Stay connected and join the FoodSHIFT+ email forum – the Rise Up email forum for multi-actor food partnerships across Europe and beyond.

Email FoodSHIFT+-subscribe@lists.riseup.net to be signed up by the platform.

Once subscribed, email FoodSHIFT+@lists.riseup.net to ask questions or share information and it will be received by the entire list.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who can join this email forum?

Everyone involved in the FoodSHIFT2030 project, including the core project team, the FoodSHIFT Accelerator Labs (FALs), Fellow cities (FELs) and network partners. Multiple people from the same lab, partnership or organisation can sign up to the forum.

As the project comes to a close at the end of 2023, FoodSHIFT + has extended the invitation to all multi-actor food partnerships who have come across the project, attended workshops and webinars, and would like to stay connected with work happening across Europe.

Why join?

FoodSHIFT+ connects all those working across the FoodSHIFT network. It provides a platform for communication and knowledge sharing, a place to share challenges, questions, news and updates relevant to sustainable food systems and multi-actor partnerships.

How does it work?

Knowledge sharing made simple! Once you’re signed up, you receive emails straight to your inbox with no need to log in to check messages.

–       To sign up people need to email FoodSHIFT+-subscribe@lists.riseup.net

–       Once subscribed you can ask your questions or share info by emailing FoodSHIFT+@lists.riseup.net and it will be received by the entire list.

–       To unsubscribe from this list, email FoodSHIFT+-unsubscribe@lists.riseup.net.

What can I post about?

You are welcome to share anything related to your project which you believe would be of interest to the rest of the network, including relevant research, insights, and events, as well as particular challenges or questions you might have related to food system partnerships.

Topics might include:

• Questions on specific areas cities, councils, partnerships are struggling with e.g. how/whether to encourage citizen involvement in food partnerships; how to measure emissions saved from improved public procurement, how to work most effectively with businesses in a food partnership, etc.
• Examples of local success, developments you are proud of and would like to share, or need advice on
• Webinars and event news
• New reports and developments from other sector organisations
• International grants available on this theme
• Job posts
• Wider themes such as food governance, food citizen engagement and more

The size limit for messages is 500Kb, which means that users will not be able to share attachments in posts.

How often can I post?

You can post as often as you like, and remember to invite everyone within your local food partnership to sign up!

Will the forum be moderated?

Yes. The moderator will keep an eye out for posts that violate the forum’s user guidelines. Any such post will be removed by the moderator.

Can I use the forum to communicate with my assigned FoodSHIFT project partner?

No. This forum is not for sharing detailed project work and sensitive documents that relate to specific bilateral or multilateral work streams between FAls and FELs. This is not an internal communication channel to carry out FoodSHIFT related project work.

Can I use this forum as an archive and list/search materials for FoodSHIFT legacy work?

No. This forum does not work as a library of materials. It is not a mini site or a shared drive. When someone posts in the forum, you will receive an email but there is no website or page for you to access to search back for previous posts unless you have saved the emails personally.

User Guidelines

No Spam / Advertising / Self-promotion

This forum defines spam as unsolicited advertisement for goods, services and/or other web sites, or posts with little, or completely unrelated content.

Do not post copyright-infringing material

Providing or asking for information on how to illegally obtain copyrighted materials is forbidden, this also includes internal and confidential FoodSHIFT 2030 documents such as the Grant Agreement or Consortium Agreement

Do not post “offensive” posts, links or images

Any material which constitutes defamation, harassment, or abuse is strictly prohibited. Material that is sexually or otherwise obscene, racist, or otherwise overly discriminatory is not permitted on this forum.

Remain respectful of other members at all times

All posts should be professional and courteous. You have every right to disagree with your fellow community members and explain your perspective. However, you are not free to attack, degrade, insult, or otherwise belittle them or the quality of this community.

The post FoodSHIFT email forum appeared first on FoodSHIFT 2030.

As some of you know, especially members of the FoodSHIFT2030 network, each of the Lab or FAL (FoodSHIFT Accelerator Lab) is collaborating with the FELs (FoodSHIFT Enabler Labs – fellow cities). In the case of the Wroc?aw FAL (Poland), the collaborating FELs are: 

• Krzy?owa (Poland)
• Warsaw (Poland)
• Manchester (United Kingdom)
• Trento (Italy)

Last year, the collaboration with FELs started with online meetings to get to know each other and learn by sharing experiences. This year, we started physical and hybrid meetings dedicated to learning-by-sharing.  

Download here a summary note on Wroclaw experience explained in a fun way!

February 2023 – FAL2FEL meeting – Krzy?owa (Poland)  

February 28th was dedicated to a study visit at Krzy?owa FEL. We met at “Krzy?owa” Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe, located 60 kilometers from Wroc?aw city. The main topic of the meeting related to rising awareness regarding more plant-based habits. Members of our WRO FAL like Ma?gorzata ?wi?der and Marta Sylla from Wroc?aw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, and Monika Onyszkiewicz from the Foundation of EcoDevelopment were present. The FEL side was represented by Agnieszka Dudu? and Anna Kudarewska.  

The meeting had the format of open discussions combined with a site visit. We were discussing the need for collaboration regarding developing the food system and introducing the following FoodSHIFT actions in which FELs could be engaged. In Krzyzowa – we are working together on changes that will be seen in the cafeteria, among other things. More local, seasonal, and plant-based meals will work out well for everyone. 

Photo credits: Wroclaw FAL 

The team of Krzy?owa FEL presented to us their well-established community garden with a whole infrastructure and different types of garden beds. They introduced a wide range of educational offerings they are providing for different stakeholder groups. In this case, small successes have been or are planned to be achieved – a vegetable garden and an herbarium, the harvest of which will be used by the restaurant and canteen. 

Photo credits: Wroclaw FAL 

March 2023 – FAL2FEL meeting – Trento (Italy)  

In March we visited Trento in northern Italy to dwell on the topic of Urban Gardens and supporting communities willing to use a common space for education, socializing, and of course food production. 

We were able to see the different forms and formulas of the gardens in Trento, as well as talk to the people creating them. 

Just outside the gates of the University is a garden established on municipal land and run by a senior citizens’ association (Orto Urbano Mesiano). There are about 120 small plots of land that seniors and senior citizens can lease. The lease is renewed annually, and a contribution is paid to cover the running costs (around 50 euros/year). The main objective of the garden and its community is to activate people who are already working. 

More important than cultivation is a meeting, a shared dinner, or simply a conversation. 

Photo credits: Wroclaw FAL 

Another example is the garden initiated by the active residents of the Clarina estate (Orto urbano Clarina). The main initiator, Francesco, is a trained farmer. Naturally, he has a lot of knowledge about how to grow fruit and vegetables, but the key for him is to create a space where he and his neighbors can meet and slowly start to grow vegetables and practice environmental care and good habits (composting, rainwater collection, attention to local and seasonality). Of the activities, reading books to children, playing volleyball together or having a picnic is great. Here, too, they prioritize the social aspect over crop efficiency. 

Photo credits: Wroclaw FAL 

The third garden we visited was the Orto San Marco garden in Rovereto, a town one train station away from Trento. This garden model is the result of shared goals and benefits between the local government, business, and the local community committed to education. The area was planned by the city as a … cemetery, but life changed the plans and the city abandoned this idea, giving it over to the creation of an educational garden and the restoration of the region’s ancient silk tradition. Hence the mulberry trees are planted in the garden, whose leaves are food for the silkworms bred at the University. However, unlike those reared over 100 years ago, the yarn produced by the silkworms is being studied by scientists for its use in medicine. The remainder of the area is used to grow vegetables sold in the on-site shop (approx. 200 m2 growing in tunnels+ 15 planted apple trees and 12 beehives for in-house honey production), and another part of the garden is an educational site. An important element of this garden is meetings, concerts and events bringing together people from the neighborhood. 

Photo credits: Wroclaw FAL 

Visually, each of these gardens looks different, with each community facing its own problems, challenges and having its own successes. Behind each of these places are political decisions at the local and regional levels. Among other things, it depends on the policy of the land manager on what terms he or she will make the land available, whether he or she will prioritize educational activities, and whether he or she sees value in it. Therefore, although there is no single recipe for a good community garden, there are a few proven conditions for such gardens to emerge. But that will be discussed next time. 

May 2023 – FEL2FAL meeting – Wroc?aw (Poland)  

On May 16th, a hybrid FEL2FAL meeting was held at the Foundation of EcoDevelopment headquarters. The meeting was based on learning from the experience of partner cities – #learningbysharing.  

Photo credits: Wroclaw FAL 

Our FELs: University in Trento (Italy), community garden ‘Motyka I S?o?ce’ (Warsaw, Poland), Krzy?owa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe (Krzy?owa, Poland), defined assumptions conducive to the development of the food system and food policy. 

The event was also supported by the Marshal’s Office of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship and the City of Wroclaw. The result of the meeting will be a developed visual note based on the partners’ experiences. 

Even though we have only 6 months left to close the project, we are not slowing down! We try to involve various stakeholders, spread the topic of food system development, renew our educational offer, and be active within our group on FBJadalne Miasto Wroc?aw (eng. Edible City Wroclaw), where we inform about current events. We are sure that we have not said the last word yet! 

Photo credits: Wroclaw FAL 

Read other Labs exchange visits with their Fellow cities, such as the Copenhagen FAL2FEL experience!

The post Wroclaw FAL2FEL experiences appeared first on FoodSHIFT 2030.

During a three-day exchange study trip in May between the Copenhagen FoodSHIFT Accelerator Lab (CPH FAL) and its three Fellow Cities (FELs) Basel (CH), Kaunas (LI), Plymouth-Devon (UK), we collectively learned more about the food scene in Copenhagen. The purpose of the visit was to collaboratively engage in discussions about upcycling, public procurement, farmers in Denmark and much more. 

Sunday visit to the farmers market at Vesterbro 

On the first day we visited the farmers market Grønt Market, which was held in one of the many lively and colorful neighborhoods in Copenhagen. Viola Capriola from Grønt Market, one of the CPH FAL innovators, gave a presentation about the farmers market in Copenhagen, the challenges and successes that they have and how they make local, fresh and seasonal food available to everyone, as well as create a healthy and strong connection between the producers in the countryside and the people in the city.  

Learnings: 

• In order to become a regular shopping place for people like supermarkets are today, Grønt Market are striving to be present in more neighborhoods in Copenhagen. In fact, from August on, Grønt Market can be found in the Frederiksberg area in Copenhagen. 

• People in Denmark are not so familiar with the concept of the farmer’s market.  To tackle this challenge, they organize workshops and are more vocal on social media about their purpose. Getting more awareness will educate people about the purpose of the market. 

After a great presentation and fruitful discussions, the group walked around the farmers’ booths and talked with them about their products, challenges and what works for them.  

Learning about public procurement and upcycling of beer from bread  

On the second day the study trip continued with a visit to the Copenhagen Hospitality College which trains chefs, waiters and other students for the hotel and restaurant industry. The focus was on how the college works with public procurement, small-scale farmers and organic produce.  

Learnings: 

• 80% of time is spent in workshops instead of the classrooms 
• People from various backgrounds are eager to learn about food – the age ranges from anywhere between 18-56! 
• In order to support local, small-scale and organic producers, focus on education is a tender requirement that enables small scale farmers and SMEs to bid instead of conventional firms 

The study trip continued with a visit to the upcycling beer and research company Brøl, which is making beer from upcycled organic bread. We learned a lot about production and logistics, but also about the taste of the beer. 

Learnings: 

• Conventional processes for beer making are not suitable for bread-based beer. Therefore, a lot of hardware and know-how had to be adapted from the Sake industry which is closest to Brøl’s production 
• The upcycling business is quite novel, so beer production and research are separate entities in Brøl 

The collaboration and knowledge exchange continued with a dinner at Kitchen Collective, including CPH FAL members, the FELs, CPH innovators and advisory board members. Kitchen Collective is a democratic, sharing economy and agenda-setting food entrepreneur house.
They set the stage for food entrepreneurship because they believe that food entrepreneurs are beacons for tasty solutions for a healthier and more sustainable food system. Therefore, a delicious and innovative dinner based on a Japanese concept with Danish ingredients was provided by Saito CPH, one of the entrepreneurs at Kitchen Collective. 

Getting to know Coop Crowdfunding and Godis Grønt farm 

On the last day the visitors learned more about CoopCrowdfunding presented by Nicolai Jæpelt and their inspiring initiatives in Denmark. Coop Crowdfunding is an attitude-based platform that works dedicatedly to promote green change, sustainable solutions and better products across industries.  

Learnings: 

• Each county has their own laws about crowdfunding; therefore, it is difficult to move beyond national borders. But there are soon common EU policy enabling easy cross-European crowd funding 
• Coop crowdfunding has 25 000 users and rewarded 800 projects in 2022. Still, crowdfunding is yet a little-known concept that requires more awareness in the general public 

• Main ideas are working towards stablishing reliable partnerships and creating an ecosystem that connects companies and people – all about connection and community 

The study trip continued with a visit to Godis Grønt, a small-scale organic vegetable production in Lejre Municipality. Godis Grønt grows nutritious and tasty vegetables and is striving to become more regenerative with time. We learned that they focus on increasing biodiversity and soil health as they grow food for their restaurant and canteen customers as well as for their CSA customers (Community Supported Agriculture). The group had the chance to enjoy plant-based, locally grown vegetables during a delicious lunch made by the people working at the farm. 

With smiling faces and bellies full of delicious food, it was time to say goodbye to three amazing days full of new knowledge and enlightenment in how the food system works in Copenhagen. The main objective for this study trip was to submerse FELs in the food scene in Copenhagen. They had the chance to learn more about the food scene in Copenhagen, the daily work of local producers working in rural areas, how upcycling businesses work and how public procurement is managed by a college with long-lasting experience in creating future chefs. To conclude, we learned that there are many challenges, but being passionate, dedicated, hardworking and determined can help change the food system into a more sustainable, plant–based and circular one. 

Key words: Farmers markets in Denmark, Organic and regenerative farming, CSA – Community Supported Agriculture, (Public) Procurement at Copenhagen Hospitality School, Upcycling, Crowdfunding   

Curious to read more about other exhange visits with Fellow Cities? Read about Wroclaw FAL2FEL experience!

The post Exploring the Copenhagen Food System – Stories from our FEL Visit appeared first on FoodSHIFT 2030.

FoodSHIFT2030 has selected over 30 place-based food partnerships to join the European wide project as FoodSHIFT fellow city-regions, with the aim of establishing FoodSHIFT Enabler Labs (FELs) in their respective local areas.

The fellow city-regions have been paired with one of the 9 already established FoodSHIFT Accelerator Labs (FALs); city-based partnerships of engaged citizens, NGOs, SMEs, researchers, local administration and policy makers, located in Barcelona, Bari, Wroclow, Ostende, Copenhagen, Brasov, Berlin, Avignon and Athens. 

The new Fellows will be invited to participate in a multilateral exchange of knowledge, expertise and experience with both their paired FALs and across the project as a whole.

The list of successful applicants and their paired FALs are as follows:

• Athens FAL with Vrilissia, Nea Smyrni,  Korydallos, Halandri,  Agia Paraskevi in Attika Region (GR)
• Avignon FAL with Albi-Occitanie (FR), Bergamo (IT) and Bordeaux Métropole (FR), Geneva (CH) + Manger Demain (BE)
• Barcelona FAL with Exeter (UK), Hamburg (DE), Milan (IT), Paris (FR)
• Bari FAL with Tirana (Albania), Taranto and Tricase (IT)
• Berlin FAL with Bochum, Freiburg & Region, and Luebeck (DE), and Zurich (CH)
• Brasov FAL with Alba Iulia, Sibiu, and Cluj-Napoca (Romania)
• Copenhagen FAL with Basel (CH), Kaunas (LI), Plymouth-Devon (UK)
• Ostend FAL with Bruges, Eeklo-East-Flanders, and Kortrijk (BE) and Lisbon Metropolitan Area (PT)
• Wroclaw FAL with Warsaw (PL), Greater Manchester (UK) and Trento (IT)

The inclusion of Fellows to the project builds on the FoodSHIFT aim to shift urban food systems towards more sustainable food systems, putting citizens at the centre of change in a novel approach to scale-up, multiply and share the best food innovations European communities have to offer. 

Christian Bugge Henriksen, FoodSHIFT2030 Project Coordinator says:

“We are delighted to welcome on board the successful applicants to join the next phase of the FoodSHIFT 2030 project where we are organizing knowledge exchange between our nine initial city regions and more than twenty seven fellow city-regions that have been paired based on their specific interest and concrete approach towards transforming our food system”. 

The post PRESS RELEASE: Over 30 city-regions selected to join FoodSHIFT project as Fellows appeared first on FoodSHIFT 2030.

There are important dimensions to the places in which the communities in question participate. The first is the food local community. This community is a ‘community of interest’, i.e. a group of different people, who share a common interest for the food policy of the city, and related activities.

Beyond a community of interest that offers a framework for collective reflection, community engagement can be an active participation in “Citizen driven innovation” which are grass-root initiatives, that are new (in an incremental or radical way) and initiated by city-region inhabitants. 

The objectives of the webinar were the following: 

• Sharing experiences in establishing local food community and initiatives, and in contributing to the success of citizens/people led initiatives 
• Discussing main bottlenecks and difficulties 
• Brainstorming about pathways and communication tools which could help (=solutions) 
• Six cities actively participated in this learning process by exchanging experiences

Download the Report and Annex here: F2FAL Web#1 Factsheet.

Download reports per city:

• Avignon_F2F_web#1
• Barcelona_F2F_web#1
• Bari_F2F_web#1
• Copenhagen_F2F_web#1
• Oostende_F2F_web#1

The post Living LAB: Peer learning event appeared first on FoodSHIFT 2030.