This photo-story was originally published on the We Feed the World site.
After the huge success of the We Feed the World exhibition at the Bargehouse in London, we have been receiving photos from all the farming communities who participated in the project. From Moray in Scotland to Panay Island in the Philippines, farmers and communities have been uniting to host their own community exhibitions, spreading the message about how small-scale farmers feed the world.
Just before the opening of the hugely successful flagship exhibition at the Bargehouse Gallery in London, 47 of the 52 farming communities photographed for the project were sent packs of the images to display in their local areas. These smaller exhibitions, which also opened in October, enabled each community to celebrate their successes together as well as helping to attract public and media attention in the region to the many challenges they currently face. We are delighted to share some of these with you here;
DLHA NAD VAHOM, SLOVAKIA
After attending the opening of the exhibition in London and participating in various talks, farmer Zuzana Pastorkova, brought the exhibition to her village Dlha Nad Vahom in Slovakia. In a neighbour’s courtyard she celebrated the stories of other farmers with a traditional feast from her own market garden. More than 50 people came on the day and Zuzana is due to visit two primary schools with the photos to give talks to the children about where their food comes from. Over winter, the photos will be in display in a cafe in Bratislava.
Zuzana with her produce.
Zuzana translated all the stories into both Slovak and Hungarian, for both the town’s communities.
ISLAND OF PANAY, PHILLIPINES
The ZIDOFA Rice Association on the island of Panay, Philippines held an exhibition in Iloilo City Mall, in the island’s capital. Some of the local farmers also send us endorsements by displaying the name of the exhibition on their rice sacks. In December the farmers will exhibit the photos once again during their annual Pantat (catfish) Festival in their hometown of Zarraga.
Randy Postremo busy in his rice field during the exhibition.
Iloilo City Mall exhibition.
EAST FLORES, INDONESIA
Our photographer Martin Westlake revisited the community of Likotuden, East Flores Island in Indonesia, where he had previously taken photos of the women sorghum farmers, to show the community their photos. Martin said, “it was very precious to see how overjoyed they were with the photos”. The women organised a small event in the village for World Food Day.
Women of the Likotuden community viewing their images.
WAIPATU, NEW ZEALAND
In New Zealand, Hanui Lawrence, farmer from Aunty’s Garden organised a small exhibition in the Marae (Maori community centre) of Waipatu town, where the first Maori Parliament was held in 1892. They are now planning the next exhibition at the Community Arts Gallery. Hanui’s farm is within the Marae communal lands and produces for the community.
The photos on exhibition in the communal hall, the Marae. Hanui teaches the local youth and community how to produce indigenous Maori food, often working with and teaching troubled youths and gang members from the area.
ESTELI, NICARAGUA
The FEM (Foundation Between Women) of Esteli, Nicaragua hosted a big celebration on the 31st October for the 24th anniversary of the FEM and in commemoration of The International Day of Rural Women (15th October). 200 FEM members came together from the region to celebrate the occasion with their own food and Hibiscus wine. Juanita Villareyna from FEM said, “it was a beautiful event and it makes us proud as rural women to be part of the We Feed the World project”.
Compañeras from FEM, including Isabel Zamora (far right) who participated in WFTW, send us a message of support.
SEVILLE, SPAIN
In Seville, The Andalusian Seed Network (RAS) organised an exhibition in the Public Library of Seville, Biblioteca Pública Infanta Elena, as well a series of events, talks and workshops where farmers and seed savers from the region gave various talks, telling their own stories to the public and discussing the importance of seed diversity, synergistic and biodynamic farming and food sovereignty at the grassroots level in Andalusia.
The photos on exhibition in the Public Library Infanta Elena.
ISLES OF UIST, SCOTLAND
In Scotland, The Scottish Crofting Federation (SCF) organised a two day exhibition in tandem with their ‘Spirit of Crofting’ event in Rothes, Moray. Celebrating the diversification and growth of crofting, they ran a series of talks, workshops as well as hosting an awards ceremony for new young entrants to crofting. Crofters came from all over the mainland, highlands and the islands to participate.
The ebullient crofting entrepreneur, “Sweeny” who is also featured in BBC Alba’s ‘Air an Lot’ programme, endorses the local We Feed the World exhibition.
SCF fights for the rights of crofters and is the biggest association of small-scale producers in the UK.
KUSTRINGEN, SWEDEN
In the town of Kustringen, Sweden, the fishing community held a small exhibition in the town shopping centre. The fisherfolk of the town are fighting to be allowed to continue fishing in their bay.
