Why Enroll?

Activating Local Food Systems

A 7-week professional course from Living Earth College

Beginning 17 April 2026

Join the Seed Cohort

The first cohort of Living Earth College brings together farmers, community organisers, designers, policymakers, educators, and citizens who want to actively strengthen local food systems in their regions.

Over seven weeks participants explore the interconnected layers that shape food systems, from soil and farming practices to community food initiatives, regional infrastructure, and policy design.

The course combines practical learning, systems thinking, and collaborative discussion.

Participants will explore real examples of food system initiatives such as seed libraries, crop swaps, community food boxes, and regional food hubs, while also examining how planning frameworks and public policy influence the development of local food economies.

Throughout the course, participants are invited to develop their own local food systems initiative or project, with guidance from the course facilitator and the cohort learning community.

Participants who complete the course receive a:

Certificate in Local Food Systems Activation

Program overview

Start date
17 April 2026

Duration
7 weeks

Format
Live online 90 minute seminar each week

Cohort size
Limited to 20 participants

What participants will explore

The program combines practical insights from agriculture, community initiatives, and policy development.

Participants will explore topics including:

• understanding soil health, composting, and farm-scale ecological practices
• creating community food initiatives such as seed libraries, crop swaps, and food boxes
• strengthening local food economies and farmer–community relationships
• developing shared food infrastructure such as food hubs and distribution networks
• understanding planning frameworks and food policy
• co-design approaches for developing food system initiatives with communities

Your project

A central part of the course is the opportunity to develop your own local food systems initiative.

Participants are invited to identify a project relevant to their own place, such as a seed exchange, community food project, policy initiative, or regional coordination effort.

Over the seven weeks participants will:

• map their local food system
• develop a concept for a practical initiative
• refine the idea through discussion with the cohort
• present their project at the end of the course

This process helps transform learning into real-world action.

Tuition

$690 AUD
(€420 EUR / CHF 410 / £360 GBP / $450 USD / $610 CAD)

Early bird rate

$540 AUD
(€330 EUR / CHF 320 / £285 GBP / $350 USD / $475 CAD)

Who this course is for

This course may be especially valuable for:

• farmers and growers
• community organisers developing food initiatives
• designers working with place and landscape
• regional development practitioners
• local government staff and policymakers
• educators and researchers interested in food systems

Participants do not need to be experts. Curiosity, commitment, and a willingness to explore new ideas are far more important.

Who this course may not be for

This course may not be the right fit for people who are looking for:

• purely technical agricultural training
• short-term marketing strategies
• a passive online course without participation

Living Earth College programs are designed for people who want to actively contribute to strengthening food systems in their communities.

A personal invitation

Living Earth College was created to support people who are ready to strengthen the systems that feed their communities.

If you feel called to participate in this work, I warmly invite you to join the first cohort.

Dr Emily Samuels-Ballantyne
Founder, Living Earth College

Enroll in the program

→ Enroll Now

Applications close 16 April or when the cohort reaches 20 participants.

The 7-Week Learning Journey

The Activating Local Food Systems course is delivered through seven live sessions combining presentation, discussion, and practical reflection.

Each week introduces key insights from food systems practice, followed by guided questions and dialogue designed to help participants connect the material with their own place, experience, and emerging project.

The learning process is dynamic and participatory. Participants are encouraged to bring their observations, questions, and ideas into the conversation so that the course becomes a space where new possibilities for local food systems can emerge.

Throughout the seven weeks participants gradually develop a place-based initiative or project, supported by the insights of the course and the shared learning of the cohort.

Week 1

Seeing the Food System

How does a local food system actually function?

Participants begin by mapping the food system of their own region, exploring relationships between farms, markets, infrastructure, community initiatives, and institutions.

Week 2

Soil and the Farm Organism

Healthy food systems begin with living soil.

This session explores soil health, composting, and ecological farming practices, along with the concept of the farm as a living organism embedded within its landscape.

Week 3

Seeds, Crops, and Local Diversity

Seed saving and crop diversity form the foundation of resilient food systems.

Participants explore practical initiatives such as seed libraries, crop swaps, and plant exchange networks that strengthen local food cultures, and how to create one!

Week 4

Community Food Economies

Food systems grow through relationships between farmers and communities.

This session explores initiatives such as food boxes, community gardens, and farmers markets, examining how they strengthen local food economies and reconnect people with food production.

Week 5

Regional Infrastructure

At the regional scale, food systems require coordination and infrastructure.

Participants explore the role of food hubs, processing facilities, distribution networks, and collaborative farmer networks that enable regional food economies to thrive.

Week 6

Governance and Food Policy

Food systems are shaped by planning systems, procurement policies, and regional governance.

This session explores how policy frameworks can either support or constrain local food initiatives and how thoughtful design and advocacy can influence change.

Week 7

Activation and Project Presentations

In the final session participants share the local food systems initiatives or projects they have been developing throughout the course.

The cohort reflects together on practical next steps, potential collaborations, and the wider role of living systems thinking in strengthening regional food systems.

Learning approach

The course is delivered through live weekly seminars, guided reflection, and collaborative discussion.

Each session includes:

• presentation of key insights and case studies
• reflective questions and dialogue
• opportunities to connect the learning with your own region
• guidance for developing your own food systems initiative

The intention is not only to transmit knowledge, but to support participants in discovering their own way of contributing to the future of food systems.