Back to search

BIONÆR-Bionæringsprogram

Diversifying sustainable and organic food systems

Alternative title: FOOdIVERSE: Mangfold for bærekraftighet i lokalt forankrede økologiske matsystemer

Awarded: NOK 2.1 mill.

In FOOdIVERSE, we will examine what characterizes a local food system, and produce knowledge about the factors that can contribute to the development of social, economic and environmental sustainability. Five European universities from Germany, the UK, Italy, Poland and Norway are collaborating in the project. FOOdIVERSE is funded under the ERAnet Cofund Scheme (H2020) SUSFOOD / Core Organic. FOOdIVERSE uses several different social science methods to study the local food system. In 2021, we started with analyzes of food consumption based on data from a representative survey with over 2000 respondents in each of the five European countries plus France and Spain. The aim was to have a closer look on the state of dietary diversity as well as consumers perceptions and practices in relation to sustainability of food. What characterizes eating patterns and food consumption and to what extent does food practices vary between groups of consumers and between different countries in Europe? We found that women eat less meat and more vegetables and fruits than men. The same goes for older age groups compared to younger. They also more frequent have fish than younger age groups. The Mediterranean countries, such as Italy and Spain, seem to have a more varied diet with higher frequencies of vegetables, fruit and fish and relatively lower frequencies of meat, compared to the countries in northern Europe. This may indicate a stronger bio-cultural diversity in the south of Europe, however that may also be connected to variations in natural diversity and access to food. Respondents in countries like Italy, Spain and France to a great extent emphasized qualities such as seasonality and origin of food products. They also valued specific varieties of apples higher than in the other countries and to a greater extent reported buying local and seasonal food. Consumption of local and organic food is often associated with high socio-economic status. We found that this to some extent is true for organic food, but it varies between countries and the income divide is most prominent in the UK and Germany. Less than one percent of the respondents said they do not eat any food of animal origin, and less than three percent did not have meat or fish other than dairy products and egg. Contrasted to the increasing public attention to veganism and vegetarianism these figures are low. It was some national differences with the highest scores in Germany and the UK on vegetarianism and veganism. Polish and Italian respondents used local markets and direct purchases from the producer more than in the other European countries. It was small gender differences regarding supply channel, while it was significant age-differences in food purchases related to specific sales channels both for ordinary and organic food. For instance, older age groups more frequent answered “not relevant” to some of the supply channels (e.g. online purchase of food), which may indicate that some types of supply channels are less available for elder people. A more thorough understanding of which factors influence food practices as well as how and why these vary both nationally and regionally in Europe will be further analyzed, among other things, on the basis of qualitative data obtained from focus groups that have been conducted in all five countries. Furthermore, the project will map out what possibilities there are for a more robust and varied local distribution systems. With the help of available data and interviews with key actors in the value chain, we will identify challenges and potentials for a more diverse supply of local and organic food. In the project, organization and power relations in the food system in selected regions are mapped through analyzes of political documents and interviews with central authorities and actors. This mapping will help to identify possible measures to stimulate more local and organic food supply. Based on local food networks, Living Labs have been established in all countries with a view to bringing consumers, producers, retailers and local authorities closer together to develop new solutions for local distribution and consumption of organic food. FOOdIVERSE lasts until 2023.

-

Food consumption significantly influences resource use and the environmental effects of food production and distribution. The mainstream food supply chains and their governance are characterised by a food regime that creates large quantities of standardised food. A more diverse food system could deliver more choices and could be more sustainable. What is lacking is a systematic and practice-oriented characterisation of diversity in the food system and its impact on resilience, enhancing socio-economic and environmental pillars of sustainability. The FOOdIVERSE project aims to produce practice-oriented knowledge on how diversity in diets, novel food supply chains and food governance contributes to more organic and sustainable food systems. The project provides multi-level perspectives on transforming local food systems across Europe by promoting diversity of consumers, producers and key stakeholders. Methodologically and theoretically this project takes a relational approach on diversity, emphasising different characteristics in various contexts and across different scales. Diversity has diverse meanings, for example in urban Norway or in rural United Kingdom, but also to German consumers, Italian government officials or Polish food producers. We seek to identify the relations in characteristics of diversity that accelerate a transformation toward more sustainable food systems. The project directly promotes organic food systems through involving consumers, producers, food-processors and those governing food systems with a living lab methodology. A user-centred and innovation approach in local contexts of Italy, Germany, Norway, Poland and the United Kingdom assists in comparing whilst instantaneously implementing the results in real-life scenarios. We engage different actors and include a diverse range of viewpoints on organic food systems.

Publications from Cristin

No publications found

Funding scheme:

BIONÆR-Bionæringsprogram