Living Labs

One of the main activities of FOODPathS is setting the structure for a European Knowledge Hub composed of a network of Food Systems Living Labs (FS-Labs). Food Systems Living Labs are understood as collaborative, stakeholder-driven R&I approaches to co-create new products and services that support the transition to Sustainable Food Systems.

A variety of FS-Labs may target different objectives bringing together public and private stakeholders, such as food manufacturers, end-users, other members of the Food Systems (e.g. farmers, retailers, etc.), service and technology suppliers (e.g. digitalisation, nutrition, health, environmental sustainability and circularity, social sciences, etc.), and policymakers and institutions at national, local, and regional level.

The project is building the network of Living Labs through the following actions:

• Reviewing existing structures and identifying best practices for co-creation in Food Systems
• Establishing a possible framework for the engagement of private parties at the EU level
• Co-creating national and regional Food System Living Labs mixing public and private actors through a pilot example
• Developing a ‘hub of Food System Labs’ concept