Made slower, and tastier Tofu scramble Vegan lemon poppy seed cake

• Published date: 26 November 2022

Talking about this month’s COP27 talks, Slow Food International president Edward Mukiibi said reducing carbon emissions by 45% in the next eight years — the minimum reduction necessary based on the science — could only happen by completely transforming the food system

‘‘It would require the dismantling of the current industrial model and it’s replacement everywhere with community-led production, based on local, seasonal foods and starting with a drastic reduction of the production and consumption of industrially farmed meat, which between 2018 and 2020 was responsible for 54% of the greenhouse gas emissions linked to food,’’ he said.

The Slow Food movement was started in Italy by Carlo Petrini and a group of activists in the 1980s with the initial aim to defend regional traditions, good food, gastronomic pleasure and a slow pace of life.

Petrini outlines many different routes by which we can take back control of our food.

The three central principles of the Slow Food plan are these:

food must be sustainably produced in ways that are sensitive to the environment.

those who produce the food must be fairly treated.

and the food must be healthy and delicious.

In his travels around the world as ambassador for Slow Food, Petrini has witnessed first hand the many ways native peoples are feeding themselves without making use of the harmful methods of the industrial complex.

The Slow Food Manifesto says, ‘‘Slow Food envisions a world in which all people can access and enjoy food that is good for them, good for those who grow it and good for the planet ... Slow Food recognises the strong connections between plate, planet, people, politics and culture’’.

Cafes and restaurants wanting to embrace the sustainable practices of the Slow Food movement, can achieve ‘‘Snail of Approval’’ accreditation (the logo for the movement is a snail). This helps raise consumers’ awareness to take more care when choosing their food.

In Dunedin we have an active group called Slow Food Youth Otago.

‘‘The Slow Food Youth Otago group was born out of the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste last year,’’ their representative Gabby Arnott says.

‘‘It has created an opportunity for students who have a connection with kai to share kōrero (and food!) in an educational and nourishing space.’’

Slow Food extends from looking after the land, to how food gets to our plate, to the way we consume it, and lastly, the way we dispose of it, she says.

Events the group has been involved in...