Devon is famous for its beautiful beaches, ancient woodlands, and prehistoric coasts, but like the rest of the UK, the county is facing several challenges when it comes to food and farming. As the cost-of-living crisis continues, rising levels of food insecurity mean that more and more households in Devon are eating less and going hungry. Meanwhile, as higher numbers of people find themselves unable to afford good quality, nature-friendly, nutritious food, farmers are finding it increasingly difficult to grow this kind of produce in the face of climate change, supply chain issues, depleted soil health and other systemic challenges.

Set on addressing these myriad issues is an exciting project from three of Devon’s established organisations. ‘Abundant Life’ comes from Food in Community, one of the first community food hubs in the UK and the first to centre organic and ethical produce; Pollenize, a Plymouth-based group helping to create more pollinator-friendly habitats; and Common Flora, a social business using principles of permaculture and agroecology to address mental health and well-being. The project has recently won funding from the National Lottery, and has organisations such as the Devon Wildlife Trust, NFFN, and FFCC on its steering board.

Abundant Life aims to foster new connections between urban and rural communities, to reduce loneliness, to increase regenerative farming, to help farmers and those in food insecurity, all the while improving the soil and habitats of potential pollinators. It comes at a time when taking a holistic approach to food, health and farming is becoming more and more critical.

We caught up with Jane Acton from Common Flora, David Markson and Chantelle Norton from Food in Community, and Owen Finnie from Pollenize to find out how they're making a difference, and their plans for the future.

Food in Community CIC.

At the heart of the collaboration is a desire to better connect people and communities and the natural world. As Chantelle said, “So I think what brings us together is a shared vision of people-centered nature exploration. Helping people, beyond the usual suspects, to engage with climate projects and nature more generally – food can be a good catalyst for this.”

David added, “If we can get people onto the land, being a part of something useful and learning skills, that can be empowering. Previous research shows that there needs to be stronger relationships between producers, local communities and organisations, and that citizens need to be able to access food and producers in diverse ways. Such connections take people from a place of hopelessness to a place of empowerment, and if we can grow and share food in our communities, that can strengthen, create friendships and reduce isolation."

Interconnectedness is a fundamental aspect of ‘Abundant Life.’ While local and national policy has traditionally overlooked the links between soil health, environmental health, public health, rural and urban communities, and organic and conventional agriculture, many of these connections already exist. Through the creation of community events and learning opportunities, on the land and in community spaces, and the provision of support, ‘Abundant Life’ is working to join the dots more thoroughly – and enable communities to benefit from these connections.

Empowerment is the name of the game here and ‘Abundant Life’ wants to empower participants from all walks of life. Urban-dwelling residents may aspire to get involved with growing food but may lack access to land, so this is a focus. Transport and lunch are offered, alongside opportunities to engage with nature through citizen science projects and talks on plants and pollinators. For farmers, practical support will be made available, such as mental health training from RABI, advice on how to navigate the complex UK funding landscape and the possibility to have help at strategic times of the year.

This is much needed when UK farmers are facing huge environmental and financial challenges – and confidence is at an all-time low. Climate change is having serious ramifications for farmers already squeezed in a system where multinational corporations and big supermarkets rake in most of the profits. In recent years and months, unprecedented rainfall in Devon and across the UK has decimated harvests, pushing farmers into further precarity. There’s no question that farming in the UK is now at a crossroads, with farmers urgently needing the right tools and policies to develop resilience in the face of intensifying climate and cost-of-living crises.

‘Abundant Life’ wants to help farmers through training and advice, with the hopes that these farmers can be better supported in their transition to regenerative agriculture and more resilient business models. Though Defra have been keen to devise an application process that doesn’t require consultants, the perception is that expensive consultants are necessary for farmers to apply to new initiatives. Jane said, “I'm talking to smaller landowners for whom the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs) could make a huge difference, but they’re unsure of the changes and don't think it applies to them, or that these changes can’t be accessed without the assistance of consultants. So, there's a lack of communication as well.”

Another obstacle to good food and farming that ‘Abundant Life’ plans on tackling is the dwindling populations of pollinators. In 2024, the Government published an Inquiry into insect decline and UK food security that reported a long-term decline in pollinators due to, amongst other causes, the overuse of pesticides in agriculture. With 70 percent of UK land being farmland, the overuse of pesticides has serious ramifications for pollinators, soil ecology, British food security, and the economy, as well as for the health and wellbeing of citizens and farmers alike.

To address this, ‘Abundant Life’ will support the installation of pollinator accommodation onto farmland, and perennial crops will be trialed on both conventional and organic land. The project also has the added benefit of data generation and collection for research, with soil health metrics measured and sent out to experts from Sustainable South Brent. Data will be collected by citizens, providing insights for researchers and fun days out for families. The partnered groups hope that the project will sow the seeds for future projects where even more land is converted into pollinator-friendly zones and healthier soil.

Speaking on this, Owen from Pollenize said: “Another thing that will come out of it, hopefully, is that more people will understand what pollinators are and what they do, and that they are not something to be feared or swatted. It’s actually good to encourage them. Hopefully people can understand how reliant we are on pollinators for the food that we eat. Everything is interconnected."

So, what legacy does Pollenize, Food in Community, and Common Flora hope to leave behind with the project? Healthier soil, healthier people and more opportunities to connect people with the land, to open up more access to good food. But, most of all, they want to forge friendships and connections. There are events where people can bond over food and music, and a real sense of openness and camaraderie can be seen in the project leads. These positive attitudes exemplify the reasoning behind the project’s name. ‘Abundant Life,’ from the “abundance in nature” and the “abundance of human kindness.”

Abundant Life offers an exciting glimpse into a community-oriented, environmentally friendly future where both people and planet prosper. We look forward to seeing their good work.