20 Questions With ’The Black Farmer’

Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, self-styled as 'The Black Farmer', came to Britain from Jamaica as a small boy and grew up in poverty as one of nine siblings. He was often 'very, very, very hungry'. At an early age he became determined to own his own farm. Despite leaving school with no qualifications, after a career in television and then in PR, he realised his dream and now sells produce into supermarkets across the country as well as at his farm shop in Brixton. Here he tells his story, describes his mission to bring about change and how as an outsider he sees opportunity, tackles issues of race and discrimination, gives his verdict on whether the countryside is racist, recounts his experiences of being mistaken for a delivery driver and a chauffeur, explains the importance of having a Guardian Angel, reveals why he's a Tory, argues that the system failed him, maps out the future of farming, heralds the age of AI in work, calls on the National Trust and Church of England to help diversify land ownership and calls out what he sees as an "appalling" lack of diversity in the food and farming industry, highlights the role of consumer power, rejects quotas and champions the audacity of dreaming big. 

 

For the diversity and inclusion policies of the National Trust, Church of England, Aldi, Lidl and other supermarkets, see their websites.