Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/451763
IX This week maltatoday, Sunday, 25 January 2015 xxxx Not all birds are spectacular, some are rather drab. One such ordinary looking customer is the Meadow Pipit, a very common winter resident in the Maltese Islands. It's small, largely grey-brown with a paler, black-streaked underparts. It's a bird of open country, such as steppe, farmland, garrigue, grassland. The drabness of its livery is a vital survival strategy: despite being in full view, the pipit is hard to spot on the ground unless it moves. But it moves a lot, walking about and snapping up juicy worms and insects with its slender bill. Another sure give-away to the Meadow Pipit's presence is the characteristic pss-wss-wss-wss! call, the sound that gave the bird its Maltese name Pespus. Watching it dash about its business provides a few minutes' light entertainment, often being swept off its pale spindly legs if it's a bit windy. It's incredible how these birds find sustenance in these windswept rocky places. It's a hard life but, as with all nature, they are perfectly adapted to making the best of their habitat. Plus, you'd think that being small and unspectacular, this bird would be spared the 'attention' of our shotgun-bearing heroes. But you'd be wrong. Meadow Pipits make excellent target practice for bored hunters, as attested by the many matted bundles of feathers I come across when out walking. 438. MEADOW PIPIT GREEN IDEA OF THE wEEk 341: Find out more – ead more about this issue: http://tinyurl.com/FoemaltaFoodsystem a new opinion poll released this week reveals high public support for more food to be produced sustainably and sold locally. The poll results come at a time when the new European union agriculture Commissioner, Phil Hogan, has been mandated to push for more jobs and sustainability in the farming sector. The opinion poll, conducted by TnS Opinion in 8 Eu countries on behalf of Friends of the Earth Europe, reveals that 89% of people interviewed saw buying local food as supporting local jobs and that 78% thought that locally produced food provided a balanced and complete diet. However, 73% of respondents said it was difficult to find information about locally produced food – and 67% said there weren't enough places to buy local food near them. 91% of people surveyed said that their governments should do more to support production and access to local food. Friends of the Earth believes that we currently have an increasingly globalised and industrialised food system that destroys jobs, damages the environment and creates costly food scandals. This poll shows public support for something different, and that politicians need to do a lot more to support sustainably produced local food and to build local food economies In recent years, only an estimated 20% of food in the European union is produced and marketed at local level. Globally, this figure is about 80%. at the same time, short food supply chains contribute to improved well-being through supporting small businesses and local jobs, reducing the carbon footprint from food distribution, strengthening the contact between consumers and farmers and ensuring the access to good and healthy food. Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as for information about how to join us www.foemalta.org. You can also support us by sending a blank SMS donation on 50618070 (€4.66) or 50619223 (€11.65). Text Victor Falzon Photo Aron Tanti New EU farming chief challenged to reform the food system Go face-to-face with the devil at the Manoel Theatre Staġun Teatru Malti, in collabora- tion with the Manoel Theatre, is staging Ix-Xitan Kunjomu Malti, a new and original play by writer- director Mario Philip Azzopardi. Azzopardi's two previous works were Sulari Fuq Strada Sretta and Xbihat Ta' Xi Wħud Li Huma Kattoliċi. Prior to these, the company had commissioned and produced seven original, contem- porary plays in Maltese. Azzopardi's theatre creates its own particular niche, blending dark humour, fantasy, satire and tongue-in-cheek social commen- tary inspired by what he refers to as the "Maltese experience". Dealing with the theme of demonic possession, Ix-Xitan Kunjomu Malti ('The devil has a Maltese name'), Azzopardi's third play is probably the most controversial, promising to take the audiences into unchartered territory. The plot revolves around a young Scottish girl, who is pos- sessed by the devil and screams out obscenities in the Maltese language. She is brought to Malta so that exorcists may find the con- nection and that's where and when the gates of hell are ripped open to allow the devil himself, dressed in tails and sneakers, to visit the audience for a face-to-face chat. Just when the audience is lulled into the lap of merciless satire and irreverent comedy, the play seems to twist upon itself to change into a violent, heart-wrenching trag- edy. Roderick Vassallo, John Suda, Marvic Cordina, Jamie Cardona and Shelby Aquilina – all of whom starred in Azzopardi's production of Il-Kappillan Ta' Malta – join forces with Paul Portelli, Mikhail Basmadjian and Polly March in this compelling and challenging theatrical experience. Ix-Xitan Kunjomu Malti will be performed on January 31, Febru- ary 1, 6, 7, 8 and 9 at 20:00 at the Manoel Theatre, Valletta. Tickets are available from the Manoel Theatre box office by calling on 2124 6389 or online John Suda (centre) leads an ensemble cast in Mario Philip Azzopardi's new play