Farm Gate 103: The Wood from the Trees

Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft - he's a good guy, right? Africa's food system has been a major recipient of Gates' $59bn philanthropy. But is Gates helping African food systems - or destroying them? Is he ending hunger - or depleting land resilience and contributing to food insecurity and societal instability? I'm joined by Tim Schwab, author of the new book, The Bill Gates Problem - and by Million Belay, the co-founder of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa.

Seven conversations today, focussed on Land Alive, a new British regen farming event at the end of November; the findings of three Nuffield Farming Scholars; the potential to integrate bast fibre production within organic farm systems; and the perils faced by earthworms when the land floods. ffinlo Costain speaks to: Professor Mark Hodson, from the University of York - 0'34'' Graham Harvey, from Land Alive - 10'40'' Carol Paris, from the Royal Bath & West Society, and Tamara Giltsoff, from Land Alive - 16'25'' Zoe Gilbertson, a fashion ecologist - 27'14'' Kendra Hall, Nuffield Farming Scholar - 36'02'' Chris Taylor, Nuffield Farming Scholar - 46'08'' Ruth Grice, Nuffield Farming Scholar - 56'20''

There's an ever-bigger regen farming community at all scales of production - but there are also farmers who say that they've tried regen ag, but it hasn't worked and they've given up. Why are these farmers failing to deliver a regenerative transition on their farms and in their businesses? ffinlo Costain is joined by two regen farming experts, Tim Williams and Clare Hill, and together they flesh out some of the hurdles and identify some possible solutions.

The Farm Gate news channel is part of 8point9.com Today we're frontloading the programme with conversations about baselining, banking and funding the transition - we'll hear from Lee Reeves from Lloyds, Adam White from Barclays and Doug Wanstall who wants to bring integrity into carbon markets. Later, Andrew Whiteford will explain a little of the business-case for tree-planting in Scotland - Valentin Pitiot will extol the virtues of giant kelp - and Dan McAlpine will talk to us about why Compassion in World Farming has turned the spotlight onto UK retailers' chicken supply chains. ffinlo Costain speaks to: Adam White from Barclays Business Banking - 0'54'' Lee Reeves from Lloyds Banking Group - 12'00 Doug Wanstall from Beyond Zero - 24'40'' Valentin Pitiot from Kelp Blue - 37'25'' Andrew Whiteford of Ulzieside Farm - 51'26'' Dan McAlpine from Compassion in World Farming - 1,00' 58''

Well, the summer's over, but for the last week in the southwest of England the sun's been shining while autumn's been gently easing itself into the air - and Newsweek is back with a full, ripe crop of six conversations. ffinlo Costain speaks to: Emma Toovey from the Environment Bank - 1'10'' Leona McDonald, the director of Golden Hooves - 9'12'' Andrew Barbour from Mains of Fincastle - 15'58'' Bishop Takalani Mufamadi from the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute - 25'46'' Emma Bell from The Open University - 40'22'' Alice Groom from the RSPB - 53'24''

ffinlo Costain speaks to Alpha Lo, the founder of the Climate Water Project, a series of podcasts and articles in which Alpha investigates how to restore the water web. Farm Gate is part of https://8point9.com/ To find out more about the Climate Water Project just visit https://climatewaterproject.substack.com/

Forests are super important - they have enormous environmental, economic, cultural and amenity value as well as being sources of food and nutrition, medicines, habitats, fuel and, of course, building materials. In this programme, we discuss what timber can do - why forests are so important - how public support for commercial forestry could be improved - and where forestry fits within broader land use conversations. ffinlo Costain is joined by Paul Brannen, the author of Timber! How wood can help save the world from climate breakdown - and by sustainable forestry consultant, Andrew Heald.

* Pat Thomas from A Bigger Conversation - 1'00'' * Emily Bull from FAI Farms - 14'18'' * Professor Sebastian Dötterl from ECH Zurich - 31'08'' * Million Belay from IPES Food and the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa - 42'11'' * Vicki Hird from The Wildlife Trusts - 55'32'' * Alun Thomas from the Beacons Water Group - 1,05'23''

In Britain, Labour has promised to "build 1.5 million new homes by the end of this parliament, with the biggest increase in social housing and affordable housebuilding in a generation." ffinlo Costain asks, can these homes be built in the time available - and just as importantly, can this level of house building be achieved in balance with nature and food production? ffinlo is joined by James Ellis, Director of Planning at Rural Solutions - and by Gabriel Connor Streich, the Chief Executive of Greenshank Environmental.

Phil Carson (Nature Friendly Farming Network) and ffinlo Costain (8point9.com) discuss Labour's landslide general election victory, and what it means for food, farming and nature. This is Phil's last WFTC, as he moves on to a new role in Northern Ireland. A BIG thank you for all his knowledge and expert conversation.