Monday, December 9, 2013

Update: Biodiversity in the Balkans


One of the most innovative projects of Slow Food international is now underway in the Balkans. ESSEDRA or the Environmentally Sustainable Socio Economic Development in Rural Areas is in full swing. With their new website http://www.essedra.com/ , many individual projects and several international meetings completed, ESSEDRA is truly a model for the new global economy that is based on a sustainable agricultural base.



For me ESSEDRA is the antidote to all the trade agreement negotiations and "economic" plans put forth by multinational corporations.



Casey Angelova, Chef and Organic Farmer from Bulgaria joined the program on December 9th to talk about the recent meeting in Sophia Bulgaria.


With my travels this past Autumn, the urgency of the ESSEDRA project became quite clear. We good food movement people in the West can learn a great deal from the partners in ESSEDRA. As the Balkan nations are trying to create a sound economic base as they emerge from decades of communist rule, it is important that rural lands and peoples are not lost in the transformation.



Angelova offers insights from the recent meeting at Slow Fish Istanbul and why ESSEDRA is so vital to the sustainability of Balkan lands and traditions. http://www.caseyangelova.com/ as a Slow Food chapter leader, as well as a farmer and chef, she has a unique perspective on the possibilities for good change in the Balkans.


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