13 - Food System Transformation in the UK

This month’s conversation: Food System Transformation in the UK

Topic 1: 𝐌𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐊 𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬
(Speaker: Matthew F. Gibson from Cornell University in the USA)
Food systems actors are key enablers or barriers to transformation toward social and ecological sustainability. This study (Gibson and Gibson, 2024) surveyed the priorities for transformation among alternative food systems actors in the UK (n = 372). 58 priorities were identified, and most frequent were those regarding agroecological, organic and regenerative production, the localisation of food systems, reducing animal sourced foods and dietary change, and addressing power relations. Comparison with UK government and international food policy grey literature highlights a disconnect between mainstream and alternative actor visions of future food systems.

Topic 2: 𝐂𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐚𝐛 - 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬
(Speakers: Ulrich Schmutz and Lopa Saxena from Coventry University (CAWR) in the UK)
The Coventry Agroecological Living Lab (CALL) was established in 2023 as part of the EU funded Agroecology for Europe project, with a unique focus on urban and peri-urban growing. The LL comprises predominantly smaller-scale growers, for whom food growing may be secondary to goals such mental wellbeing or horticultural training. The participants have come together to share knowledge, skills and even plants and have worked to improve crop diversity as a way to be more climate resilient.