Sharing good practice and learning through co-production with local food partnerships
Supporting the future sustainability and national impact of food partnerships
Overview
This Transforming UK Food Systems (TUKFS) Synergy-funded project aims to support knowledge-sharing between food partnerships, providing the opportunity for food partnerships and academics to discuss and address challenges faced in the current political and economic environment.
Food partnerships are cross-sector partnerships connecting public agencies, businesses, researchers, and community organisations, working together to identify local priorities and actions to promote lasting change to food systems. Sustainable Food Places is a network that brings together food partnerships from across the UK to drive innovation and share best practice, supporting the transition to a healthier, fairer, and more sustainable food system.
People involved
This project involves three food partnerships in Sheffield, Rotherham, and Bristol as well as Sustainable Food Places, researchers from the University of Sheffield (H3), the University of Cambridge (Mandala), and the University of York (FixOurFood).
The food partnerships are at different stages of their development, with Bristol Food Network having already achieved a gold award, ShefFood having recently been awarded silver, and Rotherham Food Network aiming for a bronze award (Sustainable Food Places recognises and celebrates the successes of food partnerships through bronze, silver, and gold awards).
Key project activities
Workshops with food partnerships
The food partnerships are working alongside academic researchers at three workshops to share learning, focusing on key priorities such as finance and governance, diversity and inclusion, and the role of food partnerships in the wider national food system.
The food partnerships are working alongside academic researchers at three workshops to share learning, focusing on key priorities such as finance and governance, diversity and inclusion, and the role of food partnerships in the wider national food system.
Co-creating good practice guidance
Following workshop discussions, the group plan to co-create up-to-date resources, including ‘good practice’ guidance based on a review of Sustainable Food Place's database of >1000 actions taken by local food partnerships across the UK, aiming to add value rather than duplicate existing work.
Following workshop discussions, the group plan to co-create up-to-date resources, including ‘good practice’ guidance based on a review of Sustainable Food Place's database of >1000 actions taken by local food partnerships across the UK, aiming to add value rather than duplicate existing work.
Co-production principles
Reflection and reflexivity
The project has provided support for food partnerships with limited capacity and resources to hold structured reflections on important issues, such as financial constraints and governance structures, and how they relate to national policy, with support from academics.
"I think for the three of us it's the space to reflect on the work we're doing… it is incredibly valuable because you don't put that time into your day when you're trying to deal with more immediate issues." (Food Partnership Co-ordinator)
Knowledge
The project has brought together people with a diverse range of expertise and experience, as well as the opportunity to share practical and theoretical types of knowledge.
"When you’re a practitioner, you don't have time to relate to theory, and so having that space to have those conversations with people who are paid to think about that is really useful..." (Food Partnership Co-ordinator)
