Regenerative Food Systems Sara El-Sayed

In collaboration with the Slow Food Youth Network, we produced an episode to broaden our understanding of a regenerative food system within the context of indigenous communities and to shed light on the age-old agricultural practices that keep our communities strong. We learn about the multi-faceted challenges indigenous communities face, in the past, present, and future, and the solutions and growth that agriculture can provide. Amidst the trying times of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are humbled by new perspectives. The voices of our interviewees give us a strong reminder to step outside of ourselves and to understand not only how different communities are affected, but to learn from others. In doing so, we hear from experts around the world - people that have gained years of insight through study, implementation, and experimentation.


Carson Kiburo represents his indigenous Kenyan community on the global stage;
Roxanne Swentzl educates fellow members of the Santa Clara Pueblo in northern New Mexico on health and balance within ourselves;
Health scientist and CEO Dean Seneca advocates for the underdogs;
Lilian Hill shares with her community on the Hopi reservation different ways of saving food and building their own food systems.

Through these different perspectives prevails a common message: what we grow and how we grow it is an extension of our cultural identity. To hear indigenous community members speak on the resiliency and unification that comes from their food is not just a call to action. Rather, it is encouragement to reconnect with our food, and a reassurance that sometimes we have to look to the past in order to move forward.

Podcast host, production, and editing: Sara El Sayed
Supported by Katherine Blessington and Madison Harris
Music: Lyla June and Leonardo Prieto Dorantes

We produced this episode in collaboration with Slow Food Youth Network, on arid lands, in particular,  regenerative preservation practices carried out by our super cool guests in different parts of the world. From New Mexico to Egypt, from Australia to Colorado and Spain… We will find out a lot about soil and food preservation practices. Yes, we will talk about permaculture and… about fermentation! Bacteria in the soil and in food. Also this time we have a very special host who has carried out all the interviews and worked on the whole concept: I am talking about Sara El Sayed. Sara is a Ph.D. candidate in food system sustainability, focusing on regenerative food practices in arid regions, she is also a researcher in Biomimicry. She is co-founder of Nawaya and co-founder of Dayma. She is currently a board member for Slow Food Phoenix.

Guests:

- Roxanne Swentzl, a Pueblo woman from Santa Clara, New Mexico who co-founded the Flowering Tree Permaculture Institute;
- Menar Meebed is a grandmother and owner of Minnies Dried Fruit and Vegetables, in Cairo, Egypt;
- Salah Hammad, a permaculture consultant, and educator who lives in Sydney, Australia - originally from Jordan;
- Mara King is a fermentation chef and one of the co-founders of Ozuke. Originally from Hong Kong, she currently works at Fresh Times Eatery in Boulder, Colorado;
- Elena Escaño is a young agroecological pig farmer in Andalucia, Spain. At her family’s farm, Finca Montefrio, they breed the local pig race Iberico.

Project manager & host: Valentina Gritti.
Special host, first cutting & editing: Sara El Sayed.
Supported by: Anna Elovitz, Jordan Sene, Katherine Blessington and Madison Harris.
Composition, production & editing: Leonardo Prieto Dorantes.
Musicians: 
Percussions: Philip Kukulies;
Flamenco minor at Codarts; Makaam minor at Codarts; Ngoni: Agustín Fernandez.

This episode is realized in the occasion of the Slow Food event Terra Madre 2020: find the whole program on www.terramadresalonedelgusto.com 

Did you like this episode? Support our work and have access to extra material by becoming one of our patrons on http://patreon.com/join/slowfoodyouthnetwork/

Financed by the European Union.
The contents of this podcast are the sole responsibility of the author and the EASME is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

In this second episode of two, Madison and Katie connect with Kenneth Steel from Pinnacle Prevention, an Arizona-based nonprofit organization dedicated to growing healthy families and communities. We touch on issues like land use and access to healthy foods. Talking about these topics teaches us more about what is at stake and why action is necessary.

Visit their website at https://www.pinnacleprevention.org/

Connect with Pinnacle Prevention on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pinnacleprevention/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pinnacleprevention/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pinnacleprevent?lang=en

In this first episode of two, Jordan and Anna connect with Bridget Pettis, former WNBA player and coach who co-founded the non-profit organization Project Roots. Project Roots is based in Phoenix, Arizona, and is dedicated to educating the community about growing their own food. Bridget’s passion and dedication for supporting the local food supply will encourage you to get back to your roots and reconnect with what’s on your plate.

Visit their website at https://www.projectrootsaz.org/

Follow Project Rootz via social media:

Facebook: @projectrootsaz

Instagram: project_rootsaz

Twitter: @ProjectRoots1