One of the biggest obstacles in creating a more sustainable food system is not infrastructure or lack of scientific knowledge but in fact a lack of working together.
A University of Aberdeen research team has found that fragmented decision making, poor connections and a lack of communication is hindering progress towards a sustainable food sector.
The journey to sustainability naturally involves a multitude of people from different jobs, including farmers, communities and policymakers, yet they don’t have enough opportunities to communicate effectively.
The researchers say this can reinforce existing power imbalances, leaving smaller producers and local initiatives with limited influence.
Dr Shadi Hashem, Project Co-Lead at the University of Aberdeen, said: “Everyone in the food chain is left to navigate the problems alone, and the result is a food system that lurches on. What is needed is more durable collaboration and collective action that brings stakeholders together across knowledge, supply chain infrastructure and market boundaries.”
The research team, called VISIONARY, is calling for greater investment in collaborative approaches that bring together producers, communities, policymakers and supply-chain partners.
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