“Ah men…” slipped oppressively through the lips while biking in the early hours of late winter along the canals of Amsterdam to stock fruit and vegetables on the shelves of an organic supermarket.
While sighing, the double meaning of that thought and sound became noticeable. “Ah men,” because of the survival weight caused by waking up before the rooster calls, money, a place to rest, health, relations, and the discrepancy between reality and the drive to realize potential.
But at the same time “Amen,” for not having to conform to the visible and invisible structures of external life. Of not being caught in unnatural paths such as sitting behind a computer within organisational boundaries, conforming to what is expected. Instead, free to drift into an inner world, while staying active and surrounded by essential food, and being part of a movement toward a healthier lifestyle and a more sustainable way of farming.
‘‘The agri-food sector is widely regarded as a key industry in tackling climate change and achieving the SDGs.”