Business
25 Year Farming Plan
New roadmap gives English farmers ‘certainty beyond the next harvest for the first time’.
26 June 2026
Main image: Peruvian woman drying corn on the cob, Urubamba Valley
As wars disrupt food supplies, climate shocks intensify and the cost of living continues to rise across the world, one reality is becoming increasingly clear.
Food is no longer a sectoral issue; it lies at the heart of some of the most urgent challenges facing humanity.
From 24-27 September, the international event Terra Madre Salone del Gusto will return to Turin, Italy, bringing together 1,500 farmers, fishers, cooks, Indigenous leaders, activists, researchers, policymakers and young changemakers from more than 120 countries to discuss how food can become part of the solution.
Organised by Slow Food, the Piedmont Region and the City of Turin, Terra Madre has become one of the world’s most important gatherings dedicated to the future of food.
In 2026 it arrives at a particularly critical moment, as societies everywhere confront interconnected crises that are reshaping how food is produced, distributed and accessed.
This year’s edition will also host the Slow Food Participants’ Assembly, where delegates define the movement’s future direction and strengthen international cooperation around food, biodiversity and social justice.
‘We are meeting at a moment when conflict, economic instability and environmental breakdown are deepening divisions between people and nations. Yet food reminds us of something fundamental: our interdependence. Every meal connects farmers, ecosystems, cultures and communities across borders. Terra Madre is a place where those connections become visible and where solutions emerge from the people who are closest to the challenges.’
EDWARD MUKIIBI
President of Slow Food
The headlines may focus on climate emergencies, armed conflicts, migration or inflation, but food runs through all of them.
Extreme weather is reducing harvests and threatening livelihoods. Conflicts are disrupting supply chains and increasing food insecurity. Rising production costs are putting pressure on farmers and consumers alike.
Meanwhile, biodiversity loss and soil degradation continue to undermine the foundations of food production itself.
For many members of the network, attending Terra Madre remains impossible. ‘Some of our delegates are held back by conflict, political instability or economic and environmental crises’, said Slow Food President Edward Mukiibi. ‘Their absence is not a weakness, it is the clearest reflection of the world we are working to change.’
Yet food is also one of the most powerful tools available to address these challenges. ‘Food is where environmental, social and economic crises meet’, Edward added. ‘It is also where solutions meet. When we support agroecology, protect biodiversity, strengthen local markets and ensure fair livelihoods for producers, we are not only changing the food system, we are tackling some of the root causes of instability and inequality.’
Across the world, communities are already demonstrating what these solutions look like in practice.
In regions affected by conflict, climate disruption and economic hardship, farmers, Indigenous peoples, cooks, fishers and local activists are protecting biodiversity, preserving traditional knowledge and rebuilding resilient local food economies.
From safeguarding native seeds in Indonesia to strengthening rural-urban connections in Colombia, from supporting biodiversity conservation in the Democratic Republic of Congo to advancing agroecological policies in Cuba and the Philippines, these experiences show that communities are not waiting for change, they are already creating it.
Terra Madre offers a unique opportunity to bring these experiences together, allowing solutions developed in one part of the world to inspire action in another.
‘What gives us hope is that people everywhere are already responding. The answers to many of today’s crises already exist within communities. Our task is to connect them, learn from them and amplify their impact.’
EDWARD MUKIIBI
President of Slow Food
In an era marked by polarisation, isolation and competition, Terra Madre offers a different vision: one based on cooperation, solidarity and mutual responsibility.
For more than two decades, it has demonstrated that food can do more than nourish people; it can reconnect territories, cultures and communities, creating the conditions for more democratic, resilient and peaceful societies.
‘The world is becoming increasingly fragmented. But every food system depends on relationships, between people, between communities and with nature. Terra Madre is a reminder that, despite everything that divides us, our future remains deeply interconnected. Through food, we can begin to rebuild those connections.’
EDWARD MUKIIBI
President of Slow Food
Against this backdrop, the Slow Food Participants’ Assembly takes on a broader significance, as it will renew the organisation’s governance and approve the strategy that will guide the movement in the coming years.
The Assembly will also mark the first global gathering of the movement following the passing of its founder, Carlo Petrini. ‘We honour his vision not through nostalgia, but through action. Edward said. ‘Our responsibility is not to look back, but to move forward, strengthening this global network and deepening its impact.’
Over four days, Terra Madre Salone del Gusto will create a space for dialogue between those who work every day within food systems, consumers and those who shape public policy, with the shared goal of identifying concrete solutions to ensure good, clean and fair food for all.
Through a programme of conferences, public discussions, educational activities and tastings, the event will explore the connections between food, climate, culture and economics, making complex global challenges tangible and accessible.
Biodiversity means valuing differences, protecting the richness of life and building a more equitable food system.
For Slow Food, biodiversity is the antidote to monoculture in all its forms. It is a principle that promotes harmony with natural resources, fosters a culture of peace and brings people together across borders.
Biodiversity is social and cultural as well as agricultural; it challenges uniform thinking and encourages us to embrace complexity. More than something to respect, diversity is a source of resilience, prosperity and our best guarantee of wellbeing and a sustainable future.
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