Abstract Summary
In this special session ‘navigating order and messiness in sustainable agri-food transitions: reflecting on the good, the bad and the ugly of (urban) food systems’ we aim to explore the interlinkages between production and consumption in the urban food system. We will explore what is good, bad and ugly in our current system according to different perspectives, identify linkages between food system components, and formulate potential leverages and concrete actions for ecological, social, and economic transformation. Urban food systems are an essential link between (largely rural) food production areas and (largely urban) food consumption. Due to the strong demands that urban food systems have on production landscapes, they hold potential for large impacts on areas relevant for the health, biodiversity, energy, nitrogen, and climate crises. While this could include positive impacts, such as fostering regenerative landscapes and connecting city dwellers with nature, such activities could also present challenges, and lead to deteriorating ecological systems. To address these challenges, we cannot solely address the urban part of the system, but we need to consider the intricate linkages between urban and rural components. During this workshop, we aim to explore and reflect upon the wide array of contexts in food production and consumption and how we can further a transition. The session starts with mapping existing perspectives and priorities. The outcomes will serve as a starting point for discussing (hidden) relationships between food system components that are typically perceived in isolation. From here, we will identify leverage points for system transformation, and co-create concrete steps for achieving these in our own capacity. Moderators are scientists from multiple disciplines who are working on a broad range of food projects that address food system challenges through transdisciplinary approaches. The very nature of these projects and the involvement of societal partners requires embracing the messiness of transformative research and practice. This session will address the good, the bad and the ugly of food production and food consumption and discuss their intricate linkages. We will include insights from transdisciplinary research projects in this co-creative workshop where we re-invent and re-align the production and consumption systems. We will interactively explore linkages between the systems, and between relevant stakeholders. Finally, we will develop a blueprint for an improved food system that integrates production-consumption, rural-urban, and other emerging system linkages to identify a set of concrete actions for the stakeholders involved. The session will be open to anyone who sometimes eats something.
