Scaling Urban Regenerative Food Systems In Transition

Project: Research

Project Details

Description

One of the key challenges for sustainable urban food systems is to shorten the food supply chain by connecting food producers directly to consumers locally, or regionally. Sustainable food networks (SFNs) try to achieve this ambition, but struggle with scaling their often isolated and marginal position. The SURFIT project focuses on the concept of ‘catalysers’ to jointly experiment with and learn about scaling process of SFNs.

A catalyser is a strategic lever that enables scaling to the systemic level of urban food networks, while delivering ecological and socio-economic benefits to local communities (and the wider region), fostering the integration of sustainable urban food systems with other urban resource systems to increase circularity, promoting equal distribution of benefits, and providing healthy and sustainable food to all inhabitants.

SURFIT will bring together SFNs, local policymakers and a multidisciplinary set of researchers from four mid-size cities to jointly conduct transdisciplinary research in Urban Food Labs (UFLs) with an urban living lab approach. The aim of this research is to explore, understand and engage in how catalysers can be designed to scale SFNs for systemic transitions. The project will deliver design principles and reflexive guidance in embedding catalysers to advance and scale SFNs.
AcronymSURFIT
StatusActive
Effective start/end date2024/02/012027/01/31

Collaborative partners

  • Lund University
  • Maastricht University (lead)
  • University of Trento
  • Jagiellonian University
  • Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp
  • Stiftelsen Världsnaturfonden WWF

UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This project contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 2 - Zero Hunger
  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
  • SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
  • SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities
  • SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
  • SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production
  • SDG 13 - Climate Action
  • SDG 17 - Partnerships for the Goals

UKÄ subject classification

  • Social Sciences Interdisciplinary

Free keywords

  • sustainable urban food networks
  • urban food labs
  • scaling
  • circular economy
  • justice