'Terra Madre is...a moment in which everyone is on equal terms, a moment of coalition among diverse realms. Not just in the realm of knowledge, but also the realm of communities, which have to learn to govern themselves to be sovereign. ' - Carlo Petrini

The Terra Madre Network

Terra Madre is an international network of farmers, food producers, cooks, activists and academics; over 1,000 of those are from the United States and comprise the network here in the U.S. They have all attended the Terra Madre conference, a gathering for sustainable food producers and farmers to connect and share their practices with others across the globe. Terra Madre 2004 was the first opportunity for this gathering of international land stewards; Terra Madre 2006 introduced two other vitally important groups into the equation: Cooks and Academics. This year, at Terra Madre 2008 (which took place October 23 - 27), a new group was brought into the fold: students. Together these groups form the network, representing those who produce, sell, market, harvest, purchase, cook, promote and educate about sustainable food.

The Terra Madre Conference

This event, held biennially in Torino, has inspired a new framework for discourse on food and sustainability, one where ideas, strategies, partnerships and alliances prosper. Over five days, there are opportunities to hear from notable speakers, including: Slow Food founder Carlo Petrini, physicist and ecologist Vandana Shiva, and chef Alice Waters. Earth workshops on themes such as Climate Change, Native Breeds and Participative Development Models (such as CSAs) take center stage during the three main days of the meeting. The Salone del Gusto - the world's largest artisanal food marketplace - is held concurrently, in part for delegates to gain a deeper sense of how small-scale sustainable producers can market their products effectively.

Many delegates have come away inspired from the meeting, with a greater sense of the shared commonalities among the world's sustainable food producers, cooks and academics. They have returned to their farms, restaurants and universities with renewed dedication, empowered with the knowledge that they now belong to the international Terra Madre network.