FOODMETRES

Project objectives

The FP7 project ‘Food Planning and Innovation for Sustainable Metropolitan Regions’ (FOODMETRES) thrives to assess both the environmental and the socio-economic impacts of food chains with regard to spatial, logistical and resource dimension of growing food as well as food planning and governance. FOODMETRES uses food-chain characteristics (such as environmental and performance indicators) to assess the “land footprint” of urban food consumptions in terms of the socio-economic and environmental impacts.

Seven research organisations and eleven small and medium enterprises from six countries are working together. Coventry University is leading the knowledge brokerage work-package of the project and the London case study. Sustain and Garden Organic are working in London on food planning and urban growing. IFR is focusing mainly on knowledge brokerage and the use of participatory methods.

Research impact

The project aims to promote shared learning between the regions and will develop recommendations for making food chains more sustainable. Specifically for the London region FOODMETRES will explore the following questions:

• How can FOODMETRES contribute to innovation and innovation exchange in London?
• How will shortening of food chains be enhanced or hindered by policies at different levels?
• What is the size of production and consumption in the metropolitan agri-food system, and what is the socio-economic and environmental value?
• Which examples of short food chains are representative for the food chain innovation in the region?
• Food chain analysis: what are the possibilities for production closer to the city, fewer steps in the chain and the use of less non-renewable resources?
• How do specific innovations perform compared to different sustainability indicators, including land use?

Download the London Foodmetres brochure

For more information on this project, please contact Moya Kneafsey.