Sustainable institute of the week: Centre for Sustainable Food Farming and Forestry

The Centre for Sustainable Food Farming and Forestry at Plumpton College offers short, focused courses to help people get started in farming and forestry, expand or diversify a current business and help a firm meet legislative requirements.

The centre war set up nine years a go with the aim of raising awareness on farming, food and environmental issues, as well as providing advice, training and networking that would assess farmers, growers and land based businesses. The institute was originally known as the Netherfield Centre for Sustainable Food and Farming but changes its name when the centre expanded to include course run by the college in 2011.

The training courses take place at three locations, each offering different courses. Homestead Farm has an on-farm cutting room and is the venue for the ‘Butchery Skills’ programme. Ivyland Farm offers participants an opportunity to learn on a working farm with on-site classroom, offering courses in animal management.

Finally there is the Woodland Enterprise Centre, which provides a woodland environment, a classroom and a large purpose built workshop for woodland, estate skills, and construction and crafts courses.

Photo: Deb Collins via Flickr

Further reading:

UN Global Compact unveils principles for sustainable food

Consumers have ‘immense power’ to make food sustainable

World needs to sustainable produce 70% more food by 2050

Sustainable forestry project supporting 900 families

Cochabamba Project: connecting investors with sustainable forestry