2017 Forum on Sustainable Agriculture

On April 27th, Columbia University’s Earth Institute, the School of International and Public Affairs, the Center for Agriculture and Food Security, and the Columbia Water Center will present the 2017 Forum on Sustainable Agriculture. The Forum will continue a discussion on the global challenge of providing food for a growing population while also mitigating and adapting to climate change, and improving sustainable development. For this year, the focus will be on small farming operations and their work to distribute nutritious crops to both urban and suburban markets, boost rural economies, and improve land stewardship in agricultural areas. The challenge to then be discussed is this: How can we broaden the scale of sustainable agriculture?

The speakers will include Michael Kinstlick, a board member and owner of the Coopersea Distillery in upstate New York; Paul Hegelson, a former sustainability manager of the GNP Company, a regional poultry distributor in Minnesota; and Dr. Ruth Defries, Denning Professor of Sustainable Development at Columbia University.

The moderator will be Jeffrey Potent, an Adjunct Professor in the School of International and Public Affairs and an EICES Executive Education instructor.

The 2017 Forum on Sustainable Agriculture will take place on April 27th from 2:00 to 5:30 pm in in the Davis Auditorium (Room 412) in Schapiro Hall (530 West 120th Street). There will be presentations, a panel discussion, and a Q&A session. Advanced registration is free but required; a live stream will also be provided.

Professor Potent will teach the course in our 4th module: “The Sustainability of Local Food Systems.” This course further explores the sustainability example of local agriculture, observing how local agriculture can increase local soil health, air, and water quality; provide better access to nutritious foods; and provide economic opportunities for farmers, distributors, retailers, and restaurateurs. The course also looks at issues and limitations to the current system. The Sustainability of Local Food Systems will be held on Tuesday evenings, beginning May 16 and ending June 13.

For more information about the Forum on Sustainable Agriculture contact Brian Hong at bwh2129@columbia.edu.

For more information on the upcoming course: The Sustainability of Local Food Systems, contact EICES at eices@columbia.edu.

Image via the Earth Institute