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Development of Regional Value-Chain-Networks for Organic Vegetables in Community Catering - Zentrum f. Ökologische Landwirtschaft e.V.
Project
Project code: 2822OE173
Contract period: 01.03.2024
- 28.02.2027
Budget: 72,757 Euro
Purpose of research: Applied research
Keywords: data collection, communal feeding, vegetable production, regional value addition, organic farming
Increasing food security in Germany is a declared objective of the Federal Government. Against the background of the global sustainability goals, a transformation of the food system towards the social and ecological production of healthy food is therefore necessary. Especially in the vegetable sector, Germany's self-sufficiency rate of 36% is very low. Yet vegetable production requires very little agricultural land (1.3% of total land) for a high share of agricultural production value (21.2%). So how can an increase in regional vegetable self-sufficiency be achieved in line with the political agenda? The regionalisation of community catering in school or hospital canteens takes on a central role. A decisive challenge is to bundle the production of small-scale vegetable structures and fill processing gaps in the regional value-added network for a continuous supply of community catering. Regarding social and ecological criteria, the price pressure of the market is also a decisive factor. Currently, only 1-2% of 225,000 catering businesses are certified organic, highlighting the need to incorporate social and ecological considerations to achieve food security in the vegetable sector. To address these issues, the project investigates innovative and actionable approaches to strengthen regional, ecological community catering in the pilot regions of Ludwigsburg-Stuttgart and North Hesse through a transdisciplinary living lab. Various levels of knowledge (policy, businesses, non-governmental organisations, agriculture, and civil society) are intended to act as catalysts for a food system transformation. Strategies to increase the proportion of regional organic foods in value chains are developed, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
Section overview
Subjects
- Vegetable Gardening
- Market Analysis/Marketing Strategy
- Organic Farming
Framework programme
Federal Organic Farming Scheme and other forms of sustainable agriculture (BÖLN)
Funding programme
Excutive institution
Center for Organic Agriculture and Sustainable Regional Development
