Slow Food envisions a world in which all people can access and enjoy food that is good for them, good for those who grow it and good for the planet.

An important aspect of this goal is social justice. It should be pursued through the creation of conditions of labor respectful of people  and their rights and capable of generating adequate rewards; through the pursuit of balanced global economies; through the practice of sympathy and solidarity; through the respect for cultural diversities and traditions.

Yara Dowani, the co-founder and spokesperson for Om Sleiman farm in Palestine, explains for SlowFood organization that “eating fair food means eating clean, local, healthy food, having food that’s equally available and affordable for everyone, farmers getting what they deserve for their work: recognition, respect, fair payment. It means consumers knowing where their food comes from and having freedom of choice regarding what they eat and consume. Anything different is unfair”. Link to the interview.

SlowFood video about fair food: click here

The consumer orients the market and production with his or her choices and, growing aware of these processes, he or she assumes a new role. Consumption becomes part of the productive act and the consumer thus becomes a co-producer.

The producer plays a key role in this process, working to achieve quality, making his or her experience available and welcoming the knowledge and knowhow of others. The effort must be a common one and must be made in the same aware, shared and interdisciplinary spirit as the science of gastronomy.

So, eating and producing food become political acts!

Slow Food is working to promote production, processing, and consumption models that are as sustainable as possible for both individuals and the planet.

Among these types of production there are also all the Slow Food’s Ark of Taste products, that are not only good, clean and fair, but also at risk of extinction. The Ark of Taste travels the world collecting small-scale quality productions that belong to the cultures, history and traditions of the entire planet: an extraordinary heritage of fruits, vegetables, animal breeds, cheeses, breads, sweets and cured meats.

The Ark of Taste invites everybody to take action: in some cases, products need to be rediscovered and put back on the table, and producers need to be supported and to have their stories told; in others, such as the case of endangered wild species, it might be better to eat less or none of them in order to preserve them and favor their reproduction.

Find the full definition in the Slow Food Call to Action