On April 11, 2025, the Food Institute Graduate Council (FIGC) at UC Berkeley hosted its 5th Annual Food Systems Conference titled “Resilient Community Food Systems: Circular Solutions Across Generations.” With support from the Berkeley Food Institute (BFI), the event brought together students, scholars, activists, and practitioners to explore how sustainable practices and intergenerational wisdom can create lasting change in food systems.

Held at Berkeley Way West, the day-long event centered on circularity as a framework for food systems transformation, from reducing waste to renewing knowledge across generations. The conference drew attendees from across disciplines and sectors, reflecting the complexity and interconnectedness of today’s food challenges.

Why This Theme?

This year’s theme emerged from a desire to spotlight the often-overlooked synergy between tradition and innovation. We asked: What does resilience in food systems look like when it is rooted in both ancestral knowledge and forward-thinking solutions? The conference invited participants to consider how cultural memory, Indigenous ecological knowledge, youth innovation, and regenerative practices such as agroecology, aquaponics, and permaculture intersect to build thriving, sustainable food systems, especially in the face of climate disruption, land loss, and economic precarity.

Spotlight on Key Panels

The day opened with a compelling panel on rethinking food systems frameworks. Presenters challenged conventional models and proposed new metrics for equity and sustainability. Sessions throughout the day highlighted Indigenous knowledge, land sovereignty, ecological stewardship, and the power of youth-led and elder-informed action.

One standout session focused on California’s SB 1383, a landmark food and organic waste law, and the tension between grassroots initiatives and statewide procurement mandates. Another dug deep into how community-led efforts in Puerto Rico and urban California are reclaiming land and food sovereignty through mutual aid and reparative justice.

A Platform for New Perspectives

True to FIGC’s mission, the conference prioritized emerging voices. Graduate students and early-career researchers presented original work, from agroecological innovations to critiques of techno-solutionism. Art exhibitions and poster sessions showcased research and creativity side-by-side, including a moving photographic display on Dhaka’s poultry markets and a poster display on a generational renewal project for California agriculture.

Participants’ Voices

Throughout the day, attendees reflected on the conference’s strengths and areas for growth, underscoring its impact and potential.

“I think it was pretty stellar! Speak more directly to the interplay of academia, science, and effective policy change.”

“Great diversity of topics—congrats! The smaller panels were especially engaging. The one on food waste was too big and needed stronger facilitation. Also, more breaks for connection and collaboration would be great.”

These reflections remind us that food systems work is inherently collaborative, and that creating space for feedback, dialogue, and iteration is key to growing a stronger, more inclusive movement. The feedback from participants will help guide future conference programming.

Cross-Campus Collaboration and Forward Momentum

The keynote panel, “Building an Equitable Future with Generational Renewal in California Agriculture,” sparked discussion around how young farmers navigate a system stacked with barriers, and how policy, mentorship, and equity-centered support networks can pave the way forward. Throughout the day, a clear message emerged: resilient food systems aren’t built in silos. They depend on networks, across age, discipline, and geography, that value reciprocity, shared knowledge, and systemic change.

BFI’s support for the FIGC conference reflects its commitment to student-led innovation and education, as well as students’ roles in BFI’s focus areas. The conference connected to urban and rural agroecology through discussion of low-input food production, fair and healthy jobs through the roles associated with the food and waste infrastructure of a circular food system, good food access through food recovery efforts, and racial equity by highlighting intergenerational and Indigenous knowledge of the traditionally circular food system.

Stay Connected

To get involved with FIGC or join the food systems conversation at UC Berkeley, sign up for the FIGC listserv here or reach out to contact@figc.berkeley.edu.