Sustainable Food Transition Through Collaborative Short Food Supply Chains

Short Food Supply Chain Ecosystem in the Netherlands

The global food industry is arguably unsustainable and damaging for the environment. Considering the estimated increase in global population and urbanization in coming decades, it is clear that the food system requires structural reforms. Collaborative short food supply chains (SFSCs) are proposed as a possible solution by governments, academics and entrepreneurs.

This research, ‘Sustainable Food Transition Through Collaborative Short Food Supply Chains‘, focusses on a strategic collective system building approach that enables a sustainable transition of the food system. In order to create positive social, environmental and economic impact, scientist argue that sectors should move beyond competing on sustainability standards and towards more collaborative process approach. The Taskforce Korte Keten (TKK) aims to do this by implementing the Gain transition model, which is based on network formation and strategic niche management by using gamification principles. Since the approach of the Gain transition model is new, flexible, collaborative and different from the conventional models, it is a challenge for SFSC companies to collaborate and implement such a strategic sustainability innovation. The objective of this research is to understand the market transformation of the SFSC sector in terms of strategic collective system building, and find out how the TKK can implement the Gain transition model in a credible manner.

Bob Massar, author of this innovative research: “During my research internship at Amped, commissioned by the Taskforce Korte Keten, I specialized in analyzing ecosystems for short food chains in the Netherlands. I was then allowed to apply this research method in a study for the European research consortium Smartchain H2020. During 2 months I traveled through Europe to conduct interviews with top officials, network specialists and short chain experts. In this way, I managed to gather a huge amount of specialized information in a short period of time. I incorporated this information into an eco-system quick scan of short chain actors in Germany, Switzerland, Spain and France. This research is the first step for analyzing and building short chain ecosystems on different levels: local, regional, national and international.”


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