The Digital Revolution of Small-Scale Farming

Pete shares his entrepreneurial journey, from importing frozen pastries to realising his role in the problem of mass-produced food, and ultimately founding Ooooby. The platform’s mission? To help small-scale farmers reclaim market share and thrive in an industry dominated by big corporations.

Key Takeaways:

• The State of Small-Scale Farming: Over 100,000 UK farms have disappeared since 1990, but Ooooby is reversing that trend by generating new farms through local demand.

• The Rise of Decentralized Food Systems: Oooby enables farmers to directly connect with consumers, control their supply chains, and build resilient, local food economies.

• Challenges & Lessons: Pete dives into the struggles of sustaining Oooby through its early years, focusing on simplicity, leverage, and building software designed specifically for small-scale producers.

• Community Impact: Ooooby fosters strong local economies by reducing administrative burdens on farmers, enabling real human connections, and increasing the value small producers can extract from their work.

• The Future of Food: Pete advocates for decentralisation and the elimination of unnecessary intermediaries in the food supply chain, calling for a shift back to local, ecologically sound food production.

Episode Highlights:

The Fall and Rise of Small-Scale Farms: Pete discusses how Ooooby is not only helping existing farms thrive but also catalysing the creation of new farms in local communities. This positive shift is a critical response to the loss of small farms over the past few decades.

Oooby's Evolution: Starting as a middleman between farmers and consumers, Ooooby has evolved into a self-sustaining platform where farmers manage their own sales and supply chains. Pete explains how this transformation occurred over nine years, offering a "Shopify for local food."

How Oooby Works: Oooby streamlines the process for both farmers and consumers. Customers order fresh produce online from local farms, while farmers benefit from simplified operations, reduced waste, and increased profits. Pete also shares success stories from farmers using the platform, such as Martin Bradshaw from Moss Valley Market Garden and Lawrence from Solfarm.

The Importance of Community: Pete emphasizes the importance of fostering strong, local economies through Ooooby’s model. By facilitating direct relationships between farmers and consumers, Oooby enhances community connections rather than diminishing them.

Decentralization and the Future of Food: Pete passionately advocates for a decentralized, localized food system. He argues that food should not be treated as a product to maximize profit but as a resource for nourishing people and sustaining future generations.

Technology Meets Tradition: Balancing the benefits of technology with the need for face-to-face interactions, Oooby enhances farmer-consumer relationships while automating administrative tasks, freeing up farmers’ time for more meaningful community engagement.

Sustainability and Scalability: Pete explains Oooby’s steward ownership model, which prevents large corporations from buying out the platform, ensuring that Oooooby remains focused on its mission of empowering small-scale producers.

Quote Highlights:

• “Small-scale farming is not dead; it’s regenerating.”

• “Food isn’t just a product for making money—it’s about nourishing people and ensuring our survival.”

• “Ooooby is more than just software; it’s a way to give farmers their autonomy back.”

Resources:

• Ooooby

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