Event
Bioregional Banquet
You are warmly invited to a Bioregional Banquet, a unique evening bringing together farmers, food producers and people from across South Devon working to provide food - for everyone. This is no ordinary banquet marked by indulgence and privilege. It is a celebration for the people of this land and sea; a gathering to honour our place and the hard work of those who care for it.
Cultivating common ground for the future of food
Enjoy a good meal showcasing the breadth of South Devon’s produce, connect with your neighbours, and hear perspectives from others in the region—some familiar, others less so. Whether you bring food onto our plates, maintain its vital role in our economy, or (like all of us) eat it and enjoy it, your voice and experience are vital in shaping a food system that nourishes both people and planet. The work of providing food is changing. As the ground shifts beneath us, ecologically, socially, and economically, we are called to come together to find new ways forward.
This event is for you if you are involved in (for example):
- Farming; arable, pastoral, mixed, subsistence, commercial, organic, Dartmoor hill farming
- Fishing, aquaculture & coastal management
- Food production, agri-tech
- Hospitality, ecotourism
- Food waste
- Policymaking
- Education & the arts
- Community gardening
At the heart of this gathering is a shared commitment to climate adaptation and resilience. It is for anyone who feels the impact of a shifting food landscape and wants to be part of shaping what comes next.
Key information
Why this event?
South Devon is rich in food culture and in the people who bring it to life. But the systems that support them are under stress from market pressures and policy uncertainty, and especially from climate breakdown. This evening provides an opportunity to pause and consider food security and adaptation—our food futures—in the company of those who feel equally overwhelmed at times—those who tend, gather, farm, fish, research, or work in managed landscapes, restoration, or in a variety of occupations at sea.
- How are all these livelihoods connected?
- What characterizes the food systems here in South Devon—growing, sourcing, producing, importing?
- What’s working? What’s not?
- And where might we act differently, together, in adapting to climate breakdown?
It’s about breaking bread, listening to each other and seeing the potential of a practical, joined-up, resilient food system.
What inspired the Banquet?
A Sardinian tradition called La Rasgioni offered communities a way to hear different sides of a story over a shared meal. Through storytelling and conversation, we’ll explore the realities and pressures faced by those who care for our land and sea. Together, we’ll consider where we might find common ground and shared purpose, with the help of a community “judge” and audience facilitators.
What could this gathering lead to?
This event builds on the work of many individuals and organisations who have brought focus to the reality of the challenges faced by those upholding traditional foodways and livelihoods, young farmers needing land, tenant farmers approaching retirement, food businesses dealing with rising sourcing, production and transportation costs—with all of us seeing water and soil quality issues, biodiversity loss and shrinking portions or empty shop shelves.
BLC is incubating 'South Devon’s Bioregional Action Plan for Nature and Climate.' A key focus area is food production and food culture. Collective learning from the Banquet will feed directly into this work.
What could come next:
- Collective proposals that attract funding or pilot support
- Trialling democratic community decision making, not just dialogue
- A shift in how we think about food and climate and new measures for progress
- Momentum for a strong regional food identity and coordination, not just marketing
- New relationships, ideas, and possibilities
- A visible shift toward more democratic, resilient food organising in South Devon