

1. LandUseConsultants;PositiveDevelopment Trust.(October2012,October).PracticeGuidelines: OnePlanetDevelopment.Cardiff:WelshGovernment. RetrievedJanuary26,2023,fromOnePlanetCouncil: https://www.oneplanetcouncil.org.uk/planning-policy/

Ecological Footprint 1. Land-based activity

Zero-carbon building

Energy & Waste

Fig. 3.1  | CONCERNS OF SCALES IN POLICY EXPANSION source/credits

3.2  | READAPTING THE OPD POLICY

2. LandUseConsultants;PositiveDevelopment Trust.(October2012,October).PracticeGuidelines: OnePlanetDevelopment.Cardiff:WelshGovernment. RetrievedJanuary26,2023,fromOnePlanetCouncil: https://www.oneplanetcouncil.org.uk/planning-policy/

Fig.

1. Objectives from OPD

2. Land Accessibility

4. Towards Local Community

3. Suitable infrastructure

EXISTING NETWORK

PROPOSED NETWORK

3.

4.

within the Food

absorbed into food supply chain 5. Shocks spreading through the food supply chain

| CONCEPTUAL REPRESENTATION OF

Fig. 3.3

CLIMATE CRISIS 1. Nodes of the Food Supply Chain

2. Uniform Strong Linkages Within the food Supply chain

Varied Linkages

Supply Chain

Shocks

In the sweeping effects of globalisation, we have created seemingly robust systems that extend internationally, losing the modularity and diversity between the ‘nodes’ in these systems.

Conceptual Strategy

Tackling the vast landscapes of Wales and its associated ecological, economic and social sectors requires a unified approach with clear agendas outlined. In the sweeping effects of globalisation, we have created seemingly robust systems that extend internationally, losing the modularity and diversity between the ‘nodes’ in these systems. These nodes are also connected to each other with very strong linkages which implies that any shock suffered by one node, will be transmitted across the system in quick succession. The land with its myriad of relationships and living species forms one of the most complex network systems known. Human society has tampered with several of its networks and as the climate breaks down, it delivers one shock after another to this system. The resilience of any network system is due to diversity in its nodes and linkages which is sustained for as long as the threshold is not breached. To rebuild landscape systems as strong resilient models in Wales, the goal was to identify and create varies nodes that would operate in tandem within the ecosystem. These nodes would need linkages that varied in strength and purpose, creating room for the circuit to break if thresholds were breached. This project sought to apply these principles on the Welsh landscape and agriculture was chosen as the system to engage with, given its extensive reach and need for attention.

Agriculture in Wales

The current condition of agriculture in Wales is rather bleak and it is plagued by certain central issues that run across the board. With 80% of the land being used for farming, as a sector it has far reaching consequences when it comes to climate action. And since farming is a cultural enterprise, it influences several other quotidian aspects of local life including, dietary habits, language, housing market, tourism and trade to begin with. At present the historically agricultural landscape is used majorly as pasture lands for livestock rearing and monoculture fields that feed into agriculture supply chains on international markets. As Richard Perkins a farmer from Sweden said at the ORFC 2019, “When you are farming, you are essentially competing in a globalised market”. and when competing with growers from all around the world, Wales ends up using (and abusing) its landscapes to meet food demands made by the market. Importing voluminous quantities of animal feed and fertiliser from outside Wales has dumped vast amounts of nitrates and ammonia on the local nitrogen cycle, creating food that is not nutrition dense and polluting the landscapes. The indiscriminate livestock farming, and its trade has also led to unchecked carbon emissions into the atmosphere from the farming sector as a whole. The consistent degradation of landscapes in this manner has made farming a not so lucrative industry in Wales and farmers a fast-disappearing section of the society.

Welsh Language

Exports: £ 603,722,000

£ 75,600,000 Spent on achieving net zero goals

Imports: £ 608,424,000

Fig. 3.6

CURRENT WELSH AGRICULTURAL MODEL

03.2.1

In the era of climate crisis, as harvests get more susceptible to freak disasters, it will get more expensive to foot the bills, especially if they are to travel from overseas.

03.2.2

made thus far by the British government plunging the faith of the international community. In addition to backing out of the the government’s commitment to achieving

Livestock Farming Food trade

According to Welsh Regional Trade Statistics published in 2023, the country sees exports agricultural products to the tune of 797.2 million GBP and imports about 801.9 million GBP worth of goods. The products produced locally are majorly beef and lamb, with very little production of fruit and vegetables. Even though less than 5% of UK population residing in Wales it produces almost 30% of its livestock exports, which comes at a heavy price to the landscape and local ecology. Ironically enough, these imbalanced scales of production motivated by economic profits, means Wales imports and exports same the same products. As local consumers prefer certain cuts of lamb, the domestic production is supplemented by sheep imports from as far as New Zealand and Australia to support local demands. This kind of irresponsible movement of food across the globe has created far more long-term havoc to the environments and made Welsh food markets more dependent and vulnerable to external shocks. In the project we propose slow transitions away from the dependence on the meat industry and intensifying arable crop cultivation. The Welsh agricultural sector needs to prioritise feeding its own population first without depending on more ecologically and economically costly methods of food supply.

In a country of just 4 million people, there are a staggering 9.4 million sheep and lambs, along with another million cattle, reflecting a common trend in the modern world. Post-Brexit, limited market access leads to increasingly unpredictable dynamics each year. Despite its small size, Wales boasts a robust dairy industry, meeting nearly 12% of the UK’s milk needs. However, milk production exceeds processing capacity by nearly 48%, resulting in a significant surplus reliant on England for processing. This reliance exacerbates challenges posed by market access limitations, highlighting the complex interplay of agricultural practices, economic policies, and geopolitical factors shaping Wales’ food production and trade landscape. Finding sustainable solutions to balance production and processing capacities is crucial for the resilience and viability of Wales’ agricultural sector in the post-Brexit era.

7. Fig3.6DataSource:WelshGovernment.(2019). AgricultureinWales.Cardiff:WelshGovernment. 8. Fig3.7DataSourceAmaethCymru.(2017).The futureofagricultureinWales:Thewayforward.Welsh Government.

Fig. 3.7

Fig. 3.8  | LAND USE BREAKUP IN WALES source/credits

Wales exports highest value of selected product to France

150,000,000

100,000,000

9. Fig3.9DataSource:HMRevenue&Customs. (2023,November15).Internationalgoodstrade: interactive dashboard. Wales: Welsh Government. RetrievedDecember15,2023,fromhttps://www.gov. wales/international-goods-trade-interactive-dashboard

Wales Imported highest value of selected product to Ireland

Beverages

Miscellaneous

150,000,000

Fig. 3.9  | EXPORT VS IMPORT TRADE REPORT FOR WALES

Animal feed

Coffee Tea

Sugar, Honey

Fruit and Veg

Cereals

Fish Crustaceans

Dairy and Eggs

Meat and Preparations Live Animals

03.2.3

Dietary Changes

The National Food Survey, prepared by the UK government in 2021, scrutinized the strengths and shortcomings of the food system ‘from the farm to the fork’. After addressing health concerns due to poor eating habits, the report provided recommendations on food production, trade, and environmental standards to resolve these issues. Additionally, it acknowledged the health-related problems that will worsen with the climate crisis, placing a significant strain on healthcare and the planet.

The report outlines four primary goals for dietary standards in the UK: to reduce the junk food cycle, address diet-related inequalities, optimize land use, and foster long-term shifts in food culture.

Supported by an array of evidence, the report’s recommendations propose consuming less meat than the current diet to create opportunities for increased carbon sequestration and promote nutrient-dense balanced diets. State support is crucial to make this healthy option more accessible to the most vulnerable in society. Moreover, the state would play a pivotal role in incentivizing the agriculture sector towards a shift from intensive to regenerative farming practices, aligning with broader sustainability goals.

10. Fig3.10DataSource::HarvardHealthPublishing. (2017,June5).HealthyEatingPlate.Retrievedfrom HarvardMedicalSchool:https://www.health.harvard.edu/ staying-healthy/healthy-eating-plate

11. Fig3.10Poux,X.,&Aubert,P.-M.(2018, September).AnagroecologicalEuropein2050: multifunctionalagricultureforhealthyeating.IDDRI.

Fig. 3.10  | WELSH DIETARY DATA VISUALISATION

Fig. 3.11  | TYPICAL WELSH FOOD

A. Existing Average Diet

B. Harvard’s need for change in diet for healthy life

C. Proposed Dietary Changes Fruits & Veg

Farmers and Language

There are about 20,000 full-time farmers that work in Wales with an additional 30,000 workers that come in seasonally during harvest season as labour. 80-90% of the landscape is managed by the labour of these 50,000 people. Securing their support is paramount for any climate action proposal to have any discernible impact. As per the Farming Statistics released in 2022, the average income that varies based on farm type, ranges between 22,000 to 60,000 annually. The Welsh government is currently drafting the new Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) speculated to be released in 2024 or 2025. This piece of legislation has great implications on the nature and sum of subsidies that farming activities will receive. In the meantime, a Common Agriculture Policy (2020) determines the governmental aid that farmers receive at present through a Basic Payment Scheme. Conversations with Welsh farmers made apparent that the terms of these do not always provide holistic solutions and the top-down approach seldom responds to the variations in environmental conditions. Caught between the bureaucracies of the government and the unforgiving market, the number of farmers in Wales has seen a steady decline in recent years.Welsh is the ‘laith y Pridd’ or the language of the land. Currently there are fewer speakers of the language than ever in the past. The farming sector has the highest speakers of this dwindling language (43% of farmers speak Welsh) and there have been proposals to bolster the language through the agricultural industry. The Welsh government is seeking to target one million Welsh speakers by 2050 by promoting and supporting local farming businesses and encouraging them to expand operations. 03.2.4

12. Fig3.10Datasource:Departmentfor Environment,Food&RuralAffairs.(2020,July).ThePlan. RetrievedfromTheNationalFoodStrategy:https://www. nationalfoodstrategy.org/ 13. Fig3.12 Datasource:WelshGovernment.(2022). Statistical First Release. Cardiff: Statistics for Wales . FarmingConnect.(2020).IaithyPridd.BusinessWales, Welsh Government.

Fig. 3.13

AUTHORS WITH OWEN, WELSH FARMER

Fig. 3.12  | WELSH FARER AND LANGUAGE DATA VISUALISATION

A. Farm Laborer and Welsh Speakers

B. Welsh Farmers Classification

C. Historical evidence of decline in Welsh language

D. Percentage able to speak Welsh (2021)

CONVERSATION WITH OWEN A8

An interview with Owen from the Lawrenny Farms in Wales was set up in November 2023. Owen was a dairy farmer who had been in the agriculture industry for the last many generations and owned about 1000 acres of land. Conversation with him highlighted the many concerns of the farmers in Wales regarding poor income and loss of harvests. The frequent changes in weather conditions have reduced their sowing cycles and also limited the window for harvesting. Land used for organic farming has also not generated much more income than the monoculture practice. Dealing with government agencies and procurement chains have remained an elusive option as the contracts are always riddled with unreasonable expectations and given to the lowest bidder. Owen was not of the belief that an agroforestry model could provide for the projected estimates as it far outstripped the current produce from the lands many times over.

Fig. 3.14  | CARICATURE OF OWEN

CONVERSATION WITH RICHARD

Revisiting Richard Edwards from Clo Carbon Cymru once the proposal was conceptualised helped to root the strategies more in the local context. He was more confident of the MiFAS approach bearing more results than other Welsh farmers. His biggest concern was trapping as much carbon as fast as possible in order to mitigate the effects of a complete and total climate breakdown. Richard also sought to develop a good, equitable business model to bring together various stakeholders and service providers towards the agricultural sector which remains heavily impoverished in Wales today. He also spoke of new techniques under development to combat climate crisis such as deep hydrogen fuel chains and biochar. Both these need to be popularised more in local community and the National Farmer’s Union with its 24,000 members was the best way to spread the awareness. He was very concerned about how to build an appeal for other farmers in Wales towards these new methods of cultivation.

Fig. 3.15  | CARICATURE OF RICHARD

03.2.5

03.2.6 Housing Wildlife Tourism

Housing is a pressing concern in Wales, particularly in rural areas where affordable land is scarce. The proliferation of second homes has worsened the housing crisis, leaving many young people with limited options for renting or buying property. Although efforts to deter this trend through premiums on second homes were made, tourists often prefer paying the premiums to retain their properties in the scenic countryside. Consequently, the housing shortage persists, exacerbating the struggle for accessible housing in rural Wales. This perpetuates the cycle of housing insecurity, hindering the younger generation’s ability to establish themselves in their own homes and contributing to ongoing socioeconomic challenges in the region. As a result, many young individuals are forced to either live with their parents or relocate to urban areas in search of affordable housing options. Addressing this crisis requires innovative solutions and collaboration between government, local communities, and stakeholders to ensure sustainable and equitable access to housing for all residents of Wales.

While agriculture provides measurable income benefits, its broader impacts extend to various sectors like the environment, tourism, and public health. In Wales, wildlife tourism distinguishes itself within the UK, contributing significantly to the outdoor activity tourism sector valued at approximately £6.2 billion GBP, supporting an estimated 206,000 jobs nationwide. Agriculture plays a pivotal role, accounting for nearly a third of its total value. This highlights agriculture’s interconnectedness with Wales’ economy and society, emphasizing its role in promoting environmental sustainability, driving tourism, and fostering public wellbeing. Recognizing these contributions underscores the importance of supporting and enhancing the agricultural sector for Wales’ overall benefit.

14. AmaethCymru.(2017).Thefutureofagriculture inWales:Thewayforward.WelshGovernment.

15. Fig3.16,SecondhomesinWales:Calltoboost “paltrysolution.”(2022,January11).BBCNews.https:// www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-59938949

Fig. 3.16  | SECOND HOMES IN WALES & TAX REPORT

Fig. 3.17  | WELSH WILDLIFE TOURISM MAP ILLUSTRATION MapfromBBC MapfromBehance

16. Fig3.18,Behance.(2015,June1).WildWales: IllustratedMap.Behance.https://www.behance.net/ gallery/26935497/Wild-Wales-Illustrated-Map

Fig. 3.18  | WELSH TOURISM INTIATIVE PhotographbyMehulShethiya

CONVERSATION WITH ALEX A10

A conversation with a local farmer and climate activist Alex Heffron from Wales was arranged on 13th November 2023. Over the conversation we touched upon the challenges of agroforestry in Wales and the knowledge gaps surrounding the same. The concerns regarding the additional labour that would be required for increasing horticulture was discussed. Housing is the primary concern for all those who till the land. Alex was also very helpful in explaining the difference between farming conditions on the uplands and the lowlands. He believed in building stronger linkages between the local communities and farmers and also improving connections and collaborations between farmers themselves. Common facilities and shared processing units could be used to increase income for the farmers with basic support from the state. The conversation was instrumental in reviewing the feasibility of alternative farming practices in Wales and looked at verifying the numbers from the state with the realities on ground.

Fig. 3.19  | CARICATURE OF ALEX

CONVERSATION WITH SAM A11

Sam Hollick is a farmer in Anglesey, Wales and a PhD scholar in agroforestry. The conversation with him in November 2023, was to verify the proposed strategies with ground conditions and identify any challenges it might face. Sam was able to assure us with figures and evidences from his research that the land in Wales is more than capable of catering to feeding the local population. The data figures that were available for the proposal had been based influenced initially by monoculture farming practices due to lack of sources for agroforestry farming data. Sam was able to bridge that resource gap for us and give us measures that we could then use to project for larger farmlands. Concerns on subsidy limitations and rigidity was discussed. As was the reckless international food trade that keeps local growers out of the markets. Sam currently cultivates a small farm of 2 acres and supplies 40 vegetable boxes a week to local customers in Anglesey. This figure was a useful base to start approaching expansion strategies going forward.

Fig. 3.20  | CARICATURE OF SAM

03.2.7 Proposed Agricultural Model

There are many calling for more ecologically sustainable methods of farming in Wales to regenerate the landscape that has degraded after decades of intensive agricultural practices. The damage done will need to be repaired to survive the climate crisis as it gets more brutal. The increasingly unpredictable weather in Wales is already cause of much strife to farmers and their harvests, and it needs urgent intervention.

A new model of agriculture built on restoring natural carbon cycles must be supported by the state to urgently trap the carbon from the atmosphere back into the ground. The pattern of loading and dumping the soil with nitrates and fertilisers must also be broken. Growing nutrient dense produce over seasonal periods should be promoted over perennial varieties that only ensures yearround production of profits. The small farms would prove instrumental in this transition as they would be able to effectuate silvo-pasture and agroforestry models with less labour than the large farms.

Constructing common amenities and processing facilities that can be shared between these farms would prove critical in improving the local infrastructure and open opportunities to many more farmers while also welcoming many other service jobs to the area as the operations on the farm diversify. Housing for the labour is a major hurdle. Community Land Trust models for acquiring land and providing affordable housing to those who work the landscape should be a priority to ease entry of new farmers.

Connecting these growers to the local markets with better prices and seller protections can provide local markets with local produce over cheap international imports. Growing fruits and vegetables locally among other things can save the Welsh government upto 72.5 million pounds annually. This money could be further streamlined towards bolstering the farming sector

2.07 Million HA

Reduce Livestock Production

Proposed Average Dietary Patterns

Provide Affordable Housing Preserve and Expand Welsh Language

Boost Agriculture based Tourism

Reduce import of fruits & veg. for Locals 30%Sharein£6BillionIndustry 4MillionPeople

3.21  | PROPOSED WELSH AGRICULTURAL MODEL source/credits

Fig.

This comprehensive framework not only empowers farmers but also fosters environmental sustainability and community resilience

Un Cymru Policy

The Un Cmyru policy is an ambitious plan that aims to increase food sovereignty in Wales by redirecting government subsidies and investing in agricultural expansion and infrastructure. The policy’s recommendations, divided into two parts, are directed at improving land access and lowering farmers’ operating costs. This includes initiatives such as farming clusters, Community Land Trusts (CLTs), council farms, and the Right to Buy program. Financial assistance is available through programs such as the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS), Countryside Stewardship, and Landscape Recovery.

Through meticulous analysis and real-world case studies, the thesis will delve into the potential impacts and effective implementation strategies of the Un Cmyru policy

The policy also includes spatial design elements to achieve the seven objectives outlined in the original One Planet Development (OPD) policy. Consultation and toolkits for land-based activities and management promote community engagement and knowledge sharing. Spatial interventions aim to achieve objectives such as sustainable land use, biodiversity conservation, and carbon reduction. By combining recommendations and spatial design, the Un Cmyru policy provides a comprehensive framework for promoting sustainable agriculture and empowering communities.

In our academic thesis, the Un Cmyru policy would be presented as a strategic response to the challenges that Welsh agriculture have faced. It aims to transform the subsidy system and create a more resilient and self-sufficient food system. The policy’s dual approach of recommendations and spatial design ensures comprehensive support for farmers while also addressing environmental and social concerns. The proposal would investigate the possible impacts and implementation strategies of the Un Cmyru policy using detailed analysis and instances.

Land Access

Policy Recommendation

Farmer’s Clusters

Operating Costs

Elements of Spatial Design

Consultation Based

Infrastructure Based

Sustainable Farming Initiative

Countryside Stewardship

Sustainable Farming Scheme Council Farms Community Land Trusts

Right to Buy over Retiring Farmers

Land Based Activity

Land Management

Landscape

Recovery

Environmental Land Management

Community Impact

Knowledge exchange and planning advice

Fig. 3.22  | CHARTING THE ROLES OF FOOD HUB ORGANISATION UNDER UN CYMRU POLICY

CYMRU POLICY

03.3.1

Phasing the Policy

To ensure the success of Un Cymru policy in Wales, a phased approach is required. This strategic approach enables focused attention, risk reduction, and adaptability. Breaking down the policy into 3 stages allows for better resource allocation, problem solving, and collaboration, resulting in resilient and sustainable landscapes across Wales.

03.3.2

Phase 01: Land Acquisition and Local Collaboration

Phase 1 of the policy framework is designed to address the critical issue of land access for New Entrants and Existing Farmers within the agricultural sector of Wales. Through initiatives such as the Right to Buy, individuals are empowered to acquire land from retiring farmers, thereby promoting inclusivity within the farming community. Collaborative partnerships with Council Farms, Farmer Clusters, and Community Land Trusts (CLTs) further enhance opportunities for land acquisition and knowledge exchange among farmers.

Additionally, the expansion of Phase 1 initiatives, particularly the Right to Buy, serves to provide aspiring farmers and existing agriculturalists with affordable options for land ownership or rental. Council Farms, managed by local government authorities, offer accessible entry points into farming, while Farmer Clusters facilitate cooperative land management and resource-sharing among small-scale farmers. Moreover, CLTs play a crucial role in addressing housing challenges by ensuring that land is utilized for affordable housing purposes in alignment with local needs.

This phase builds resilient rural communities by ensuring equitable land access and collective farmer support. Phase 1 establishes a solid foundation for a sustainable future in which farmers and residents coexist in harmony with the natural environment. In essence, it creates inclusive agricultural landscape in Wales.

LAND ACQUISITION AND LOCAL COLLABORATION

Fig. 3.23  | PHASE 01: MAKING LAND MORE ACCESSIBLE TO INTERESTED PARTIES

LOGISTIC + SERVICES

Fig. 3.24  | PROVIDING SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR WELSH FOOD

03.3.3

Phase

02: Logistic and Services

Phase 2 of the policy represents a significant advancement over Phase 1, with the establishment of the foodhub taking center stage. The emphasis now shifts to integrating the Multi-Enterprise Farming System (MiFAS) model, which aims to promote diverse farm enterprises. Concurrently, the foodhub refines its land management strategy to comply with regional policy guidelines. Furthermore, logistical support is improved, including transportation, quality control, and product marketing from affiliated farms. This phase marks significant progress toward sustainable food production and lays the groundwork for Phase 3 initiatives. These subsequent efforts aim to strengthen local food systems, promote food sovereignty, and improve agricultural resilience and sustainability in Wales

03.3.4

Phase 03: Infrastructure

Phase 3 of the policy and food-hub initiative represents a significant step toward achieving food sovereignty in Wales. By introducing important infrastructure such as community processing units and manufacturing facilities, we hope to improve local food production and processing capabilities. These shared processing units will enable farms to process their produce more efficiently, lowering costs and increasing productivity while encouraging collaboration among local farmers. Furthermore, the formation of local energy cooperatives and initiatives for clean water and waste recycling demonstrates our firm commitment to long-term sustainability. These initiatives not only create jobs, but also empower communities to manage their own food systems, reducing reliance on outside sources and promoting self-sufficiency. Furthermore, the establishment of a transportation hub will significantly reduce food miles by promoting the distribution of regional food while reducing the impact on the environment. Our goal is to create a more resilient and sustainable food system that puts the needs of the community and local production first.

Fig. 3.25  | UPWARD VIEW THROUGH TREE FOLIAGE

Fig. 3.26  | DOWNWARD VIEW TOWARDS TREE DEBRIS

04

A NEW FOOD POLICY

04.1

Zooming In

As evidenced thus far, Wales’ agricultural sector relies heavily on imports to meet both human and livestock dietary requirements. Despite the fact that agriculture accounts for roughly 80% of the land, there is significant diversity in land types and habitats, which are frequently classified broadly. Among these, Pembrokeshire County stands out for having a diverse range of census points. With the highest concentration of farmers, livestock cattle, and cultivated farmlands, Pembrokeshire was chosen as the ideal location to test the project’s initiatives. It is surrounded by sea on three sides and has a rugged coastline typical of Wales, which draws many hikers to its popular coastal trails. Furthermore, the county’s diverse elevations, which reach up to 550 meters, result in abundant rainfall.

Moving forward with the project, theories have been meticulously developed, simulated, and tested with the goal of improving food security in Pembrokeshire and, as a result, spreading these benefits throughout Wales. The project’s goal is to build resilient landscapes at the local level, with proposals ranging from soil management on individual farms to regional and national policies. By addressing these various factors comprehensively, the project hopes to establish a strong framework for sustainable agriculture. The initiative aims to improve food security while also promoting environmental sustainability and socioeconomic resilience across the region and beyond, through strategic interventions and collaborative efforts at various scales.

1. Agriculture census for number of Farmers

2. Agriculture census for number of Farmerlands

3. Agriculture census for number of cattles Fig. 4.1  | OVER THE WELSH TERRAIN

Fig. 4.2

UNDERSTANDING PEMBROKESHIRE GEOGRAPHY

Towns River Streams

The slope in some parts are so steep, they are mostly used for only livestock cultivation. The steep terrain also makes for wide variations in rainfall received in the windward and leeward sides of the hills and mountains.

Case of Pembrokeshire

A. Terrain

The terrain in Wales is distinctly hilly and mountainous. The north of Wales is known to be much hillier than the south with the picturesque Cambrian mountain ranges. The slope in some parts are so steep, they are mostly used for only livestock cultivation. The steep terrain also makes for wide variations in rainfall received in the windward and leeward sides of the hills and mountains. Each local catchment has its own scale of uplands and lowlands based on the ranging terrain elevations. In the catchments of Pembrokeshire for instance, one can see the land altitude vary between 80M and 550M.

B. Rainfall

The implications that the slope of the land has are many but the most noteworthy of them might be the rainfall received. The uplands tend to receive almost twice as much rainfall as the lowlands. In Pembrokeshire, the lowlands receive 550m whereas the highest point in the county receives 1265mm per annum. This can affect the kind of land management strategies required and all what kind of foods and vegetations can thrive under these conditions.

C. Arable Cultivation// Implication on Agriculture

The high rainfall can make it much harder to use the land for growing horticulture produce. The intense water can damage the crops and ruin harvest season.

The abundant rainfall in Wales creates challenges for horticultural initiatives, exposing crops to damage and disrupting harvest. Adding to the challenge, the region’s clayey, acidic soil composition complicates fruit and vegetable production. Nonetheless, Pembrokeshire stands out for its pockets of arable land nestled along the coastal lowlands. These areas have the highest concentration of cultivable landscapes in Wales, which are prized for their agricultural viability and frequently sought after for cultivation and sale, indicating that there are opportunities for sustainable farming ventures in the region

Fig. 4.3

Fig. 4.4

Fig. 4.5  | CURRENT LANDUSE

Fig. 4.6  | LOWLAND 61%oftotalisoccupiedbyHerbaceousVegetation 96%Lowlands[Below250M]

04.2

04.2.1

Feeding Wales

Case of Pembrokeshire

Engagement with Clo Carbon Cymru introduced the project to the wide scope of agroforestry systems in Wales. In its fundamental sense, the OPD farms were also single units of agroforestry experiments that worked with minimal support from the government and fewer collaborations than more established farms in other parts of the UK. Leveraging on this method of farming would improve collaborations across individual farms and ensure more sustainable practices and better management of waste and energy.

The idea of a Community Food Hub was also something that the Clo Carbon Cymru were promoting to government agencies as a method to bring consumers closer to those who produce their food. Stories of frustrated farmers who struggled to compete with supermarket chains as well as farmers who were dejected by the redundancy of their sector in Wales motivated the need for shifts in the present systems.

Stories of frustrated farmers who struggled to compete with supermarket chains as well as farmers who were dejected by the redundancy of their sector in Wales motivated the need for shifts in the present systems

Community led initiatives would ensure that the profits get circulated back to benefit those who live in Wales and ensure better protections from shifts of external economic conditions. Agroforestry farms successfully thrive by stacking several enterprises over the same parcel of land. Promoting collaborations within the community that is free and contract specific, would ensure optimisation of resources for energy, processing, marketing, transport and delivery. An example illustrated was the farm run by Richard Edwards in Clo Carbon Cymru where waste apples from an orchard were taken to feed pigs in his farm. The pig meat acquired unique flavours and were marketed as seasonal varieties of meat. The pruned twigs from nearby woodlands were used to create biofuel and over 50 varieties of mushrooms were cultivated in the wooded areas of the farm.

Fig. 4.7

Fig. 4.9  | OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION

TransitioninWales:FromConventionaltoMiFAS.CloCarbonCymru CloCarbonCymru.(n.d.).AgriculturalTransitioninWales:FromConventionaltoMiFAS.CloCarbonCymru

SYSTEMS UNDER MIFAS

TransitioninWales:FromConventionaltoMiFAS.CloCarbonCymru

Fig. 4.10  | THROUGH CASES OF MUSHROOM

04.2.2

How much food do we need?

A healthy individual diet consists of a balanced intake of food primarily across categories of cereals, fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat, and other poultry items. Other food categories such as beverages, oils and sugars are also necessary.

As per the National Food Survey the current individual intake of fruits and vegetables is lower than the recommended requirements. Since Welsh production of fruits and vegetables is also abysmally poor, in the project started by aiming to meet 60% of local fruit and vegetable needs through agroforestry models of cultivation. Apart from fruit and vegetable needs, the project also sought to produce cereals that would go towards human diets.

Large scale agricultural data sets from FAO and EU were used to build a broad picture of the statistical requirements of the country. It is worth noting that these figures were largely looking at yield from intensive monoculture farming experiments. However, since agroforestry estimates a higher yield, it was safe to assume that the produce figures would match the requirements. One must also be cautious that the large-scale intensive farming systems will not hold out as the effect of climate crisis exacerbates, which is already evident in the seasonal spikes of certain produce (like courgettes and tomatoes in 2023) depending on import supply conditions.

The numbers crunched indicated that a total of roughly 1 acre was required to feed 17 people through the year. However, conventionally, only 15% of total agricultural output goes towards human consumption while 70% feeds livestock and another 15% goes towards industrial uses. These things were considered to estimate more realistically how an acre of land would be used.

Poux,X.,&Aubert,P.-M.(2018,September).An

8. .FoodandAgricultureOrganisation,United

Fig. 4.11  | REDUCING FOOD MILES THROUGH

4.12  | ESTIMATING FOOD CONSUMPTION FIGURES

Fig.

04.2.3

The argument made is that developing routes in the market that prioritise the needs of the farmer and protect the consumers improves social, environmental, and economic conditions of the community.

Market Garden Renaissance from LWA

The market garden renaissance movement advocated for by the Land Worker’s Alliance seeks to bring a new form of fruit and vegetable production to the UK. As a necessary measure to improve production of horticulture in the UK, mainly to meet the local demands and improve local consumption; the LWA worked on a bold new policy that would revitalise the growing sector and also create working conditions that would encourage a new generation of growers. The proposal looks at building three zones of farm networks to support urban centres improving connection between consumers and food producers. The model also accepts that there will be certain produce that comes from outside and wholesalers who buy from other growers in the UK or abroad. The argument made is that developing routes in the market that prioritise the needs of the farmer and protect the consumers improves social, environmental, and economic conditions of the community.

Horticulture Across Four Nations

A report by the Landworkers’ Alliance (2024)

Written by Rebecca Laughton

10. Laughton,R.(2023).AMarketGarden Renaissance. Retrieved from Landworkers’ Alliance: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/ https://landworkersalliance.org.uk/wp-content/ uploads/2018/10/Market-Garden-Renaissance-PamphletOct23.pdf

The Attraction of Agroecology and the barriers faced by new entrants pursuing agroecological farming

Fig. 4.13  | BOOK COVER

11. Laughton,R.(2023).AMarketGarden Renaissance. Retrieved from Landworkers’ Alliance: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/ https://landworkersalliance.org.uk/wp-content/ uploads/2018/10/Market-Garden-Renaissance-PamphletOct23.pdf

Fig. 4.14  | GROWING COMMUNITY FOOD ZONES DrawingbyLWA

Designing The Food Zones

The strategic planning outlined in this study, framed within the context of the Market Garden Renaissance, addresses the food requirements of Pembrokeshire by delineating zones around major settlements. These zones are meticulously crafted with proximity counters to ensure optimal access to food sources for each community cluster. Rural settlements are also incorporated into the plan, creating a comprehensive network of food production zones.Efforts extend beyond mapping; overlaps between adjacent zones are adjusted to optimize land usage and minimize waste. Transport hubs are strategically located to connect these zones with population centers, forming an efficient distribution network managed by a centralized food hub entity within the Market Garden Renaissance framework. While the zones provide a framework for agricultural activities, individual farm plots within each zone receive production guidelines from the food hub, ensuring alignment with community needs while empowering local farmers.

“The food growing zones are only indicative areas where individual farm plots would receive guidelines of production and goals for each zone (managed by the food hub) would have to sustain the people within each community ward area.”

This integrated approach, within the framework of the Market Garden Renaissance, aims to foster a resilient and sustainable local food system while mitigating administrative conflicts. By decentralizing decision-making and empowering local communities, the strategy promotes ownership and adaptability at the grassroots level. In summary, this strategic planning approach, embedded in the principles of the Market Garden Renaissance, provides a framework for creating a resilient food system capable of meeting the region’s needs, contributing to the academic discourse on sustainable food systems planning and management.

Step 02. Adjust

Step 03. Connect

Fig. 4.15  | ZONING STRATEGY SCHEMATIC

Step 01. Create strategiestodeveloppembrokeshirefoodzones

4.17  | AVAILABLE PRODUCTION AREA VS TOTAL POPULATION

Data visualisation for Admin Boundaries of located towns

4.16  | SELECTED ADMIN BOUNDARIES

Extensionofadminboundariestoaccomodatefoodrequirementoftownwithorepopulation

4.19  | LAND AVAILABLE FOR SELECTED ADMIN BOUNDARIES

Selectingareaforlocatedtowns

4.18  | SCHEMATIC FOOD BUFFERS TO UNDERSTAND REQUIREMENT

Foodzonesproportionaltofoodrequiredforexistingpopulationofeachtown

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

Fig.

The method tested to create the food zones for Pembrokeshire, were further developed and designed by differentiating specific roles to the zone. Taking inspiration from the Market Garden Renaissance movement, the zone was segregated into three parts. These were the zone of Urban and Community Gardens, the peri-urban zone and finally the rural zone. As per the food requirements of the community, the food zones were given specific roles and responsibilities.

Urban and Community Gardens were to support 7.5% and the peri-urban zone is to support 17.5% of the food requirements and the last rural zone is to support 35% of the food requirements. These breakdowns would ideally subsidise 60% of the community’s total foo requirements and reduce the required imports to Wales from across the globe. The revenue thus saved could further be invested in other sectors of government like the local planning authority. This model of growing food would also contain the market to local businesses and improve community wealth.

Fig. 4.20  | FOOD PRODUCTION ZONES

Fig. 4.21  | SMALL MEDIUM & LARGE

Newport + Nevern

Pembrokeshire

Food Zones for Pembrokeshire

This approach allows for the tailored selection of sites that best suit the Newport Nevern scenario, while maintaining the algorithm’s adaptability for application in various contexts.

The algorithmic developments

In developing spatial design outcomes, we employ a diverse set of tools to create and test algorithms for various functions. Beginning with riparian buffers, we delineate a variable extent ranging from 150 to 200 meters relative to the topography, where the buffer width decreases with steeper slopes. Subsequently, we conduct proximity analyses and evaluate land parcels to identify areas between 5 to 30 acres, facilitating opportunities for small-scale farmers. Concurrently, our calculation module generates a list of required parcels based on the food production needs of the Newport Nevern population.

Following the management of diverse land parcels, we classify them into upland and lowland categories based on their topographical attributes. This classification process leads to the formation of farm clusters, which are integrated to establish a cohesive infrastructure covering 100 acres of selected land parcels. These parcels are then interconnected using transportation road analyses, and connectivity mapping via the depth map X plug-in aids in identifying suitable locations for infrastructure development.

This approach allows for the tailored selection of sites that best suit the Newport Nevern scenario, while maintaining the algorithm’s adaptability for application in various contexts. Through the integration of multiple criteria and analyses, our algorithm facilitates the creation of spatial designs that are both functional and responsive to the needs of the target population. As a versatile tool, it can be effectively utilized in different geographical settings to address specific spatial design challenges.

01 : Riparian Buffer excluded

05 : All suitable parcels of upland identified

09: Transport network overlayed

Fig. 4.22

03 : Four Food Zones identified based on Market garden Renaissance

07 : All suitable parcels of lowland identified

11 : Land parcels clustered together to build common infrastructure

08

12 : Designed Outcome of Policy with designated Food Zones producing food locally for the nearest town

10 : Critical Transport Linkages strengthened with transport hubs

06 : Parcels of upland selected to meet food production demands for the town

02 : Uplands and Lowlands demarcated

: Parcels of lowland selected to meet food production demands for the town

04 : Land Parcels overlayed

Visualising Food Zones

Riparian Buffer

The rainy Welsh climate naturally makes for a very wet landscape all year round. Designing the food zones in the terrain should follow landscape strategies that accommodate the local hydrology in its baseline study. The riparian edge is marked out along a 200m distance along the flood plain to ensure proper protection to the farms. Farm lands in this area is directed towards water conservation and percolation to mitigate floods. This is especially necessary along the edges surrounding more densely populated towns and settlement cluster. The biodiversity along the river’s edge it to be rejuvenated to bring back dwindling species of plants and animals. During the summers these spaces can become more accessible spaces to the public with minimal intervention infrastructure like walkways and light pedestrian bridges.regular negotiations to enforce climate action policy. Since then we have seen numerous treaties signed, the more recent ones being the 2015 Paris Agreement, which sought to keep the planet from warming under the keep the planet from warming under the 04.3.2

Fig. 4.23  | SKETCH OF WELSH RIPARIAN BUFFER

Fig. 4.24  | RIPARIAN BUFFER: MAINTAINED ALONG FLOODPLAINS

04.3.3

Uplands vs Lowlands

The lowlands and the uplands are demarcated based on local terrain conditions and rainfall patterns. Each zone was designated a specific role in the growing community. The lowlands with more scope for horticulture and prevalence of arable lands were designed to grow fruits and vegetables with a small amount of silviculture if feasible. The uplands were designed to prevent soil erosion and support for cereal cultivation and livestock breeding.

FruitandVegProduction FloodMitigation

Livestock and Silviculture PreventingSoilErosion

Fig. 4.25  | THE UPLAND VS LOWLAND

Fig. 4.26  | UPLANDS

Fig. 4.27  | LOWLANDS

04.3.4

Food Zones

The Market Garden Renaissance action, which was inspired by sustainable agriculture and local food production principles, served as the foundation for Newport Nevern’s strategic food zone planning. Using insights from this movement, the planners conducted a comprehensive assessment of the town’s population and dietary requirements. This entailed estimating the necessary quantities of fruits, vegetables, and cereals to sustain the community.

The food zones, which were meticulously overlaid on the terrain, were intended not only to meet immediate food demands but also to promote ecological balance and resilience in the region. In keeping with the Market Garden Renaissance ethos, the planners included a sustainable forestry component in the zoning strategy. For each 20 acres of land designated for food production, An additional 2-4 acres were designated for woodland cultivation. The deliberate inclusion of woodlands in the plan serves several purposes, including biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, and the promotion of agroforestry practices.

By incorporating these elements into the design of the food zones, the planners hope to not only meet Newport Nevern’s nutritional needs, but also to foster a holistic approach to land use that prioritizes environmental sustainability and resilience.

Fig. 4.28  | NEWPORT NEVER DERIVED FOOD-ZONES

Fig. 4.29  | LWA FOOD-ZONES SUPPLY CHAIN

Peri-Urban Zone

Urban and Community

Fig. 4.30  | 10 ACRE MARKET GARDEN RENAISSANCE DEMONSTRATION ON A SAMPLE OF LOWLAND FARMS

Lowlands

The lowlands are areas with reduced rainfall and seasonal flooding. It is also the region with maximum arable landscapes according to government datasets. This region is to be used primarily for fruit and vegetable cultivation in agroforestry principles along with flood mitigation strategies for land management.

With majorly fruit and vegetable growing in agroforestry methods, this region will require a significant amount of labour, roughly to the tune of 3 to 4 people per 10 acres of farmlands. Shared manufacturing and processing units for the fruit and vegetables production can further improve the range of products grown and created locally. This can start to bring in local flavours and serve to build local brands through food labels.

Fig. 4.31  | KEY MAP INDICATING FOOD ZONES

The main settlement areas of the food zones can retain their position and character. The proposal does not look into the spatial nature of this zone however it is recommended that more areas are marked for small scale growing of food. a tiny fraction of their food needs to be met this way.

Lowlands: Zone 1: Urban and Community

Fig. 4.32  | COMMONLY MANAGED GARDENS

Carrots

Asparagus

Eggplants Fruits Leeks

Biowaste Labour

Polytunnels

Urban and Community gardens

LEFT IMAGE

thick hedges for biodiversity  and protecting the fields from wind erosion

rows of tree to improve soil health and water percolation

multiple cropping cycles with various produce

ponds and water management

Roughly three fourths of the land in the periurban growing regions of the lowlands would be dedicated towards fruits and vegetable production. This would be necessary to intensify current fruit and vegetable production. The crop areas would have ponds for biodiversity and collecting water that can flood the lowlands during the storms.

Lowlands: Zone 2: Peri-urban

Fig. 4.33  | HORTICULTURE FARMS

Contour Farming

Asparagus

Eggplants Fruits

Leeks

Biowaste Labour

rows of tree to improve soil health and water percolation

rotational cropping of different cereals thick hedges for biodiversity  and protecting the fields from wind erosion

A quarter of the land in the peri urban belt will be used to for cereal production. These cereals are grown to support both people and as animal feed in small measure. Grains to be grown in line with agroforestry principles and not monoculture to protect soil health.

04.3.2 Lowlands: Zone 3: Rural

Fig. 4.34  | CEREAL PRODUCTION IN AGROFORESTRY

Wheat Hazelnut

Maize

Willow Labour

LEFT IMAGE

A quarter of the land in the rural zone to be allocated for silviculture. This can support the bio fuel needs and also provide natural shelter to the small number of livestock needed. Improving the tree cover in the lowlands can also improve soil health and mitigate flooding to some degree.

trees to be planted as clumps diverse

fruit growing trees and mushroom foraging allowed

Lowlands: Zone 3: Rural

Fig. 4.35  | SILVICULTURE PLOTS

Biofuels Mushroom

Cultivation

Berries

Pruning

canopies

Amenities for producing processed goods from farm produce

Processing unit with transport and marketing facilities

Common processing units to be provided for every 10 farms in the lowlands. These centres can house equipment and space for creating secondary goods from the raw farm produce. Directly providing these facilities to the farmers improves their income and also makes the links to the market more efficient.

Lowlands: Zone 2: Peri-urban

Fig. 4.36  | COMMON PROCESSING UNIT

These units can be used as aggregation and distribution centres for storage, packaging and marketing purposes. It acts as the interim stop between the farms and the customers in the market. At the manufacturing centre, the fresh produce can be handled and packaged for the market as per guidelines and quality checks. This centre will not process the food to create new items and will be provided at a fewer frequency than the processing units.

Manufacturing unit with transport and marketing facilities

Lowlands: Zone 2: Peri-urban

Fig. 4.37  | MANUFACTURING UNIT

Peri-Urban Zone

Urban and Community

Fig. 4.38  | 10 ACRE MARKET GARDEN RENAISSANCE DEMOSTRATION ON A SAMPLE OF UPLAND FARMS

The uplands are regions that receive twice as much rainfall as the lowlands. The strategies for the farms that opt into the food growing zones would therefore pay close attention to absorbing water run off into the ground, preventing soil erosion and improving groundwater reserves. The nature of land does not permit the abundant growth of fruits and vegetables therefore these farms will be dedicated towards production of cereals and silviculture practices. Both these functions will be based on agroforestry principles and will engage in a small amount of livestock cultivation as permitted by the guidelines.

With the uplands functioning as points of cereal, livestock and forestry hubs, there will be permanent on site labour required for these that may be fewer in number than the lowlands. Local councils can be consulted in determining the numbers and accommodation amenities required to support them. Shared processing centres and manufacturing units to be introduced and can also be used as knowledge hubs where training programs can be envisioned over the later phases of the policy.

Fig. 4.39  | KEY PLAN WITH THE FOOD ZONES

Community Land Trusts to be set up for common housing provisions. The rents to be controlled and protected against inflation by market fluctuations. The housing to be provided to all farmers, and part- time labourers brought in for

Zone 1: Urban Areas

Fig. 4.40  | HOUSING FOR FARM LABOUR

Community housing units

LEFT IMAGE

Livestock farming to be limited to areas available for feed production. Enclosures to heated with bio-fuel generated by the food hub community. Rotational cropping to be practiced over the pasture lands. Cereals to supplement the imports of animal feed to be produced on the farm and processed at community units. Fruit bearing trees to also be added to the animal feed. Common processing centres to be shared between farms, for dairy processing and poultry.

Zone 2: Peri-Urban

Fig. 4.41  | LIVESTOCK REARING Dairy Cheese Fruits Labour

Polytunnels with for poultry animals Farm barns heated with biofuel made in the food zones

Pasture lands and fruit trees to supplement livestock diets

thick hedges for biodiversity  and protecting the fields from wind erosion

rows of tree to improve soil health and water percolation

rotational cropping of different cereals

improve bacerial microbes in the soil

Zone 2: Uplands

Cereals to be grown in circulation over the farm areas to allow for land regeneration and prevent mono culture cropping practices. Local varieties of maize barley and wheat to be cultivated with rows of trees to break wind and protect soil from wind and water erosion. The trees can be fast growing varieties like poplar, willow, elder or other hybrid varieties that will ensure the swiftest carbon capture.

Fig. 4.42  | CEREAL PRODUCTION IN MIFAS SYSTEMS

Bio-fuel

Wheat

Maize Labour

LEFT IMAGE

Zone 2: Uplands

Cereals to be grown in circulation over the farm areas to allow for land regeneration and prevent mono culture cropping practices. When not used for growing, the fields can be used for livestock pastures and continue to support rows of trees and hedges.

Pasture lands used when rotational areas cleared

improve bacerial microbes in the soil

Fig. 4.43  | CEREAL IN ROTATIONAL FARMING

Willow

Biofuel

Hazelnut

complex canopy cover maintained in silviculture

various native species and fast growing species

soil helath improvement with improved fungal and nitrate contents

Conservation Areas

Zone 3: Silviculture Type 1

One third area of the silviculture zone to be area of minimum intervention. No systemic felling of trees except for safety reasons. Frequent pruning and thinning to be done where ever and when ever required as per site conditions to encourage and improve growth.

Fig. 4.44  | SILVICULTURE AREA OF MINIMUM INTERVENTION

LEFT IMAGE

complex canopy cover maintained in silviculture

diversity in age groups and specis of tree clusters

One third area of the silviculture zone will be used for small coupe felling. Trees to be planted in clumps and diverse age groups to be maintained by controlled felling. Diverse canopy covers also to be preserved to allow forest regeneration. Products like timber, fibre, paper could be produced. Coppicing could also contribute to biofuel supplies.

areas of controlled felling for sourcing timber and other forest resources

soil helath improvement with improved fungal and nitrate contents

Zone 3: Silviculture Type 2

Fig. 4.45  | SILVICULTURE AREA OF SMALL COUPE FELLING

Bio-fuel

continuous cover forestry maintaining complex canopies and biodiversity

soil health improvement with improved fungal and nitrate contents

Bio-fuel Labour

Two thirds of the silviculture area in the uplands to be maintained as an area for conservation. Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF) with simple and complex systems to be created. Livestock can take shelter in these spaces and feed on wild fruits and berries.

Fig. 4.46  | SILVICULTURE AREA OF CONTINUOUS COVER FORESTRY

Zone 3: Silviculture Type 3

Zone 3: Silviculture Type 4

Silviculture parcel for a sixth of the uplands is to be designed as areas for public access. Marked pathways for movement and foraging for non-commercial purposes to be allowed.

Fig. 4.47  | SILVICULTURE AREA OF OPEN PUBLIC ACCESS

Bio-fuel Mushrooms Berries

Visualising the Food Zones

The Food Zones while conceptualised as proximity belts around the town, are spatially identified as individual farm plots as per their terrain conditions. The map indicates the minimum parcels required to feed the resident population of Newport and Nevern The road network highlighted indicates the existing networks of shortest routes to connect these food growing farms to each other.

Fig. 4.48  | THE SELECTED LAND PARCELS FOR FOOD PRODUCTION

Visualising

the Food Zones

Once the parcels are selected in the food zones and production is streamlined, clusters are identified and infrastructure support is provided for each as per requirement. The proximity test was performed on identified road network to achieve the nearest parcels and form farm clusters. Transport hubs were placed between clusters by calculating the centrality in the transport network and choosing the location with the most central value. These hubs are to be managed centrally by the food hub to improve connectivity along the supply chain.

The lowlands are provided with one processing unit and one manufacturing unit per 100 acres or one for every 10 farms as per feasibility of site conditions. These units can help collect and assemble the fruit and vegetables produced on the farms.The food zones on the uplands are provided with manufacturing units to process dairy and cereals. Community housing parcels are also demarcated for each cluster to ensure farmers and their labour have affordable housing.

Fig. 4.49  | VISUALIZING POLICY IN PHASE 03 WITH PROVIDED INFRASTRUCTURE

The Expansion Strategy 04.3.7

The demonstration on the towns of Newport and Nevern while accounts for multiple terrain and landscape conditions, will not leave a considerable enough impact on the Welsh ecological footprint or economy. In order to achieve conceivable benefits to the local population, the proposal must be expanded further to the Pembrokeshire county and Welsh country.

In the Pembrokeshire county, certain challenges magnify. The variation in land type and conflict with ground conditions alter the amount of production and keeping a margin for supply across counties becomes crucial. Connecting the farms to eachother also becomes vital to keep emissions low and support lapses in the produce cultivated by the food growing zones.

Imagining the transformation of the landscape over time, would require re imagining the way we grow out food

The areas out of the growing zones can be used for ecological conservation and other land management strategies for building resilience against effects of climate change. The slow development of these growing farms that opt into the policy would forever change the way people eat and live with their lands.

Fig. 4.50  | SPECULATIVE VIEW OF FOOD ZONES ON GROUND

Fig. 4.51  | FOOD GROWING ZONE VS AREA OF CONSUMPTION

Fig. 4.52  | TRANSPORT NETWORK OPTIMIZATION

Fig. 4.53  | GORSE FLOWERS ON THE COASTAL WALK IN PEMBROKESHIRE

Fig. 4.54  | VIEW FROM THE COASTAL WALK IN PEMBROKESHIRE

05 IN CLOSING

Changing the way we grow food

Food is such a complex and controversial industry today that it generates ripple effects well beyond the plate. In the course of this project, we delved into understanding the OPD policy in Wales, leading us to looking at climate action through the lens of food sovereignty. As a result of the research collated, it was concluded that the use of mixed farming and agroforestry systems (MiFAS) is the most effective way of regenerating the landscape in Wales through carbon capture and sustainable production of food and energy. As a strategy this was more vital in building resilient landscapes that could survive against the onslaughts of the climate crisis. By localising the elaborate food supply chains, this proposal also ensures safeguarding Wales from the

economic and social repercussions that will be set off as the climate continues to break down. While agroforestry models are being heavily promoted by grassroots activists and small farmers as the need of the hour in the UK, this proposal set out to imagine what implications that mission would have on the rural landscape and lifestyle.

The conservation and regeneration efforts of the OPD projects are a remarkable success story for the ecology. By expanding the policy, the proposal is able to ensure individual liberty in managing the land from one’s own farming experiences while also streamlining more collective efforts towards managing resources like energy and waste. This reduces the country’s emissions and restores natural carbon cycles in the local environment. It creates a unified climate

Fig. 5.1  | SPECULATING FOOD ZONES FOR ALL OF WALES

action plan that is built from the bottom-up expertise and considers the potentials and limitations from the top-down. The unified climate action plan is bolstered not by vague metrics ( like EF) that are incomprehensible to any common person but evaluated by putting climate action on food plates in the local community.

What does a unified climate action look like?

Developing the designed food growing zones would help Wales trap more carbon, improve its ecological fertility and reduce indiscriminate carbon emissions from the agricultural sector. It would also serve to limit the environmental damage that is currently being exported to other nations through the redundant trade global routes. The nexus of planetary urbanisation means that even a small country like Wales can have far

reaching positive implications, if it decides to pull out of reckless consumption habits and sustain its own population locally.

This is naturally, easier said than done. There are social and bureaucratic hurdles to cross. Prevailing notions of intensive farming has been around for so many decades that it will require a lot of convincing to shift to a new method of growing food. It maybe considered radical at first, to support local growers over apparently cheaper international imports. But it is worth noting that as climate continues to rage at breakneck speed, the global markets will get less reliable with time and nations like Wales must be prepared to survive that. As farmers and scientists everywhere ring alarm bells, we must heed to their warnings and build towards a new reality.

cereal hazelnut bara brith squash mushroom cheese milk tomato leeks turnip eggplant carrot apple honey jam asparagus

Fig. 5.2  | A RANGE OF PRODUCE FROM THE NEW FARMS

A Food Renaissance

The global pandemic exposed the susceptibility of all international markets to sudden freak incidents. The severity and intensity of the climate crisis continues to travel across the global similarly but remains underestimated even today. The farmers and all those who work the land will always be in the frontlines of those shocks. In the fight with climate catastrophe, it is inevitable that they would be our most reliable allies.

Localising food chains is then the most effective and collaborative effort towards climate action.

There is a desperate need to change the way people eat. It also brings into question a larger realm of questions about equity and the labour that goes into producing our food. Our diets should not be devastating our planet or costing other people their homes. The spatial demonstration in this project was designed for a suitable pilot site with relatively varying site conditions and a small

Fig. 5.3  | METRIC SYSTEM DEVELOPED FOR THE FOOD ZONES CONSIDERING VARIOUS GOALS.

population of people. Future expansion of the policy should aim to look at measures needed to feed more challenging counties of Wales, and the definite challenges posed by dense urban areas like Cardiff. This exercise would require refining the policy framework for Un Cymru to accommodate more accessibility and variation in type. It would also need to reach out to many more stakeholders and begin to incorporate public institutions and protect local procurement channels.

At present the lush landscape of Wales serves to capitalise on international trade for economic gains alone. Seeking to conserve these landscapes for the benefit of future generations cannot yet be measured by existing metrics of climate action. Implementation of such a groundbreaking shift in ideology would need alternative means of monitoring conditions. This was explored in very rudimentary forms in the early stages of this project. Effective expansion of the policy requires definite clarity on these aspects.

Where do we meet reality?

Building resilient landscapes in Wales through food was a unique and effective approach towards developing a climate action plan that could support and develop the local community. Knowing where your food comes from and how it is grown is a radical idea in the modern world. But it can change a lot about how we treat the earth and its potentials. Despite majority Welsh farmers engaging in livestock rearing, its local residents still do not get direct access to locally produced dairy products. These strange paradoxes must be relooked at if we are to develop a more ecologically sustainable reality.

A lot of the discourse during the project also navigated around challenging the notions of ‘productive landscapes’ and the result of

failing to do so. Treating land solely as an endless supplier for food has disregarded countless other ecological systems that underpin the landscape. The widely regarded consensus that Welsh land is only suitable for livestock grazing has been disproven by the small farm holdings and OPD farms that have produced year-round supply of many healthy food products. When the system is set up to allow a small country with a relatively low density of population to extract unnecessary amounts from the planet, it is imperative to question whether these are the systems we seek to retain.

Investing in the food supply network to diversify will not only enrich the local landscapes but also the people living and tending to the landscape. The work done by the Land Worker’s Alliance in the UK has repeatedly crunched numbers for the value of imports that could be grown locally by redirecting efforts to support local growers. Boosting food production in Wales could not only enhance local food economies but also potentially save money that can then be spent on building community wealth and mitigating the dire and expensive price of climate change.

The answer to building resilient landscapes lies in making some drastic choices about how we grow our food. This simple subject underpins multiple actions needed to fight the climate change whether that maybe tied to our energy goals, our consumption habits or our agricultural advancements. By developing localised food chains in Wales, one not only paves the way for healthy dietary and land management practices for the local regions but envisions a future for other nations to follow suit. Through an alternative outlook at the relationship settlements share with their food growing areas, the proposal fosters the creation of a future where the growth of our sustenance is mirrored in the vitality of our landscapes and communities.

Fig. 5.4  | TOWARDS: WALK IN WOODLANDS

Fig. 5.5  | OUTWARDS: THE CATTLE WALK

LIST OF FIGURES

Riots, Penry Williams, 1816.

Fig. 1.25

Fig. 1.28

Fig. 1.31   Eco house at the Lammas Eco village Site

Fig.

Fig. 2.8   Case study of twelve OPD Sites

Fig. 2.9  Key Map of OPD Sites

Fig. 2.10  Satellite Imagery of OPD Sites

Fig. 2.11   Study of Cryn Fryn 45

Fig. 2.12   Study of Golweg Gwenyn 45

Fig. 2.13   Study of Allt Cefn Ffynnon 46

Fig. 2.14   Study of Perllan Herberdeg 46

Fig. 2.15  Caricature of wycliffe erica & chris 48

Fig. 2.16  Caricature of tao paul wimbush 50

Fig. 2.17  Caricature of cai and richard 51

Fig. 2.18  Scenes of starting an OPD

Fig. 2.19  Scenes of setting up an OPD 54

Fig. 2.20  Scenes from a successful OPD 54

Fig. 2.21  Sample Site LOCATION 55

Fig. 2.22  Site A: New Woodlands 55

Fig. 2.23  Site B: Old Woodlands 55

Fig. 2.24  Site C: Pasture lands 55

Fig. 2.25  Microscopic views of samples 56

Fig. 2.26  Sample Site LOCATION

Fig. 2.27  Microscopic views of samples

Fig. 2.28  View of Rhiw Las

Fig. 2.29  15 cm slice of soil sample on site

Fig. 2.30  Satellite image of Hooke PArk 59

Fig. 2.31  View from Hooke Park 59

Fig. 2.33  Sketch of Hooke PArk soil horizons 60

Fig. 2.32  Microscopic views of the Hooke park samples

Fig. 2.34  Satellite image of wakelyns 61

Fig. 2.35  View from Wakelyns Farm 61

Fig. 2.36  Sketch of Wakelyns soil horizons 62

Fig. 2.37  On site - Soil sample collection

Fig. 2.38  Varied criteria for analysis 63

Fig. 2.39  Analysis overlaying Multiple criteria 64

Fig. 2.41  Land cover variations in High ALC

Fig. 2.40  Land cover variations in Medium ALC

Fig. 2.42  Land cover variations in Poor ALC 66

Fig. 2.43  Potentials of OPD as iconography 67

Fig. 2.44  Challenges of OPD as iconography 68

Fig. 2.45  Sitting inside looking out: an OPD eco-house 69

Fig. 2.46  Sitting outside looking up: home gardens of an OPD 70

CHAPTER 03. UNDERSTANDING FOOD LANDSCAPES

Fig. 3.1  Concerns of Scales in policy expansion 71

Fig. 3.2  Readapting the OPD Policy 72

Fig. 3.3  Conceptual representation of climate crisis 73

Fig. 3.4  Book Cover: Regenesis 74

Fig. 3.5  Schematic representation of agricultural area in Wales 75

Fig. 3.6  Current Welsh Agricultural model 76

Fig. 3.8  Land use breakup in Wales

Fig. 3.7  Livestock numbers and land utilisation

Fig. 3.9  Export Vs Import Trade report for Wales

Fig. 3.10  Welsh Dietary Data Visualisation

Fig. 3.11  Typical Welsh Food

LIST OF FIGURES

Fig. 3.17

Fig.

Fig. 3.19

Fig. 3.23  Phase 01: making land more accessible to interested parties

Fig. 3.24

Fig.

Fig.

CHAPTER 04. A NEW FOOD POLICY

Fig.

Fig. 4.2  Understanding pembrokeshire geography

Fig.

Fig.

Fig. 4.7  Representation of MiFAS systems

Fig. 4.8  Food and Energy flows under MiFAS

Fig. 4.9  Opportunities for collaboration

Fig. 4.10  Through Cases of Mushroom

Fig. 4.11  Reducing food miles through Food-hub

Fig. 4.12  Estimating food consumption figures

Fig. 4.13  Book Cover

Fig. 4.14  Growing Community Food Zones

Fig. 4.15  Zoning Strategy Schematic

Fig. 4.17  Available Production area Vs Total Population

Fig. 4.16  Selected admin Boundaries

Fig. 4.19  Land Available for Selected Admin Boundaries

Fig. 4.18  Schematic Food Buffers to understand requirement

Fig. 4.21  SMALL Medium & LARGE

Fig. 4.20  Food Production Zones

Fig. 4.22  Newport NEVERN Design Algorithm Development

Fig. 4.23  Sketch of Welsh riparian buffer

Fig. 4.24  Riparian Buffer: Maintained along floodplains

Fig. 4.27  Lowlands

Fig. 4.26  Uplands

Fig. 4.25  The UPLAND VS LOWLAND

Fig. 4.29  LWA Food-zones Supply chain

Fig. 4.28  NEWPORT NEVER DERIVED FOOD-ZONES

Fig. 4.30  10 acre market garden renaissance demonstration on a sample of lowland farms

Fig. 4.31  key map indicating food zones

Fig. 4.32  commonly managed gardens

Fig. 4.33  horticulture farms

Fig. 4.34  cereal production in agroforestry

Fig. 4.35  silviculture plots

Fig. 4.36  Common Processing Unit

Fig. 4.37  Manufacturing unit

Fig. 4.38  10 acre market garden renaissance demonstration on a sample of upland farms

Fig. 4.39  Key plan with the food zones

Fig. 4.40  Housing for farm labour

Fig. 4.41  livestock rearing

Fig. 4.42  cereal production in mifas systems

Fig. 4.43  cereal in rotational farming

Fig. 4.44  silviculture area of minimum intervention

Fig. 4.45  silviculture area of small coupe felling

Fig. 4.46  silviculture area of continuous cover forestry

Fig. 4.47  silviculture area of open public access

Fig. 4.48  The selected Land parcels for food production

Fig. 4.49  Visualizing policy in phase 03 with provided infrastructure

Fig. 4.50  Speculative view of food zones on ground

Fig. 4.52  Transport Network optimization

Fig. 4.51  food growing zone Vs Area of consumption

Fig. 4.53  Gorse Flowers on the coastal walk in Pembrokeshire 143

Fig. 4.54  View from the coastal walk in Pembrokeshire

CHAPTER 05. IN CLOSING

Fig. 5.1  speculating food zones for all of wales

145

Fig. 5.2  a range of produce from the new farms 146

Fig. 5.3  metric system developed for the food zones considering various goals.

Fig. 5.4 Towards: walk in woodlands

147

149

Fig. 5.5 Outwards: the cattle walk 150

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