Insights from the first FOODPathS Mirror Group meeting

Our current food systems are not sustainable enough to ensure healthy and nutritious food for us and future generations without the realisation of negative impact on the environment and, consequently, on the society. However, the transition process to achieve the sustainability is complex, since each decision taken could generate trade-offs for one or more of the different “players” involved (citizens, farmers, researchers, food companies, etc.). For this reason, such actors, each of them with its different perspectives and interests, should be fully involved in the definition of the transition process and together, acting in partnership, they should  join forces and implement the best solutions to realise sustainable food systems that leaves no one behind.  

The role of the FOODpathS Mirror Groups 

In such framework, FOODPathS is committed to find ways to let the different actors and stakeholders to collaborate in partnership: this is the scope of the Mirror Groups, meetings of experts and stakeholders’ representatives providing ideas on how a Partnership SFS should look like, “playing” with the different puzzle pieces that compose it (for instance, governance system, educational needs, funding of Research & Innovation activities, etc.). Insights and recommendations collected through the Mirror Group meetings will complement and enrich the already ongoing discussion that FOODPathS has been conducting for two years: thanks to ad hoc invitations, the Mirror Group meetings will ensure that all the voices – from Europe as well as from other continents – are heard, following the inclusiveness principles that inspire FOODPathS (and that you can read in this leaflet). At the end of this process, FOODPathS will be able to present its ideal partnership (spring 2025), that will be then overhanded to FutureFoodS, the brand-new Partnership SFS, that might use them to improve itself. 

The first (European) Mirror Group meeeting

The first Mirror Group meeting was held in May 2024, with the participation of more than 20 experts from all over the Europe. Divided into thematic small groups, they were asked to reflect on each piece of the “Partnership puzzle” (we mean it literally, as you can see from the picture!): local to global, public-private partnerships, educational networks, funding cycles and observatory. After this first stage, participants were asked to put these puzzle pieces together, aiming to create the ideal Partnership for Sustainable Food Systems.  

Experts involved in the meetings provided several recommendations, that are fully available in this report, and these are a few takeaways: 

1. The partnership governance – aimed at reducing the trade-offs generation – should be collaborative (with the inclusion of actors from local to global levels), facilitate the knowledge exchange, establish a participatory infrastructure and a clear regulatory/governmental framework. 
2. The decision-making process should be inclusive, transparent, based on co-design principles and using a bottom-up approach.  
3. Funding is an important element of a partnership, and it should be implemented with a low administrative burden and with enough support for applicants; moreover, different target audiences should be addressed with different funding opportunities and incentives. 
4. Data and information to monitor the transition and to remove barriers are needed and, thanks to the experts’ knowledge, a first list was created. 
5. A partnership should put in place mechanisms to collect feedback form stakeholders and readdress its direction, such as consultations, surveys, etc. 

What’s next? The Global Mirror Group meeting 

In the first meeting, the focus was still Europe-centric, however, the food systems sustainability is a global challenge, and there are already other parts of the world where people and stakeholders are experimenting solutions for the transition, from which we – as Europeans – can learn from. Then, the second meeting – foreseen for the 24th of September – will involve organizations, networks and stakeholders working on food system transformation outside of Europe: they will share their experiences and contribute to the discussion on the definition of the ideal partnership.   

Would you have your say? 

FOODPathS is trying to include as many voices as possible, using different methods and ways. Mirror Groups are one of these and if you are interested in participating in one of the next meetings, you can contact us on this email: info@foodpaths.eu  

In the meantime, you can participate in this survey to have your say on how the Partnership SFS should look like.