How can we make our food systems more sustainable? Fusilli project partners present solutions.

How can we make our food systems more sustainable? We have developed solutions with the EU project FUSILLI.

Authors: Anette Mack, Chiara Adam, Alparslan Akkus

How we eat, what food we produce and what we consume all have an impact on the environment and the climate. 80% of our food production is consumed in cities (EAT 2022) and over 70% of the world's population is urban - and the trend is growing. Each part of the food chain has a major impact on the climate and therefore offers opportunities for innovation to minimise negative impacts. In addition, food systems are extremely complex; to transform them, you need to look at them globally and involve different actors such as private companies, policy makers, civil society, academia and many more. This is where cities become powerful actors and can make a difference.

For the past four years, Steinbeis Europa Zentrum and 33 other project partners involved in the EU project FUSILLI have been working intensively on this issue and have implemented 324 measures in so-called Living Labs in 12 European cities. All stages of the food chain were involved: from production, processing, distribution and logistics to consumption, waste management and local food policy. The EU has contributed €12.1 million to FUSILLI.

Final conference in Nilüfer, Turkey, 19-20 November 2024 - organised by Steinbeis Europa Zentrum

Lessons learned cookbook summarises results

Steinbeis Europa Zentrum, as the project's communication partner, has summarised the project results in the brochure 'Lessons Learned Cookbook Recipes for Transforming Urban Food Systems: Best Practices from FUSILLI's Living Labs in Action'. From improving local food production and reducing waste to improving food safety and promoting healthy eating, the experience gained has inspired new strategies for sustainable urban living and increased understanding. The 'lessons learned' and other project successes were presented and discussed at the final conference in Nilüfer (Bursa), Turkey, on 19-20 November.

In the following we will introduce you to four Living Labs from Turkey, Norway, Croatia and Spain.

Living Lab Nilüfer, Turkey - Soil analysis improves agricultural food production

The Living Lab in Nilüfer (Bursa), Turkey, focused on the interplay between food production, digital innovation and environmentally friendly agriculture. To this end, measures were implemented to expand soil analysis. The municipality decided to purchase a laboratory that was at risk of closure, which is now operated by the Nilüfer Agricultural Development Cooperative (NILKOOP) and is unique in the region. This laboratory not only examines the nutrient content and imbalance in the soil but also shows the amount and type of fertiliser needed and how well the soil is able to supply nutrients to plants. With this detailed information, farmers can find out how to increase yields, grow higher value crops and become more competitive. The laboratory also analyses and evaluates soil samples from all over Turkey.

Running the laboratory on site minimised costs and encouraged more farmers to participate. The project has shown that farmers are more likely to take advantage of soil analysis if it is inexpensive or even free. In particular, farmers organised in cooperatives took up the offer well, which also promotes knowledge sharing and cooperation between them in the long term.

Visit to the Nilüfer Agricultural Analysis Laboratory, Photo: Nilüfer Municipality

The next step was to digitise the analysis results: since autumn 2022, the data has been publicly available in the form of interactive soil maps - and farmers can now see online which plants thrive best in their soil and what conditions are optimal for them. These maps will help them better understand the soil conditions in Nilüfer and use them for cultivation. Thanks to the collaboration with an agricultural engineer, they learn how to maximise their yields and be more environmentally friendly at the same time - because growing products that are better suited to the soil not only saves costs but also ensures more sustainable and competitive agriculture.

Living Lab Oslo, Food consumption - sustainable and healthy eating in the workplace

In a vibrant city like Oslo, sustainable food practices have become a key factor in promoting environmental protection and public health. At the forefront of this movement is the City of Oslo's Karvesvingen 3 canteen, a workplace for around 800 employees and other tenants. As part of the FUSILLI project, a Living Lab has been set up to transform traditional eating habits into sustainable alternatives. This included reducing meat consumption, eliminating single-use plastics and making surplus food available through a 'trust shop'. Höegh Real Estate, Sodexo Norway and Include Research Centre were partners of the Living Lab.

To raise awareness of the vegetarian menu, the project partners organised a tasting event and a monthly ‘food talk’ during the lunch break to inform employees about climate-friendly food, animal welfare, the food environment and ultra-processed food.

Karvesvingen canteen - Oslo’s Living Lab demonstration site for sustainable and healthy food at work. Foto: Line Tveiten, City of Oslo

In addition, edible plants were grown on the roof terrace and vending machines were installed to sell surplus canteen food. Old vending machines with unhealthy options were replaced with new ones offering healthy, sustainable drinks and snacks.

To bring about lasting change, the city of Oslo has organised information campaigns and set up a municipal sustainable food advisory service. It offers training and support to staff in kindergartens, schools and care homes and helps, for example, to increase the consumption of organic food and reduce food waste.

Setting up living labs is a challenge, as stakeholders must be won over and visions and methods developed at the same time. Oslo Metropolitan University and Syddansk Universitet have therefore produced a manual for food system living labs. The manual provides guidance for setting up living labs focusing on nutrition, climate, circular economy and innovation in the food system. It goes into detail about the method, gives recommendations, but also warns of potential obstacles.

Living Lab Rijeka - Waste management

In Croatia, over 216,000 tonnes of food waste are produced every year, mainly from the hospitality industry and private households. How can this waste be counteracted? The City of Rijeka has asked itself this question, which is why it participates in international projects like FUSILLI. To raise awareness of food waste and change the way food is handled, the Living Lab project partners decided to focus on education and digital solutions.

A survey revealed that more than half of people buy food that they later throw away. The new ‘Food Waste Analyser’ app has been developed to counteract this. The app makes it possible to monitor food waste and identify potential savings. It is primarily aimed at players in the hospitality industry to help them understand the benefits of sustainable practices.

One focus of the project work in Rijeka was on disadvantaged groups such as senior citizens and the unemployed. They will be socially integrated through nutrition plans and workshops, and surplus food will be donated to reduce waste. The aim is to provide a more sustainable and healthier diet and greater social support.

Rijeka’s Cookbook: Sustainable flavours, sustainable budget. Photo: City of Rijeka

To counteract food waste in private households, there were other measures such as workshops on waste-free cooking, the publication of a cookbook with nutritious recipes and tips for more sustainable cooking as well as new menus for school canteens.

Living Lab San Sebastian - Support for local agriculture

The Basque capital is renowned worldwide for its gourmet cuisine based on fresh produce. Local producers have always been welcomed in the markets and shops of San Sebastián, and their products are highly valued. However, due to rising costs, many citizens are increasingly opting for cheaper and easier shopping options, often favouring meat and dairy products over healthier, sustainable and local food. Local producers are also struggling with rising production costs, such as energy and fertiliser, and cannot meet low price demands without affecting their financial stability.

To promote the supply of local products in San Sebastian, FUSILLI partners Fomento de San Sebastian, the city's environmental department and the supermarket chain EROSKI identified the needs and gaps between the current situation and the project's objectives.

San Sebastian aims to improve its food system through three measures: With the introduction of a ‘Local Produce Day’, a two-day market has been launched in the center of San Sebastián. Held once or twice a year, the market features up to 30 stalls selling vegetables, dairy products, fruit, drinks, tinned food and much more. The ‘Commitment to Local Products’ award recognises the commitment of the hospitality industry, retailers and hotels to local products. Schools, associations and companies also contribute to the market. The aim of the initiative is to promote local food and agriculture and to bring the products closer to consumers in an attractive setting, with a high level of participation and satisfaction from local producers.

To promote local products among the population, the city is working with the EROSKI supermarket chain. The supermarket has created an annual calendar to promote Basque food and has brought together stakeholders to promote local consumption and short supply chains. As part of the FUSILLI actions to educate children, EROSKI has developed an educational programme to promote a healthy diet and lifestyle among children, using games to make learning fun and memorable.

Fun, Food, and Health: EROSKI’s session for young children. Foto: EROSKI

With the 'Donostia Urban Lur' initiative, Formento San Sebastian is supporting local agricultural businesses. People from all social backgrounds who can imagine running an agricultural project and becoming self-employed in this area have been provided with suitable land and infrastructure for cultivation, tools, technical training in agriculture and support and advice on marketing their produce in the Alza district. Six vegetable gardens covering 2.7 hectares have been divided into six plots of between 4,000 and 6,000 square meters. The transfer of agricultural land is planned for a period of three years, with a 100% discount on the lease price in the first year. The initiative has two objectives: to promote self-employment and to increase local food production in San Sebastián.

Find out more

Brochure: Lessons learned _ https://fusilli-project.eu/outcomes/lessons-learned/

Website: FUSILLI - Urban food planning

Rijeka cookbook: RIJ_Sustainable-Cookbook-Fusilli-2024_ENG.pdf

Video: FUSILLI's Legacy - Fostering the Urban Food System Transformation through Innovative Living Labs

Video Final Conference: FUSILLI Final Conference