Ken Giller on the Perils of Populism and Precarious Promise of Regenerative Agriculture

Why are we drawn to simple fixes for the complex challenge of feeding the world sustainably? Researchers Colin Sage (formerly Cork University) and Garrett Broad (Rowan University) unpack what we're calling "food solutionism"—the tendency to promote single, sweeping solutions, whether high-tech or agroecological, while ignoring context and complexity. They argue for "complicating the narrative early and often", so we can move beyond binary thinking and better understand the trade-offs, limits, and realities behind competing visions for the future of food.For more info, transcript and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode86Read the The Blue Sky Thread that prompted this episodeWant to share your reflections on the episode? Send us an email or voice memo to [email protected] Broad, Rowan UniversityColin Sage, Cork UniversityHostJack Thompson, TABLEEpisode edited and produced by Matthew Kessler and Jack Thompson. Music by Blue dot sessions.

Why does Myanmar, often called the "rice bowl of Southeast Asia," continue to struggle with high rates of malnutrition? In this episode, journalist Thin Lei Win helps us unpack how political decisions, land ownership, and regional power dynamics shape food systems in Myanmar and beyond. We explore how issues like palm oil expansion and rice production connect to wider challenges around climate and biodiversity—and why lasting change remains difficult without addressing structural inequalities. Still, there are reasons for cautious optimism. Thin shares why she’s inspired by a new generation of journalists and activists working toward more just and sustainable food futures across Southeast Asia.For more info, transcript and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode85Check out and subcribe to Thin InkWant to share your reflections on the episode? Send us an email or voice memo to [email protected] Lei Win, Food and Climate JournalistHostJack Thompson, TABLEEpisode edited and produced by Matthew Kessler and Jack Thompson. Music by Blue dot sessions.

Can humanity feed nearly 10 billion people without frying the planet? That question is at the heart of journalist Michael Grunwald’s provocative argument in Sorry, This Is the Future of Food, his recent New York Times essay and the basis of his forthcoming book, We Are Eating the Earth. He warns that we’re clearing an acre of rainforest every six seconds to grow more food — and even if we quit fossil fuels, we won’t avert climate chaos unless we fix how we use land. In this episode, Grunwald makes the case that high-yield industrial agriculture, for all its flaws, might be our best chance to grow more food on less land. For more info, transcript and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode84Pre-order We Are Eating the Earth by Michael Grunwald.Want to share your reflections on the episode? Send us an email or voice memo to [email protected] Grunwald, Journalist and authorHostJack Thompson, TABLEEpisode edited and produced by Matthew Kessler and Jack Thompson. Music by Blue dot sessions.

Can we have more honest conversations about the future of food and agriculture? That’s the plea from Ken Giller, recently retired professor at Wageningen University, after four decades of witnessing both progress and setbacks in supporting farmers worldwide. We discuss the dangers of populist narratives that oversimplify agricultural challenges, how to reshape research incentives to embrace complexity and nuance, why he opposes carbon credit schemes for farmers, and more.For more info, transcript and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode83GuestsKen Giller, Wageningen UniversityHostMatthew Kessler, TABLEEpisode edited and produced by Matthew Kessler. Music by Blue dot sessions.

What else should we consider when shifting to natural, whole foods—beyond just their health benefits? Feminist Food Journal co-founders Isabela Bonnevera and Zoë Johnson explore the deeper questions: whose labor makes these diets possible, who can afford them, and how culture and experience shape our food choices. We dive into these issues and uncover how a simple "natural foods" search on TikTok exposes striking gender dynamics.For more info, transcript and resources, visit: https://tabledebates.org/podcast/episode82GuestsIsabela Bonnevera, FFJ + ICTA-UABZoë Johnson, FFJ + GPPiHostJackie Turner, TABLEEpisode edited and produced by Matthew Kessler. Music by Blue dot sessions.

Is the battle over who controls and owns agricultural data one of the most important—and least discussed—fights in 21st-century farming? In this conversation, Jennifer Clapp (prof at the University of Waterloo and member of IPES-Food) explores the deep ties between fossil fuels and our food system, tracing their influence from fertilizers and pesticides to farm mechanization and digital agriculture. She unpacks how fossil-fueled inputs have shaped—and continue to shape—modern farming. For more info and resources, please visit our episode webpage.GuestsJennifer Clapp, IPES-FoodEdited by Matthew Kessler. Audio engineering by Adam Titmuss. Cover art by The Ethical Agency. Music by Blue dot sessions.Fuel to Fork is powered by TABLE, IPES-Food and the Global Alliance for the Future of Food.

We gathered in Oxford to ask: Is a fossil free food system possible? 3 panelists: a farmer, an economist and biodiversity researcher, shared their expert perspectives. What technologies are on the horizon? What uncertainties do they bring? Is it better to farm differently, eat differently, plug in better tech, restrain environmentally damaging practices of food and agribusinesses, or all of the above?Visit the episode webpage for more resources.This series is powered by TABLE, IPES-Food and Global Alliance for the Future of Food.GuestsHelen Browning, Soil AssociationRupert Simons, SystemIQEmile Frison, IPES-FoodProduced by Matthew Kessler, Robbie Blake and Chantal Clément. Edited by Matthew Kessler. Audio engineering by Adam Titmuss. Cover art by The Ethical Agency. Music by Blue dot sessions.View a 90 minute video of the full panel discussion Learn more about the Oxford Real Farming Conference 

What would a food system free of fossil fuels look like by 2050? What insights surprised the experts featured in this series? And what trade-offs must we navigate to shape this future? In our final episode, we shift from acknowledging the 'fossil fuel problem in food' to exploring actionable solutions.Visit the episode webpage for more resources.This series is powered by TABLE, IPES-Food and Global Alliance for the Future of Food.GuestsRaj Patel, IPES-FoodAnna Lappé, Global Alliance for the Future of FoodDarrin Qualman, National Farmers Union (Canada)Galina Angarova, SIRGEMolly Anderson, IPES-FoodProduced by Matthew Kessler, Anna Paskal and Nicole Pita. Edited by Matthew Kessler. Audio engineering by Adam Titmuss. Cover art by The Ethical Agency. Music by Blue dot sessions.

Fossil fuels are hiding in plain sight in our kitchens—powering stoves and cooling refrigerators, plus they're fueling supply chains. They shape how we cook, eat and connect with food. In this episode, we explore how to reduce reliance on fossil fuels in home and commercial kitchens. What counts as a 'clean' cooking fuel in Malawi versus the United States? And what would it take to transform the energy grid powering our food systems? Researchers, chefs, and activists weigh in.Visit the episode webpage for more resources.This series is powered by TABLE, IPES-Food and Global Alliance for the Future of Food.GuestsChrista Roth, Cleaner Cooking CoalitionChristopher Galarza, Forward Dining SolutionsGabriel Eckhouse, Uppsala UniversityGalina Angarova, SIRGENnimmo Bassey, Home of Mother Earth FoundationErrol Schweizer, IPES-FoodGeorgina Catacora-Vargas, IPES FoodProduced by Matthew Kessler, Anna Paskal and Nicole Pita. Edited by Matthew Kessler. Audio engineering by Adam Titmuss. Cover art by The Ethical Agency. Music by Blue dot sessions.

When we talk about the future of food, we usually picture what's growing in the fields or what's on our dinner plates. But maybe we should pay a little more attention to everything happening in between. Processing and packaging consumes the largest share of fossil fuels in our food system— more than 40%. Our growing reliance on ultra-processed foods, and plastics across the supply chain is making food production more energy-intensive than ever before. Visit the episode webpage for more resources.This series is powered by TABLE, IPES-Food and Global Alliance for the Future of Food.GuestsEmma Priestland, Break Free From PlasticErrol Schweizer, IPES-FoodRachel Muncrief, International Council on Clean TransportationGeorgina Catacora-Vargas, IPES FoodProduced by Matthew Kessler, Anna Paskal and Nicole Pita. Edited by Matthew Kessler. Audio engineering by Adam Titmuss. Cover art by The Ethical Agency. Music by Blue dot sessions.