TY - JOUR
T1 - Envisioning the Future of European Food Systems
T2 - Approaches and Research Priorities After COVID-19
AU - Vittuari, Matteo
AU - Bazzocchi, Giovanni
AU - Blasioli, Sonia
AU - Cirone, Francesco
AU - Maggio, Albino
AU - Orsini, Francesco
AU - Penca, Jerneja
AU - Petruzzelli, Mara
AU - Specht, Kathrin
AU - Amghar, Samir
AU - Atanasov, Aleksandar Mihail
AU - Bastia, Teresa
AU - Bertocchi, Inti
AU - Coudard, Antoine
AU - Crepaldi, Andrea
AU - Curtis, Adam
AU - Fox-Kämper, Runrid
AU - Gheorghica, Anca Elena
AU - Lelièvre, Agnès
AU - Muñoz, Pere
AU - Nolde, Erwin
AU - Pascual-Fernández, Josè
AU - Pennisi, Giuseppina
AU - Pölling, Bernd
AU - Reynaud-Desmet, Lèlia
AU - Righini, Isabella
AU - Rouphael, Youssef
AU - Saint-Ges, Vèronique
AU - Samoggia, Antonella
AU - Shaystej, Shima
AU - da Silva, Macu
AU - Toboso Chavero, Susana
AU - Tonini, Pietro
AU - Trušnovec, Gorazd
AU - Vidmar, Benjamin L.
AU - Villalba, Gara
AU - De Menna, Fabio
N1 - Funding Information:
The research leading to this publication has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 862663. The publication reflects the author’s views. The Research Executive Agency (REA) is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. This work was also supported by and ERC Consolidator grant awarded to Gara Villalba (818002-URBAG).
Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank the following contributors for their valuable inputs and feedbacks: Ilaria Braschi, Margherita Del Prete, and Francesca Monticone from the University of Bologna; Chiara Cirillo from the University of Naples Federico II; Luuk Graamans from Wageningen University and Research. The authors thank all partners in the FoodE consortium for their collaboration. Funding. The research leading to this publication has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 862663. The publication reflects the author's views. The Research Executive Agency (REA) is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. This work was also supported by and ERC Consolidator grant awarded to Gara Villalba (818002-URBAG).
Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright © 2021 Vittuari, Bazzocchi, Blasioli, Cirone, Maggio, Orsini, Penca, Petruzzelli, Specht, Amghar, Atanasov, Bastia, Bertocchi, Coudard, Crepaldi, Curtis, Fox-Kämper, Gheorghica, Lelièvre, Muñoz, Nolde, Pascual-Fernández, Pennisi, Pölling, Reynaud-Desmet, Righini, Rouphael, Saint-Ges, Samoggia, Shaystej, da Silva, Toboso Chavero, Tonini, Trušnovec, Vidmar, Villalba and De Menna.
Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/3/9
Y1 - 2021/3/9
N2 - The COVID-19 pandemic unveiled the fragility of food sovereignty in cities and confirmed the close connection urban dwellers have with food. Although the pandemic was not responsible for a systemic failure, it suggested how citizens would accept and indeed support a transition toward more localized food production systems. As this attitudinal shift is aligned with the sustainability literature, this work aims to explore the tools and actions needed for a policy framework transformation that recognizes the multiple benefits of food systems, while considering local needs and circumstances. This perspective paper reviews the trends in production and consumption, and systematizes several impacts emerged across European food systems in response to the first wave of pandemic emergency, with the final aim of identifying challenges and future strategies for research and innovation toward the creation of resilient and sustainable city/region food systems. The proposal does not support a return to traditional small-scale economies that might not cope with the growing global population. It instead stands to reconstruct and upscale such connections using a “think globally act locally” mind-set, engaging local communities, and making existing and future citizen-led food system initiatives more sustainable. The work outlines a set of recommended actions for policy-makers: support innovative and localized food production, training and use of information and communication technology for food production and distribution; promote cross-pollination among city/region food systems; empower schools as agents of change in food provision and education about food systems; and support the development of assessment methodologies and the application of policy tools to ensure that the different sustainability dimensions of the food chain are considered.
AB - The COVID-19 pandemic unveiled the fragility of food sovereignty in cities and confirmed the close connection urban dwellers have with food. Although the pandemic was not responsible for a systemic failure, it suggested how citizens would accept and indeed support a transition toward more localized food production systems. As this attitudinal shift is aligned with the sustainability literature, this work aims to explore the tools and actions needed for a policy framework transformation that recognizes the multiple benefits of food systems, while considering local needs and circumstances. This perspective paper reviews the trends in production and consumption, and systematizes several impacts emerged across European food systems in response to the first wave of pandemic emergency, with the final aim of identifying challenges and future strategies for research and innovation toward the creation of resilient and sustainable city/region food systems. The proposal does not support a return to traditional small-scale economies that might not cope with the growing global population. It instead stands to reconstruct and upscale such connections using a “think globally act locally” mind-set, engaging local communities, and making existing and future citizen-led food system initiatives more sustainable. The work outlines a set of recommended actions for policy-makers: support innovative and localized food production, training and use of information and communication technology for food production and distribution; promote cross-pollination among city/region food systems; empower schools as agents of change in food provision and education about food systems; and support the development of assessment methodologies and the application of policy tools to ensure that the different sustainability dimensions of the food chain are considered.
KW - SARS-CoV-2 pandemic
KW - city/region food system
KW - food initiatives
KW - food security
KW - sustainable food systems
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85103030658&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fsufs.2021.642787
DO - 10.3389/fsufs.2021.642787
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85103030658
VL - 5
JO - Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
JF - Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
M1 - 642787
ER -