Networking

The UK Food Group seeks to encourage co-operation between NGOs working on food sovereignty and food security through its networking, regular meetings, ad hoc working groups and seminars. As a network of expertise the UKFG is able to bring together a wide range of agencies and interests, to pool knowledge and to plan work on raising awareness of global food and farming issues in the UK. At European level we work with some key EU and international networks on lobbies, research, publications and conferences. Internationally UKFG focuses on UN processes relevant to the governance of food and agriculture, in support of international networks of NGOs and social movements.

The UKFG, representing BOND, is on the Steering Group of the European Food Security Group of CONCORD, the European network of Development Non-Governmental Organisations.

The UKFG and its members participate in European consortium projects with European NGO partners.

The UKFG is the focal point for the More and Better network that advocates for better food and agricultural aid policies.

The UKFG represented UK NGOs in the Nyeleni 2007: forum for food sovereignty and is the focal point for the European Food Sovereignty Platform and the process for realising food sovereignty in Europe "Nyeleni Europe" that will hold a forum in Austria in 2011.

The UKFG is active in the European Peasant Seeds network and has participated in and helped organise the 'Let's Liberate Diversity' forums from 2005 onwards. The 7th forum will be held in Scotland in 2012, hosted by UK Food Group member, the Scottish Crofting Federation.

Advancing African Agriculture

Together with European partners, the UKFG has organised monitoring in 2008/9 and 2009/10 of the implementation of the EU's communication "Advancing African Agriculture" and has presented the findings to seminars of EU and EC officials and MEPs in Brussels.