Rural – Jersey Country Life Magazine

DAME ELLEN MacARTHUR AT THE OXFORD FARMING CONFERENCE

Dame Ellen MacArthur

Dame Ellen MacArthur dazzled delegates on the final day of the Oxford Farming Conference.

Known as the record-beating sailor who solo-circumnavigated the world, Dame Ellen MacArthur is now making waves with her charitable work centred on the circular economy. Speaking to delegates on the final day of the 2022 Oxford Farming Conference (OFC), Dame Ellen explained how circularity can align with food, farming and agriculture.

A circular economy decouples economic activity from the consumption of finite resources and Dame Ellen encouraged the audience to take greater interest in this resilient system, which is good for business, good for people and good for the environment.


‘When you set off on a boat around the world, you take with you everything you need for your survival. That’s food, fuel, spare circuit boards and equipment, and when you leave for that two-to-three-month long journey, you manage everything you have and develop this overwhelming understanding of what it is to have finite resources.


‘When I broke the record and set foot on the finish line it really hit me that, actually, our world is no different.’

Since leaving racing, Dame Ellen has committed herself to researching circular economies. In 2021, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation launched The Big Food Redesign report which explores the ways in which food products can be designed in closer collaboration with farmers, for nature.


‘When you look at the economy today, it is a result of the industrial revolution. We take a material out of the ground, we make something out of it, and we throw it away. When we look at farming, we use vast amounts of chemical fertilisers to help us to grow the products and you could call that a linear system because you’re putting finite materials into that system, and a linear system is a race to the bottom. Circular economy changes everything because it’s a race to the top.


‘We need to change the system, so it works better for nature, works better farmers, invests in the farmer’s land rather than degrading it, and is an end-to-end system that involves the farmer and the consumer.’


The Oxford Farming Conference welcomed more than 1,000 delegates virtually over three days who participated in a varied programme which included international speakers and sessions covering trade, politics, science, climate and technology, to name but a few.

All sessions are available to watch back through OFC’s on-demand channel and can be accessed by purchasing a digital ticket via www.ofc.org.uk.

The website of the Dame Ellen MacArthur Foundation, titled ‘What is a circular economy?’ can be found at https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/overview

Share:

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn

One Response

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest News

Rural Post Sign Up

Join our mailing list and stay up to date with the latest news.

* indicates required

Crosby Media and Publishing Ltd will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing. Please let us know all the ways you would like to hear from us:


You can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive from us, or by contacting us at alasdair.crosby@ruraljersey.co.uk. We will treat your information with respect. For more information about our privacy practices please visit our website. By clicking below, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with these terms.

We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here.

Related Posts

THE JOY OF MOBILE PHONES

By Alasdair Crosby AM I the Invisible Man?  It seems so, as in the street I generally have to take sharp avoidance action to avoid

Read More »

JERSEY GARDENING CLUB

The president of the Jerseu Gardening Club, Marilyn Le Beurrier introduces the last club function of the year – a Quiz Night – on 19

Read More »