#EU4AdiceTestimonials – Julia Gómez-Lama Gutiérrez

At EU4Advice, we are launching a testimonials campaign to engage as many stakeholders and members of our project community as possible. To kick off this initiative, we are starting with participants from the CrossLiving Lab which took place in the Netherlands in July. Their valuable insights and experiences will help us showcase the project’s impact and foster deeper connections within our community. This campaign is an exciting opportunity to highlight the voices that drive our mission forward.

Our first guest to reply to our questions is Julia Gómez-Lama Gutierrez, who graduated from Leiden University with an MSc in Biology and Science Communication and Society.

Why did you start working on/with local food?

I began working with local food while involved in a biodynamic agriculture project. I was drawn to these systems because the conventional consumption model didn’t fulfil me. Shopping for all my food at a supermarket and being detached from the entire supply chain felt disheartening. I wanted to reconnect with the actual effort behind food production and the people involved in it. By working in the field and supporting small-scale projects rather than large-scale production, I found a more meaningful and satisfying way to engage with food. Producing your food feels incredibly emancipating and empowering.

What have you learned/developed while working on regional food systems?

Through my experience, I have learned the immense effort required in regional food systems, including the seasonality of different foods, planting schedules, and harvest times. More importantly, I’ve understood that all waste and production surpluses are part of a circular system. Waste can be minimised by being mindful and reusing everything possible, given the effort involved in producing everything from fruits and vegetables to cheese, milk, and wool. While working within this system, I developed an ethical and responsible approach to small-scale animal production, which we then sold at a local store and in nearby village markets.

What are you looking for? What would you like to learn from other regions?

I am keen to explore how regional food systems can be integrated and collaborate on a larger scale. In the last project I worked on I realised how important it is for small-scale entrepreneurs to stay connected. I am particularly interested in understanding how different regions address similar challenges and how they manage to maintain sustainable practices while scaling their efforts. By learning from diverse experiences and sharing knowledge, we can overcome the limitations of conventional agricultural methods and enhance the resilience and success of our projects. It’s all about breaking away from the traditional agricultural system and ensuring our projects thrive long-term. Sharing knowledge and supporting each other is crucial for making real progress.