10 major themes derived from existing FAL innovation strengths

The FoodSHIFT 2030 approach focuses on supporting innovation towards a fast transition of the European food system by 2030, which is necessary in order to address the pressing challenges for food and nutrition security, contribute to the EU commitment of reducing GHG emissions by at least 40% by 2030, and revitalize urban-rural linkages and partnerships to secure the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. 

To create a citizen-driven transition of the food system by 2030, the FoodSHIFT 2030 project is working on 10 major themes in line with 11 SDGs. These 10 themes were created using a bottom–up approach based on the innovation strengths of the participating frontrunner city-regions. Each of the FALs defined an ‘innovation focus’ and several ‘innovation actions’ according to their strengths. Together, these innovation actions are covered by the ten major themes across the FALs. 

 Each of the FoodSHIFT Accelerator Labs will simultaneously address multiple themes. All FALs will work on both social and technological innovation to provide food and nutrition security and contribute to job creation, while empowering citizens and supporting the achievement of the SDGs. Furthermore, the progress and outputs of the FALs within these 10 themes will be shared between all FALs, and in doing so will foster the maturing and upscaling of food system innovations across Europe. 

The 10 major themes

 

The FoodSHIFT Accelerator Labs, together with their 10 overarching themes, individual innovation focus and actions, form part of a unique framework. This creates an efficient mechanism for maturing, combining, upscaling, and multiplying successful innovative food system solutions to support a citizen-driven food system transition in the European city-regions. This will utilize and support the transformative power of citizens who are already engaged in alternative food networks, NGOs, and SMEs through the operationalization of the 9 FoodSHIFT Accelerator Labs and their defined innovation focus. This will not only foster and promote citizen-empowerment, but also bridge urban-rural cohesion and create a lasting positive impact on food system sustainability that will continue beyond the project lifetime. The major themes address the following eleven SGDs – SDG1, SDG2, SDG3, SDG4, SDG8, SDG9, SDG11, SDG12, SDG13, SDG15, and SDG17.