FOODPathS - Co-creating the prototype ‘Sustainable FOOD Systems PArTnersHip’

How to ensure that the future food system is healthy, sustainable, safe, and fair? How to safeguard that all voices are heard, and all actors are included?

Many are the current discussions and perspectives regarding the characteristics and priorities of a Sustainable Food System, both globally and at a European level. Providing nutritious and safe food while reducing negative environmental impact and ensuring food security has become a crucial challenge for our future.

Interactions between all actors will be necessary to address this challenge, as well as overcome the barriers that may arise due to their different perspectives and interests. Co-creating the prototype 'Sustainable FOOD Systems PArTnersHip' (FOODPathS) is a project funded by the European Commission that aims to offer a concrete pathway and necessary tools to ease the construction of the European Partnership for Sustainable Food Systems for People, Planet & Climate, to be launched in 2024 based on the experience gained during the project's lifetime. As part of the Horizon Europe programme, the future Partnership will be funded by the European Commission and private entities that will be selected through an open call. The Partnership will operate during the following years offering funding opportunities for the actors of the research and innovation ecosystem.

Thanks to its 17 partners from 10 countries, FOODPathS will engage stakeholders from the entire food system to create impactful synergies and understand their respective needs. By bringing private and public partners together, the Partnership will address the challenge of transitioning to a Sustainable Food System through concerted research and innovation activities. Leveraging the FOODPathS partners' powerful network, policymakers, researchers, entrepreneurs, NGOs, and citizens will participate in the creation of the first version of the Partnership, a prototype that will co-fund future research and innovation activities and best practices. These will provide a supportive environment and a first version of how the future Partnership can function, including concrete tools such as:

• The definition of the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) of the Partnership inspires the future call for funding for the actors working in the food systems.
• The definition of food system concepts to understand the relationships of and between food actors.
• A Hub of Food Systems (Living) Labs to experiment with multi-actor co-creation processes.
• A Food System Observatory for monitoring sustainability performance in the European Member States.
• Research & Innovation & Science to Policy & Education agendas to select focus areas and leverage points.
• Federating higher education institutes working in food systems to define joint education activities that will train the experts of the future.

EUFIC's role as the leader for the communication, dissemination, and exploitation activities will ensure that any relevant information reaches the identified target audiences while supporting the project's partners with materials and tools for social media and face-to-face events. A website is also under development where all the relevant information about the project will be available for invested stakeholders or anyone interested in understanding how the project plans to make our food systems more sustainable.

Since the launch of the project in June 2022, and as the leading partner for the communication and dissemination activities, EUFIC has:

Developed the plan for communication, dissemination and exploitation of the project with a detailed strategy for different target groups.

Developed a brand identity, project templates and communication material (e.g., press releases, leaflets, social media posts) to be used for communicating about the project and related activities to different audiences.

Engaged stakeholders to ensure their commitment and contribution to realising the project's objectives.

Managed the Sustainable Food System Network (SFSN) by regularly posting relevant information, sharing events for all interested in sustainable food systems and engaging the whole network to share their news and questions.

What’s coming next?

A series of podcasts, interviews with experts, webinars, infographics, events, surveys and policy recommendations are in the making.

Would you like to know more about how FOODPathS plans to improve our food systems?

While we prepare for our website's launch (October 2022), you can check our first press release here. 

If you are interested in keeping up to date with news and the latest research on sustainable food systems, events, webinars and even job opportunities in the area, join the Sustainable Food System Network - a platform that brings together all actors in the food system and allows for easy interaction and opportunities for dialogue. You will be informed and benefit from the latest news and developments from FOODPathS and other related initiatives and experts!

• Matteo Sabini, Collaborative projects – Area lead
• Camila Massri, Research – Manager
• Twitter: #FOODPathS / @SciFoodHealth
• Sustainable Food Systems Network