Keywords: peer-to-peer learning, knowledge transfer, network  

The peer-to-peer learning approach is learning at equal level, where people with similar tasks, aims or challenges share experiences, ideas and knowledge with each other without hierarchies. 

Peer-to-peer learning in FoodSHIFT2030  

There are many peer-to-peer learning formats, some of which have been gathered within FoodSHIFT2030 in deliverable 5.3 under the title “Multiplying the impact – sharing experiences: training and guidance materials for knowledge transfer”. This collection primarily addresses the FoodSHIFT2030 Accelerator Labs (FALs) and aims to facilitate peer-to-peer knowledge transfer of experience with food system innovations among all FALs as well as among the FALs and the FoodSHIFT2030 Enabler Labs (FELs). However, it can also serve as a diverse source of inspiration for actors in the field of mutual knowledge transfer beyond the project’s lifetime and thematic scope. 

The document is available for download in the “resources” section of FoodSHIFT’s website among various further inspiring outputs of the project: https://foodshift2030.eu/resources/. 

On the one hand, the material contains peer-to-peer learning formats in general description which can be applied in a variety of situations and knowledge transfer environments. On the other hand, there are knowledge transfer formats that were developed or/and applied specifically within the FoodSHIFT2030 context. 

It is an elementary aspect that not only the knowledge transfer formats themselves follow the peer-to-peer approach, but also the compilation of the material took place in co-creation, a collaborative process of knowledge generation: hereby, the FALs generated knowledge for each other, such as good practice cases from within the project as well as specific training material from a FAL’s individual experience.  Further, in an iterative bottom-up approach which required the intensive involvement of the FALs, their needs, strengths and challenges were identified, for instance during consortium meetings, in interviews and in brainstorming sessions.  

Thus, in the spirit of peer-to-peer learning, most of the training and guidance material was not unilaterally created by FoodSHIFT’s WP5 team for knowledge transfer but arose from the condensed outcomes of these assessments. The WP5 team, the knowledge brokers, hereby guide this knowledge generation to ensure that the knowledge is being transferred within and beyond in formats suitable for the respective target groups.   

An exemplary format: a series of video interviews  

In addition to the tools for networking, information, and knowledge transfer, as well as best practices and implementation examples from FALs and much more, the collection includes a series of video interviews in which FALs have their say:  

Recorded at the consortium meeting in Brasov, they spontaneously talk about their innovation principles as well as their experiences in the project with a focus on the interaction with the FELs with whom knowledge transfer and experience sharing is taking place very specifically within the project. 

© Annika Frühbeißer 

In addition, an introductory animated video has been created that explains a little about the FALs and their activities in FoodSHIFT2030. You can find the four video interviews and the introductory video on the YouTube channel of FoodSHIFT2030 in the playlist:  Exchange visits: Knowledge Exchange FAL to FEL. 

© Annika Frühbeißer 

Shooting and editing video requires some training, and a course is recommended. However, if once the necessary know-how has been acquired, all you need is a smartphone with a stabilisator (a so-called gimbal), a filming and editing app as well as a clip-on microphone to professionally produce your own videos.

Videos are establishing as a knowledge transfer format since they correspond to the zeitgeist and offer many advantages:

• Knowledge can be conveyed in a highly compressed and easily understandable way through video content.
• In addition to real-filmic elements, animation elements allow creative freedom and add a framework and structure to a video; for instance, we used the simpleshow.com programme in FoodSHIFT’s videos.
• Knowledge can be accessed freely at any time, the knowledge flow can be paused and repeated if the videos are published on public platforms such as YouTube or a project website.
• Onward dissemination by the viewers, even on a large scale, is low-threshold and can have a great impact (social media).
• And last but not least, it is great fun to talk to your peers and gain new insights whilst you are shooting the videos!

Watch the series of video interviews here below:

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In these portraits, each of the 90 innovators has been profiled using compact descriptive section addressing the key activities and achievements so far as well as the near future perspectives under the heading ‘Looking ahead’. The one-page portraits are complemented by infographics on the impacts and the relevant contact details.

For quick orientation, the innovations have been categorized according to four innovation dimensions: product, process, social & governance. These dimensions enable us to identify what kind of innovations are being initiated across city regions and provide suitable, relevant support.

These rich examples give us a glimpse of how food system innovations can look, and how they can be effective in addressing elements of the food system, and the relevant stakeholders that are involved. Together, these innovators and related stakeholders form the Innovation Ecosystem in their city-region, which has the potential to redefine local food systems.

Supporting Innovations

In addition to these differing innovation dimensions, the Innovation Portraits also highlight the varying maturity levels seen among innovations. This maturity refers to the developmental stage of an innovation, which can be useful in identifying the needs and next steps that an innovator can take to bring an idea to life, from Eureka! moment to viable product or service.

Based on the maturity of an innovation, we can establish what kind of support would be best suited to the innovator. This support takes three main forms:

Maturing – advancing an innovation for better application as a solution. E.g. improved functioning of the innovation, better organizational structure, developing a business strategy…

Combining – linking of different innovations for strategic purposes. E.g. partnerships to facilitate new services, resource sharing, collaboration towards a common goal (coalitions, associations…)

Upscaling – increasing the impact and/or outreach of an innovation. E.g. increasing production, adding new products or services, outreach to new markets or communities, open-source knowledge sharing…

The Innovation Portraits provide us with an important reflection of the food system transition, in that many innovations are still early on in their maturing process, and in addition to the passion and ambition of the innovator themselves, will require targeted support and enabling conditions to thrive.

Providing us with snapshots of diverse innovators per city region, the Innovation Portraits also offer us an opportunity to consider how the Innovation Ecosystems in these city regions look. For example:

• Which innovators have (potentially) complementary resources, products or services?
• Which partnerships can be formed?
• Which innovators have a common interest or goal?

In particular, these questions can open the door to opportunities for combining, stimulating activity in the local Innovation Ecosystem. Looking at long-term perspectives, upscaling is a key acceleration mechanism for innovations that are at a high level of maturity and wish to increase their reach and impact.

Discover all INNOVATORS at a glance here!

Opportunities for Change

The 90 cases highlighted by the Innovation Portraits provides not only an inspiring portfolio of the diverse innovations that are actively contributing to food system transition, but also an example of how individual action, by individual innovators, can kick-start the development of an innovation ecosystem. These innovation ecosystems are fundamental in challenging the status-quo of food systems, and can generate awareness, interest and engagement with change. Through supporting the innovators highlighted in these Innovation Portraits, the FoodSHIFT2030 consortium hopes to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon, circular and plant-based food system in Europe.

Download the Innovation Portrait brochure here.

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Between the 6th and the 8th of September, FAL Bra?ov had the chance to host the FoodSHIFT2030 partners and invite them to take part in the FAL Bra?ov experience! Autumn came earlier in the mountain city, but with a bit of luck, weather was sunny and warm during the field trips where we learnt about the Bra?ov city-region food system and met the innovators.

Day 1 started with a short introduction about the city-region’s food production capacity and trends, to ensure a common understanding of the food situation and to provide the needs assessment of the food strategy, which is one of the most important goals of FAL Bra?ov. 

The main challenges that Bra?ov city region faces in relation to its food system are: 

• Integrating small producers in the food system by professionalisation and aggregation.
• Promoting local gastronomy and local menus.
• Encourage and strengthen rural-urban linkages and cohesion.

A part of these challenges is tackled by the first two innovators that were introduced. 

• Mihaela Fr??il?, expert on public procurement worked on integrating local producers in the local public procurement for the `meal in school` program and assembled a list of recommendations for the national authorities that manages this program. 
• ‘?inutul Bârsei’ Local Action Group will organise a course for the professionalisation of the small producer, for a better integration in the local food system. 

The second half of the day was spent in the M?gura village, part of the Piatra Craiului National Park, where the participants visited a local household and learnt about the difficulties that small producers from mountain areas face, while tasting local cheese, donuts and ?uic?. Lunch was served as Villa Hermani, a certified ecotourism pension that represents a good practice example of business in a mountain area that integrates local producers. 

The day ended with a visit to Bran Castle where the participants tasted a re-interpretation of traditional kneaded cheese (`brânz? de burduf`) prepared by Chef Dana Graur?, with whom FAL Bra?ov is collaborating for creating the local menus scheme. 

Day 2 started with a trip to the city’s biggest vegetables and fruit market, Dacia Market,  where we met and discussed with the director of the Administration of Public Markets of Brasov Municipality, Mr. Ladariu Adrian, and with the producers, after which we visited the Star Market, the place intended to become a food hub, where the SolBun Cooperative is meeting with consumers every Wednesday and Saturday. 

SolBun Coop is one of the innovators, which aggregates vegetables and dairy local producers in a marketing cooperative. 

The last innovation presented was Chef M?d?lina Roman work on reducing food waste in restaurants (which can be seen in this video).

The day continued with the session dedicated for project work: clarifying work packages inputs and timelines, as well as toolkits that will come.

All participants were invited to the Consortium Dinner, which took place at CATTIA and was prepared with local products by Chef Bogdan Cozma and his team. 

The last day of the FAL Bra?ov experience started with an ambitious workshop on local food governance that reunited local stakeholders (public administration and authorities, local businesses, local researchers), as well as FoodSHIFT2030 partners.

FAL Bra?ov experience ended with a visit to `HOF H?rman` local gastronomical point.  We visited the household, including the two gardens, and then had the delicious plant-based lunch prepared by Ioana and Corina. 

• The local gastronomical point is a small family-run touristic farm, offering food prepared from ingredients that can be found in the family`s or neighbours` gardens and prepared after local recipes and techniques.

The overall objective was to share with the partners and participants the FAL Bra?ov’s experience, to immerse them in the local gastronomy and tastes, and into the daily lives of local producers working in mountain regions, making the participants aware of the challenges that these producers face daily. Last, but not least, to emphasise the need for local cooperation and prioritisation of a sustainable local food system.

Useful links to know more:

• Brasov local Press Release
• Latest FoodSHIFT2030 Press Release
• SolBun Coop innovator page on FoodSHIFT2030
• Chef M?d?lina innovator page on FoodSHIFT2030
• Chef M?d?lina video

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The pandemic period influenced each project, also FoodSHIFT2030. After two years, finally, the representatives of the whole consortium met in Wroc?aw (Poland) during WRO LAB Showcase and Roundtable. The meeting took place from 20^th till 22^nd June. The main focus of the meeting was to present the WRO FAL progress, plans, and challenges, as well as catch up with ongoing and planned tasks within Work Packages.

The first day of the Showcase, June 20^th, was focused on the presentation of WRO FAL – what is behind them and what lies ahead. Some successful stories were presented, such as establishing more edible gardens at schools as the citizen interest was significant. Therefore, the Wroc?aw Municipality found additional funds to meet the needs and interest in FoodSHIFT2030 schools’ edible gardens. Moreover, the Municipality of Wroc?aw joined the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact!

Among other stories worth mentioning was the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) which was established at the Wroc?aw University of Environmental and Life Sciences (WUELS). This is a unique example of CSA where 100 employees of the university are taking food boxes (veggies & fruits) produced by the university. And, as researchers from WUELS said, there could not have been a better place to start the creation of a CSA than a natural science university. More FoodSHIFT2030 direct and indirect impacts on the food system in Wroc?aw were presented, i.e. two student projects carried out by the Student Scientific Organization of spatial planning PUZZLE from WUELS. PUZZLE decided to compete for funds for the realization of two community gardens – for seniors (2020) and the school community (2021). These projects have received funding under the Student Activities Fund from the Wroclaw Academic Center (FAST, WCA).

One of the most interesting events of the first day was a panel discussion with food innovators. Food innovators each shared stories about their activities, successes, and challenges. Each of them also discussed what assumptions are behind the activities of their initiative.

The second day of Showcase, June 21^st, was focused on shared learning experiences and knowledge transfer from the WRO FAL. Therefore, two local visits have taken place: one to the school edible garden established within Foodshift2030, and the other one to the community garden – O?bin’s Open Garden (org. O?bi?ski Ogród Otwarty – OOO), the first well-established and functioning community garden in Wroc?aw, as well as the WRO FAL food innovator. The visit to OOO allowed obtaining feedback on what FoodSHIFT2030 activities could target this type of food innovator (ie. training on how to keep community members engaged and manage people, tasks within this type of initiative). As at the last RT, we learned local ways of making food. One of the WRO FAL food innovators, Tajfun Restaurant, prepared a workshop for us on pickling (fermentation) – a traditional Polish way of preparing food for the autumn-winter season. During the first and second day of the meeting, we were accompanied by local products (vegetables, fruits, preserves, goat cheeses, and vegan cheese alternatives – made from sunflower seeds) provided by WRO FAL food innovators.

Source of Photo: Fundacja EkoRozwoju, photo by Arkadiusz Wierzba.

After WRO LAB Showcase, it was time for activities related to WPs, i.e. first results from a network analysis of food system actors were presented, or the potential of Metropolitan Foodscape Planner (MFP) together with MapTable has been presented.

The background of the meeting was ensured by: Odra Centrum – a sustainable meeting place on water dealing with the protection of water and environment by education and other dedicated actions; vegetarian/vegan, local, seasonal food; public transport or electric scooters using; selection of accommodation taking care about the environment. The undertaken background was important to be consistent with the project’s main goals: shifting to a more plant-based diet and low carbon emissions.

Check out all the photos from Wroclaw Consortium at this link!

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Soaring energy prices, the rising cost of living and threats to our food system brought on by the war in Ukraine have provoked panicked calls for more intensive farming and a scaling back of green ambitions, including the recent decision from the EU agricultural ministers to allow production on marginal land. But these calls detract us from our long-term, but most urgent need to achieve net zero and will reverse any gains in food security for a fairer, greener, healthier Europe. We need to stick to the Farm to Fork food strategy, which lies at the very heart of the European Green Deal, if we want resilient food systems now and in the future.

In this webinar, EU Horizon 2020 project FoodSHIFT2030 is joined by network partners Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming, IFOAM Organics Europe and Eat, to discuss transforming food systems in European city-regions in line with the Farm to Fork strategy. Protecting wildlife, forging greater links between urban and rural areas, building fairer supply chains for our farmers and food entrepreneurs, as well as promoting more plant-based food consumption in the
cities are just some of the areas of work.

In 2020 we argued it necessary in light of Covid-19, and today’s crisis is no different – we need Farm to Fork for a sustainable, resilient food system which ensures everyone has access to healthy, nutritious food.

Speakers include:

• Dirk Wascher, Innovation Manager FoodSHIFT 2030 (Chair)
• Silvia Schmidt, Policy Associate Manager, IFOAM Organics Europe
• Vicki Hird, Head of Sustainable Farming, Sustain
• Christian Bugge Henriksen, FoodSHIFT2030 Project Coordinator
• Olav Kjørven, Senior Director of Strategy, EAT

WATCH THE RECORDING:

Download the presentations here:

Silvia Schmidt presentation

Vicki Hird presentation

Christian Bugge Henriksen presentation

Olav Kjørven presentation

Download Q&A session

The post Farm to Fork webinar appeared first on FoodSHIFT 2030.

The Berlin Lab with its partners Berlin Food Policy Council, agrathaer, ZALF and Baumhaus wants to support institutional learning within administration by promoting new ideas and approaches. To this end, the second workshop in the three-part workshop series took place on Friday, 25th of February 2022 with the target group of administration and civil society organisations from the Berlin-Brandenburg region. 

Complex challenges such as the food transformation can only be addressed with integrated approaches. System thinking is one of these approaches. Complex issues are interconnected. There are several actors in the system and their actions have a direct and/or indirect impact on each other. Systems thinking means to:

• Express a strategy and act on it.
• Engage and align different actors.
• Integrate health, environmental and equity concerns with economic success. 

“System thinking” was the focus of the first workshop with administrative representatives as a target group “administration”.

Strategic collaboration is a possible tool to translate systems thinking into effective cooperation and action. This is suitable for the food transformation and was therefore the focus of the 2nd workshop. We understand strategic collaboration as a deliberate, collective approach to tackling public problems or issues by building shared knowledge, developing innovative solutions and bringing about impactful change (Norris-Tirrell and Clay 2010: 5). The opposite of strategic collaboration can be described as ‘siloed’ activities. 

As an input, Beatrice Walthall (ZALF) shared practical advice for successful implementation of strategic collaboration that builds on Norris-Tirell and Clay’s years of experience. 

Prerequisites and principles of strategic collaboration

Strategic collaboration does not make sense in every case. The following preconditions for strategic collaboration should be in place:

1. legitimate and urgent need for collaboration,
2. sufficient actors with different perspectives on problem solving are involved,
3. competent and committed leadership,
4. competence for collaboration,
5. likelihood of fundamental change.

According to Norris-Tirell and Clay, for successful strategic cooperation, the following principles should be considered during implementation:

• Principle 1: Choose strategic cooperation wisely.
• Principle 2: Understanding the life cycle of strategic cooperation
• Principle 3: Strengthen leadership
• Principle 4: Weighing risk and reward transparently
• Principle 5: Emphasise results and impact

Inspiring examples from Lejre and Oostende

To inspire the participants, Berlin FAL invited Tina Unger (Municipality of Lejre) and Kathy Belpaeme (Ostend), who have already gained a lot of experience with cross-sectoral cooperation.

Tina Unger confirmed in her presentation that many aspects, such as food production, business development, rural development, health and environment are interlinked. In Lejre, the aim was to support smaller farmers and businesses. The result was, for example, their own regional “Lejre” milk (Arla) and a small new scale business network. In addition, there are now more jobs, more entrepreneurs and more liveable villages in Lejre. People are proud to live there and they have developed a sense of belonging to where they live. A collaboration between the municipality, Organic Denmark, local farmers and restaurateurs resulted in better national food legislation for small scale farmers. 

How was this achieved? Essentially, cross-sectoral cooperation was significant, as was building trust between stakeholders. Communication and building trust is a big time investment, but it pays off for further goals and projects. The cooperation was “top-down” as well as “bottom-up” and complemented each other well. The vision came from the municipality, but the citizens, farmers and local entrepreneurs supported the measures, developed new projects, and organised themselves. The main task for the public authority was communication, network building and ‘kicking stones off the way’ eg. within legislation. 

Kathy Belpaeme from the City of Ostend gave the example of the strategic cooperation between the city with the tourism and business association and illustrated how local food culture can be linked to sustainability. For example, she suggested that the annual fish festivals for locals and tourists should also focus on local fish. The tourism association took up these impulses and set the criterion that at least one local product should be offered at each stand. In addition, a shrimp festival is now organised, because shrimp croquettes are a local certified food. A Belgian celebrity chef additionally acts as an ambassador for local fish and sustainable food, addressing restaurant chefs. Another example is the “Veggie Challenge” for restaurants. The goal is to offer a diverse selection of healthy and sustainable meals to guests. An annual campaign has been set up to benefit restaurants that offer vegetarian menus. The restaurants are reported on the social media channel of the tourism association and fancy pictures of vegetarian menus are sent.

With its sufficient budget and staff, the tourism association has communicatively combined qualitative aspects such as environmental and resource protection and healthy nutrition with those of enjoyment. On the one hand, this increased the brand value of the city, and on the other hand, it brought the messages of sustainable nutrition to the people. 

Kathy Belpaeme’s approach to achieving these goals is described by herself as “step by step” to implement measures for the food system transformation in Oostende without overburdening the actors, such as local fishermen and restaurants. It is important that the cooperation partners are aware of everyone’s priorities and goals and include them so that win-win situations exist. 

Drafting a scenario for Strategic Collaboration

After the inputs from Tina and Kathy, the participants became active. They came up with two ideas for measures for a food system transformation and mapped them in the life cycle of Strategic Collaboration as introduced by Norris-Tirell and Clay (2010: 31). The individual stages in the life cycle make it easier to formulate targeted measures: 

• Stage 1: Exploration – The readiness of various possible partners to collaborate is explored. 
• Stage 2: Formation – Initial structures and processes are developed 
• Stage 3: Growth -. Participants build consensus on goals and begin implementation. 
• Stage 4: Maturity – Ideal state of collaboration with participants actively engaged, resources available and results shared. Fruits of cooperation are harvested and further actions are taken.
• Stage 5: (Successful) end of cooperation
• Stage 5b: Decline – At stage 4, it is determined that the goal of the cooperation cannot be achieved. Either the decision is made to end the cooperation (stage 5) or to renew the cooperation (stage 5c).
• Level 5c: Renewal – Reinvention of structure, processes, and outcomes with goal of re-entry into healthy collaboration

Key messages of the event 

1) Strategic collaboration is not always worthwhile: It is necessary to check whether the basic conditions are met (see above). Depending on the problem, in some cases a focused approach with specific expertise makes sense.

2) Many issues, such as food production, rural development, health and environment as sub-sectors of food policy, are interconnected. For this reason, cross-sectoral action should be taken. 

3) There is a need for partners from different sectors, with whom one can move forward in small steps towards a food system transformation without overburdening the partners.

Strategic collaboration – not only for established organisations

However, it is also true that anyone can “strategically collaborate” for a food transformation, as long as the principles are fulfilled and the requirements are met. Look around to see who can support you in your concerns and whether win-win situations arise for everyone.  After all, the development of innovative solutions and the initiation of a food system transformation can only be achieved together.

Source: Norris-Tirell, Dorothy and Clay, Joy A. (2010): Strategic Collaboration in Public and Nonprofit Administration. A Practice-Based Approach to Solving Shared Problems. New York: Routledge. 

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At the Copenhagen Lab, we know that chefs in restaurants and canteens are important actors in the food system, with the power to choose who wins and loses in the game of growing and selling food. Our working theory is, the more chefs know about the impact of their procurement, the better able they are to act as agents for sustainable food system transformation, by sourcing ingredients with a positive impact.

The problem, and perhaps, part of the solution?

Our aim at the Copenhagen Lab is to encourage systemic change in favor of local food system resilience – or in other words, to shorten the chain between farms and eaters, by encouraging food businesses and ordinary citizens to continuously support smaller, less distant agri-food actors. Not only are such actors better able to pivot amid uncertainty, they also offer better transparency, concentrate more value with farmers and makers, and support agrobiodiversity and ecosystem services locally.

Worldwide, people depend more and more on imported foods, arriving to them at the end of longer, and more complex supply chains, when compared to more localized systems. And while the proportion of global food actors’ control over the food system is increasing, the number of these suppliers is actually decreasing (Kummu et. al., 2020). This is one of many indications of the troubling trend of decreasing food system resiliency at the local level. We depend more and more on fewer and fewer large food companies, which due to their size and complexity are more vulnerable to shocks, such as agricultural disruptions due to climate change, and global pandemics, to name a few pertinent examples. 

By contrast, smaller agri-food actors with more direct relationships to partners and consumers have demonstrated better ability to pivot amid the Covid-19 pandemic, ensuring we get the food we need. In Denmark, producers such as Birthesminde, marketplaces such as Grønt Marked and Coop Crowdfunding, and subscription-based vendors such as GRIM, and Blue Lobster are a few examples of local actors that adapted quickly in order to fill the gaps created by the pandemic, and make sure Copenhageners not only had safe access to the food they needed, but perhaps to fresher, more nutritious food, with a more direct line to local producers than they might have had before.

Measuring impacts on the local food system

In response to decreasing food system resilience amid increasing uncertainty, and starting with restaurants and canteens as our initial target user, the Copenhagen Lab has been developing a new tool that shows how much organic Danish farmland supplies participating canteen and restaurant kitchens. Drawing from yield data supplied by Denmark’s Organic Association (kilograms of organic produce per hectare in Denmark), and using procurement data from professional kitchens (kilograms of products purchased), the tool takes the total kilograms of products the kitchen buys, and calculates the approximate number of organic hectares currently supplying the kitchen, as well as the maximum number of Danish, organic hectares the kitchen could be sourcing from, if they were to prioritize local and traceable ingredients when possible. The resulting quantification of local, organic land area can be used as a new metric of success, giving professional kitchens the opportunity to see their current and potential impact on sustainable local agriculture, and work towards a more positive impact on the local foodshed by targeting more local, organic, seasonal, plant-based production through their procurement (figure 1).

Figure 1 – Example of a kitchen’s procurement impact, according to eight measurable indicators, including supplier types, hectares of farmland, meat types and the proportion of meat in kitchen buyings, number and diversity of fruits and vegetables, proportion of ingredients purchased in season, types of fish purchased, and the origin on fish and seafood purchased.

In spring, 2021, after prototyping the tool, we recruited nine Danish canteens – collectively purchasing approximately 6.8 million kg of food ingredients each year – to pilot it and calculate their current and potential organic hectares, and further expand their perception to include other impacts on the local food system. In addition to organic hectares, the analysis introduced additional indicators, such as agricultural biodiversity, seasonality, and the number of steps between the farm and the kitchen. 

What we’ve learned (so far)

It turns out that while the picture is indeed complex, knowledge about this complexity is motivating, and helpful in setting goals with impacts that are measurable, and most importantly, relatable when put into a local context. Having calculated the current and potential hectare footprint of the nine pilot kitchens, and explored strategies for shifting towards a healthier and more resilient local food system with them, the chefs and kitchen managers from our pilot kitchens have spoken.

Figure 2 – Presentation of the local hectare indicator to pilot kitchens.

Here are a few highlights from this summer’s focus groups discussions with pilot kitchens:

• Story is everything. Whether it’s the story about a product, how it was produced, or the farmer that it grew it, chefs and eaters alike all want the narrative behind their food to be not only a good one, but a true one as well.
• You can’t win all the time. While some kitchens are doing great in certain areas – for example they source from a high number of organic, local hectares – they may not be doing well in another aspects – for example, their menu may be too heavy on meat and dairy, when compared to the EAT-Lancet Commission’s Planetary Health Diet. 
• Knowledge is not the only barrier. While chefs may be inspired to act, given this new way of seeing their impact on the food system, the system in place has created a path-dependency, which hinges on scarce resources, contractual obligations to large wholesalers, and convenience. It will take more than awareness and goal-setting to shift procurement towards more diversity, seasonality, traceability, and equity at the local level. 

Applying the insights gathered from professional kitchens in response to the tool, while relying on the latest food system science, we are now busy upgrading this “local food footprint” tool. We hope to empower food actors beyond chefs, such as wholesalers and online marketplaces, who can use the tool to shift the paradigm, and almost single-handedly create an environment within which their customers (including restaurants and canteens) can make informed choices when it comes to sustainable procurement.

Citizens- We need your help too!

As powerful as food businesses may be, however, the utility of a local food footprint calculator isn’t exclusively theirs. Strong and resilient local food systems also need ordinary citizens demanding products with positive social, economic, and environmental impacts at the local level. That’s why in the future, this tool is also meant to empower individuals to understand their own food footprint, and maximize the benefit of their every-day eating.

In order to move forward with tool development, we need to know: what motivates you to choose one food or one product over another? What do you find confusing, conflicting, or perhaps just missing from the information you’re presented with at the supermarket, on food labels, at your canteen, or at your local eatery?

Join FoodShift2030 by making your demands clear at foodshift2030@changingfood.dk, and join the Copenhagen Lab’s push for more transparent and resilient food systems. 

Photo credit: Marie Sainabou Jeng

The post A new tool for food system transformation appeared first on FoodSHIFT 2030.

“Knowing that short supply chains are on the political agenda, and are mentioned in the Farm to Fork strategy, is definitely a step forward.” Silvia Schmidt 

Raluca Barbu, from High-Clere Consulting in Brasov, Romania, highlighted her team’s work on shorter supply chain development as a part of their role within FoodSHIFT 2030 as a Food Accelerator Lab (FAL). Over 90% of Romanian farms are less than 5 hectares and have minimal access to capital, with few formal networks for cooperation and a reliance on informal networks for selling. The FAL is therefore working to support predominantly traditional, small-scale local producers to establish a more ambitious regional food system, thereby boosting the food economy and reviving rural communities.  

“Communities of farmers are very important for us in Romania. The welfare of farmers and small producers depends very much on the welfare of their communities.” Raluca Barbu 

For example, with the support of the municipality a new public market was trialled last summer in a former market space that had gone unused for years. More and more families visited each week, who enjoyed getting to meet the producers and learn more about the products on sale. A chain of local gastronomic points was also set up to tap into the area’s tourism industry and attract visitors directly to the farms for tasting and purchasing. Helping farmers improve their business acumen, access better financial support and connect with new customers has been very well received. But Raluca noted that many challenges remain such as improving communication and building trust, which takes time. Even for very short supply chains, establishing what support is needed in the middle (e.g. storage space) is a critical step on the road to better business sustainability.   

Tom Uhnak, from the Association of Local Food Initiatives (AMPI) in the Czech Republic, brought in the perspective of Community Support Agriculture (CSA) as a model for creating shorter and more equitable supply chains.  

“I see it as paradigm-changing in terms of how consumers are sharing risk with the farmers in crop failure, for example. The CSA principles are based on mutual trust, ecology and food sovereignty. So we are trying to define and shape our own food and agriculture system through CSAs.”  Tom Uhnak 

Czech CSAs first took off in 2008 and have since expanded to involve 30 farmers and 3,000 shareholders, many of whom are families. To help meet the growing demand and build more direct connections, AMPI has created an online map to track both existing CSAs as well as new farmers and consumer groups who would like to start a new one. Over the last year, and with the participation of farmers themselves, they have been developing a national CSA coalition to identify key elements of the models that should be preserved when expanding.  

As Tom explained, solidarity with farmers is one of the greatest strengths of this model, although can bring more risk to consumers who must weather any change to the harvest along with the farmers. There are also opportunities to set-up a pay-it-forward system within a CSA to lower the barrier for people to join who have a lower income, but without affecting the farmers’ pay.  

However, while CSAs are beneficial for those involved, Tom pointed out that system level solutions are also needed to increase access to local food for a wider number of people, for example though changes to public procurement in schools, which AMPI is also working on. It also means that other models are needed for sourcing food from further away. For example, Tom’s CSA group has also developed a solidarity partnership with agroecological fruit growers in Greece who provide them with fruit and citrus that can’t be grown in the CR. While this supply chain isn’t necessarily short in terms of kilometres, as there is no intermediary and the relationship is equitable, Tom says “it feels local to me.” As all the speakers noted, shorter supply chain models must also balance the demands of not just financial viability but also the reality of consumer demands.   

Joining us from the Open Food Network, Nick Weir then led a tour of their open-source, not-for-profit online platform for ethical food producers. It is active in 20 countries, with another 15 in the process of deploying it. The OFN allows producers to set their own prices as well as band together with other local enterprises and community members to develop food hubs, which can be as geographically small or large as the group decides and act like a virtual farmers’ market. Many members are CSAs, but there are also farmers selling direct from their land as well as food hubs, which take many forms such as farmers’ markets offering an online option.  

“The Open Food Network wants to build not only short food supply chains but transparent food supply chains… so we can build connections between the people growing the food and the people eating it.” Nick Weir  

The OFN aims to take a behind-the-scenes approach on the platform, putting the farmers, food hub or other uses at the forefront of the pages instead. Being open-sourced is integral to their approach as it means the technology is owned by the people who are using it, with new tech updates released weekly that directly address user needs. As Nick mentioned, there are many platforms that offer similar e-commerce platforms, but they are proprietary and therefore owned and controlled by the people who set up the software in the first place. OFN is unique in offering the only global open-source platform for shorter supply chains in food, putting their values into practice at the very core of their operations.  

“The current system is built on ownership and control, and we believe that if we need to rebuild then we need to rebuild with tools that are in common ownership.” Nick Weir 

As was expressed by all the speakers, the digital readiness of small-scale farmers and producers varies significantly from one person to the next, so the Open Food Network platform is designed to allow administrative responsibilities to sit more with a food hub coordinator than a farmer if needed. Similar to Raluca’s experience in Brasov, farmers often have limited capacity for marketing their produce or integrating new tech or financial systems. The OFN aims to make that expertise more readily accessible to food entrepreneurs, while maintaining high ethical principles as an enterprise themselves.  

We were lucky to have a such lively discussion amongst the group and audience, who brought in questions about food poverty, digitalisation and public procurement as well. As Silvia said in the webinar’s conclusion, 

“We’ve really looked at three ways of making short supply chains work in different settings and distances. We’ve also seen the role that citizens can play in transitioning towards more sustainable food systems, and specifically buying local food to support short supply chains.”  

The post Scaling up and out: A recap of our webinar on building short supply chains appeared first on FoodSHIFT 2030.

The fellow city-regions will participate to the project in many ways:

• General advice and support from your paired ‘frontrunner’ city, Food Accelarator Labs (FAL) in the FoodSHIFT2030 project
• Inclusion in a peer learning network
• Travel/accommodation expenses paid for 1 exchange visit with your FAL
• Access to all tools and material developed in the programme and to some visits organised for the whole consortium (at your own expense)
• Access to peer learning events bringing together all FALs and FELs on specific innovations from other cities
• Bilateral support depending on availability of the experts involved in the FoodSHIFT2030 project

What do you need to do?

We would love you to join in the programme.

We need a primary contact person(s), to commit to participate to the above-mentioned events on a regular basis. The primary contact/organisations will need to provide a link to other local organisations and individuals in your city-region engaged in your food work and this programme. The primary contact together with local partner organisations must be willing to commit to being part of the programme until end of 2023, ideally forming mutually beneficial partnerships.

Recruitment process is closed. Selection will be released by mid-February 2022.

If you wish getting more information, or be associated to our up-coming activities, please send us an email at foodshift2030@ku.dk

Download and share the FoodSHIFT2030 FEL commitment form

The post Is your City/Region interested in joining the FoodSHIFT 2030 programme? appeared first on FoodSHIFT 2030.

In recent years, civic-driven action for food system transformation is spurring up across Europe. Within FoodSHIFT2030, partners from 12 European countries built up 9 innovations hubs to co-create sustainable and balanced solutions for food system change. 

While food system change is the smallest common nominator between the partners, the goals of the innovation hubs, however, are manifold. While Brasov focuses on linking regional farmers with the urban gastronomy, Avignon embraces healthy public school procurement or Ostend builds up food literacy and healthy communities. 

Regardless of the diverse actions, many share similar questions when organizing bottom-up food system change. Many ask themselves: How do we reach out to potential partners and how can we engage with diverse communities? Once people are motivated to join the activities, how do you keep them on board? And how can people be empowered to become active food citizens?

These questions and more were at the core of the showcase event in Berlin on September 1st-3rd 2021.

During the first day, a bike tour led the participants from one local project to another through the winding streets of a former working district in Berlin Wedding. First stop was at the Himmelbeet, a 1.700m2 community garden growing since 2013 on a former parking lot. Today, in 2021, the vibe of a parking lot (not much of a vibe) got transformed into a green between a major road, apartment buildings, and a soccer field. Marion de Simon from Himmelbeet shared stories on the garden’s history, forms of engagement, current activities and struggles, like access to land.Toni Karge from the Berlin Senate joined the discussion on the common struggle to secure access public land for community gardening in the long term. 

A different answer to the same questions on community engagement and empowerment was presented by Magdalena Knobel from the Food Policy Council Berlin. Motivated by the premises that everyone should have fair access to a healthy and balanced diet, the project “together at one table” was initiated. Within the project, Syrian and Afghan refugees cook with Berliners and come together at one table to share their stories, cultures and perspectives. Magalenda explains, “sustainable mean different things to different people and to feel included, people need to understand what’s going on on the ground”. 

“Understanding” is also of key importance to Gülcan Nitsch founder from Yesil Cember (Turkish: Green Circle), another project presented during the Berlin showcase event. Gülcan’s ambition is to sensitive and engage the Turkish Community in Germany for sustainability issues, like food systems. Gülcan reflects: “If people cannot read or write, than they can still come to our workshops. I do not exclude them. It is my responsibility to create access for these people.” 

A fourth vignette to community engagement and empowerment was presented by Johanna Kühn, co-founder of SuperCoop, a community-led supermarket. Through early neighbourhood engagement, information exchange and trust building, the SuperCoop succeeded in securing enough collective money to open up Berlin’s first citizen-owned supermarket.  

After a deep dive into Berlin’s richness of community-led food projects, the second day of the event was spent with Karen Wohlert and Scott Bolden at das Baumhaus. Das Baumhaus is an open socio-cultural project space for bottom-up sustainability solutions and the home of Berlin’s FoodSHIFT2030 innovation hub. Here, Berlin’s first food hub prototype is being co-created and built up for and with the local community.

During the showcase event, the visiting partners got to be part of the food hub for 1 day. Through hands on engagement, vegetables were sorted and distributed while food was prepared and finally enjoyed together on a long wooden table placed on the sidewalk and decorated with candles. The meal prepared was inspired by the planetary healthy diet, containing mixed herb salads, nuts, and oven roasted carrots and red beet from regional farmers. Smells of cinnamon and freshly baked bread filled the air with a cozy feeling, creating a perfect sense of what a mix of late summer and early fall might taste like. 

On September 3rd, the conversation on civic actions for food system transformation was opened up to a larger public. The day began with a hybrid panel discussion at the Baumhaus, in which Karen Wohlert (Baumhaus), Christian Bugge Henriksen & Luke Schafer (University of Copenhagen), Beatrice Walthall & José Luis Vicente Vicente (ZALF), Poppy Eyre & Dirk Wascher (Susmetro) and Lisa Haarhoff (Ernährungsrat Berlin) drew a connection between the current climate crisis, the EU project FoodSHIFT2030 and das Baumhaus as a food hub. 

Yet, the food hub would not exist without its wider network combining regional farmers, engaged citizens, and people form the local government. Therefore, the food hub network was introduced and represented by Simone Zeil (Ernährungsrat Brandenburg); Johanna Naatz (Auenhof / GemüseSyndikat); Lorena Unger (AG Urban); Ann-Christin Weber (Senate Department for Justice, Consumer Protection and Anti-Discrimination); Julia Scherer, District Office Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg; Annette Jensen (Ernährungsrat Berlin) and Karen Wohlert (Baumhaus Berlin). The Baumhaus was filled with an enthusiastic atmosphere as people from many different walks of life came together to work towards a common goal: Building up just and resilient food systems. 

After three action- and knowledge packed days, the participants left Berlin, but took more than just their suitcases with them. Along with many fruitful conversations, the relevance and diversity of inspiring, engaging and empowering people were most certainly among the key messages.

If we want to foster a transformation towards healthy communities and resilient food systems, we rely on each other. Only through the value of mutual support and partnerships can we continue our journey towards a low carbon, plant-based and circular food future.

The post Europe meets Berlin appeared first on FoodSHIFT 2030.