Urban, peri-urban and regional food dynamics:

toward an integrated and territorial approach to food

PUREFOOD information pack for prospective early-stage researchers (ESRs)

(October 2010)

PUREFOOD is a Marie Curie Initial Training Network funded by the European Commission’s Seventh Framework PEOPLE program
 1
___________________________________________________________________________________

INTRODUCTION

PUREFOOD is a Marie Curie Initial Training Network funded by the European Commission’s Seventh
Framework PEOPLE program (see http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/people/home_en.html). The objective
of PUREFOOD is to train a pool of early-stage researchers in the socio-economic and socio-spatial
dynamics of the (peri-)urban and regional foodscape.

PUREFOOD’s early stage researchers will be hosted by a consortium of seven universities:

1. Wageningen University – Rural Sociology Group (The Netherlands)

2. Cardiff University – School of City and Regional Planning (United Kingdom)
3. Pisa University – Department of Agronomy and Agro-ecosystem Management (Italy)
4. Latvia University – Faculty of Social Sciences (Latvia)
5. City University London – Centre for Food Policy (United Kingdom)
6. Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil)
7. Makerere University School of Public Health (Uganda)

This information pack gives an overview of the project in terms of the research projects available, the
training offered, the planning of research and training and the partners involved.
 2
___________________________________________________________________________________

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROJECT OVERVIEW AND OBJECTIVES 3

S&T QUALITY 5
Progress beyond the state-of-the-art and S&T objectives 5
Research methodology 9
Scientific work packages and individual ESR projects 9
TRAINING 16
Training philosophy and objectives 16
Content, structure and quality of the training programme 17
PLANNING 25
PUREFOOD PARTICIPANTS 28
Wageningen University – Rural Sociology Group (P1) 30
Cardiff University – School of City and Regional Planning (P2) 30
University of Pisa – Department of Agronomy and Agro-ecosystem Management (P3) 31
Latvia University – Faculty of Social Sciences (P4) 31
City University London – Centre for Food Policy (P5) 32
Federal University Rio Grande do Sul (P6) 32
Makerere University School of Public Health (P7) 33
Peri-Urban Regions Platform Europe (AP1) 34
Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) Platform (AP2) 34
Sodexo (AP3) 35
Willem&Drees (AP4) 35
Slow Food Study Center (AP5) 35
Stroom Den Haag (AP6) 36
Sustain (AP7) 36
Tukums municipality – Development department (AP8) 37
 3
___________________________________________________________________________________

PROJECT OVERVIEW AND OBJECTIVES

Fluctuating food and fuel prices and the increase in urban food-related health and environmental problems are
raising an urgent need to devise more effective and sustainable agro-food policies and development strategies.
By focussing on food industrialisation, standardisation and globalisation, many contemporary socio-economic
food studies tend to neglect the socio-cultural, economic, political and spatial dynamics and impacts of food
(re)localisation as well as its multidimensionality and territoriality. That is, food is multidimensional as it is
related to many policy domains such as public health, education, quality of life and environmental quality and
it is territorial as the food sector has a significant impact on the regional economy and food-related problems
and solutions are characterised by regional specificity. This programme aims to reduce the enormous
knowledge and skills deficit that is negatively affecting the capacity to design and deliver appropriate political
and developmental solutions in the crucial supra-disciplinary fields of food security, public food procurement,
public health and sustainable urban and regional development. Hence, the objective of this Marie Curie ITN is
to train a pool of social scientists in the socio-economic and socio-spatial dynamics of the (peri-)urban and
regional foodscape through its innovative methodology, its interdisciplinary network, its high and diverse level
of private sector, government and NGO involvement, its holistic emphasis on best practice examples of
sustainable food chains and the formation of Communities of Practice that include actors of different sectors of
the food chain and its surrounding public and civic environment. The research and training program will
therefore provide knowledge and innovation for the Commission’s aim to deal with economic, social and
environmental policies in “mutually reinforcing ways” which reflects the core of the Lisbon and Gothenburg
agenda’s call for integrated solutions towards economic prosperity, social cohesion and environmental
sustainability. The PUREFOOD network is centred around food as an integrated and territorial mode of
governance and studies the emergence of the (peri-)urban foodscape as an alternative (as opposed to a
globalised) geography of food, including the ways in which, and the extent to which, sustainability aspects
generally considered to be intrinsic to the alternative food geography are incorporated by the more
conventional food companies.

The peri-urban foodscape is shaped by three contemporary development trends, each developed in a scientific
work package (WP):
1. WP 2 (market – civil society axis) – Sustainable food supply chains aimed at reconnecting consumers and
producers (or, in general, city and countryside), which reflect changes in the relationship between the
chain of food provision (the food market) and civil society.
2. WP 3 (state – market axis) – Public sector food procurement practices and strategies, representing new
relationships between the public sector and the chain of food provision (the food market).
3. WP 4 (state – civil society axis) – Urban and peri-urban food strategies and policies, representing new roles
and new strategies devised by the public sector and civil society to address societal problems structured
around the relationship between food, health, environment, transport, et cetera.

The emerging fields of sustainable food supply chains, public sector procurement and urban food strategies are
characterised by new relations between the state/public sector, the market/food provision chain and civil
society (i.e. the governance triangle) with key roles for new actors and actor constellations (e.g. urban
consumer groups, new food movements, new food chain actors, city and regional governments, and food
industry platforms). Hence there is an urgent need for enlarging empirical data, elaborating theories, analysing
examples, identifying opportunities and barriers and for facilitating knowledge exchange among researchers,
policy makers and practitioners to further the development of sustainable food systems. The commitment of
associated partners, that together represent the 3 corners of the food governance triangle (fig. 1), illustrates
 4
___________________________________________________________________________________
the importance and timeliness of our research and training programme. Interaction between ESRs, host
institutions and associated partners at WP-level will be facilitated by a 1) co-supervision, 2) a Community of
Practice (CoP) and 3) a secondment approach. The research training programme has two objectives:
1. transfer (disciplinary) scientific knowledge and skills between complementary groups, giving ESRs the
broadest and most thorough education (i.e. interdisciplinary, methodological and theoretical), which would
not be possible at a single establishment, and
2. interactively develop scientific and professional knowledge and skills through a ‘learning-by-doing and
doing-by-learning’ approach. This objective will be achieved by setting up Communities of Practice (CoPs)
of researchers, food industry partners, municipal and regional authorities, NGOs and interest groups
centred around the proposal’s main WP themes: a) sustainable food supply chain, b) public food
procurement, and c) urban food strategies.

Food provision
chain / Market

Regional economy

Quality of life Transport

Food production
Environment
(Peri-)urban
Health
Foodscape
Food consumption
Employment
Education
Social inclusion &
justice
Government / Civil society
Public sector URBAN FOOD STRATEGIES

Figure 1. The (peri-)urban foodscape (source: Wiskerke, 2010)

These objectives lead to a number of basic scientific, advanced scientific, professional and host institute
training modules. The universities leading the scientific Work Packages are responsible for the basic and
advanced scientific training and form, together with the overall network and training coordinator, the Steering
Committee (SC) of the PUREFOOD network. All members of the SC have ample experience in the coordination
of international research and training programs.

PUREFOOD contributes to the career perspectives of ESR through compulsory network training in each
discipline and interdisciplinary courses so that they can obtain the broadest possible education necessary for a
future career in academia or in practice. Equally unique is the mutual recognition of the training programme of
all partners which indicates that successfully completed Career Development Plans will give access to a PhD
degree at every partner university. Secondments of individual ESRs will also play a positive role in terms of
acquiring experience in various companies and institutes. PUREFOOD provides wide opportunities to apply
these skills in conferences, scientific papers, policy and practice recommendations and workshops. And an
important contribution of the training and thus of the career prospects of the recruited researchers will be
 5
___________________________________________________________________________________
offered by the threefold involvement of the industry partners. They will co-supervise students, host
secondments, and organise training within the CoP’s and within specific professional skills courses.

The thematic approach structured around the CoPs (which include science, policy, business and civil
society) will ensure maximum knowledge-exchange and learning. At the same time, through its network
activities (such as conferences and workshops) the network as a whole will create significant opportunities for
overarching knowledge building and analysis. We anticipate that a four year project with such close
partnerships will generate a substantial number of lasting relations. Moreover, the process of gradually
expanding CoPs where science, policy and practice meet and are engaged in joint problem solving creates the
expectation that the PUREFOOD project will contribute to long lasting collaborations between universities and
industry partners to further design and conduct agro-food studies in interdisciplinary and intersectoral
environments.

S&T QUALITY
Progress beyond the state-of-the-art and S&T objectives

Much of the critical and theoretical attention in agro-food studies has so far focused on the driving forces and
impacts of: a) the modernization and industrialization of the food system; b) the standardization of food
production and processing practices; and c) the globalization of the food market (Murdoch et al. 2000). As the
literature shows, these trends have coincided with three decades of neo-liberal politics of economic
liberalization, which has advocated deregulation, privatization and withdrawal of the state under the
assumption that “the social good will be maximized by maximizing the reach and frequency of market
transitions and [seeking] to bring all human action into the domain of the market” (Harvey 2005: 3).

The “new food equation”, fashioned by the food price surge, land conflicts and looming climate change
(Morgan & Sonnino, in press), is profoundly changing this scenario. ‘Market fundamentalism’ is increasingly de-
legitimized and a broad range of 'alternatives' seeking to countervail dominant trends are developing. This is
especially the case in cities, where highly fluctuating food and fuel prices, coupled with an increase in urban
food-related health and environmental problems, are raising an urgent need to devise more effective and
sustainable food provisioning chains and food policy strategies. PUREFOOD will enlarge our understanding of
these emerging alternatives by exploring the heterogeneous socio-economic and socio-spatial dynamics of the
new geography of food: the (peri-) urban foodscape (Johnston et al. 2009) (see figure 1).

Central to this new geography of food is a sustainability discourse that no longer accepts the externalization
of environmental, social and even economic costs (Morgan et al. 2006). Driven as it is by new concerns about
food quality and safety, nutrition, food security and carbon food prints, the emerging (peri-) urban foodscape is
shaped by three interrelated and mutually reinforcing societal axis (see fig 1):
1. Sustainable supply chains (market/civil society axis);
2. Public food procurement (state/market axis);
3. Urban food strategies (civil society/state axis).

Ad 1. Sustainable food supply chains

In the last decade, sociologists, economists and geographers have provided ample evidence that alternative
food networks (AFNs) are steadily gaining ground (Watts et al. 2005), as “concerns about food safety and
nutrition are leading many consumers in advanced capitalist countries to exercise more caution in their
 6
___________________________________________________________________________________
consumption habits. A growing number of discerning consumers are demanding "quality" products ... .
Moreover, quality is coming to be seen as inherent in more "local" and more "natural" foods ... . Thus, quality
food production systems are being re-embedded in local ecologies” (Murdoch et al. 2000: 107). As a result of
increasing scholarly interest a steadily maturing body of socio-spatial food theories, concomitant with a rapid
growing number of well elaborated cases, has been developed under the umbrella of the notion of AFNs
(Watts et al. 2005). AFNs represent spatially bound relations between consumers and the food market; they
are considered to be the outcome of “the deliberate intention to create alterity (or otherness) in the food
system and to produce change in the ‘modes of connectivity’ between the production and consumption of food,
generally through reconnecting food to the social, cultural and environmental context of its production” (Kirwan
2004: 395). Many case studies have been published about short food supply chains such as farm shops
(Holloway et al., 2007), farmers’ markets (Kirwan 2004), box schemes (Seyfang 2006) and community
supported agriculture (Hinrichs 2000). But also the more spatially extended food supply chains with regionally
specific food products such as those protected by PDO and PGI regulations (Barham 2003) as well as alternative
modes of food production (and processing) such as organics and ‘quality’ foods are usually considered to be
expressions of AFNs or sustainable food supply chains (Renting et al. 2003). The analysis of various types of
alternative/sustainable food supply chains has uncovered practices of food provision characterized by a
different logic, especially in relation to the redistribution of value (Whatmore et al. 2003; Guthman, 2007). Due
to the burgeoning literature on AFNs a rich database of AFN cases has been built (see Watts et al. 2005)
concomitant with a lively theoretical debate about network dynamics, conventions, power relations and
paradigmatic change (see e.g. Goodman, 2004; Morgan et al., 2006).

However, until now this large body of literature largely focuses on the supply side of the food chain.
PUREFOOD aims to move beyond this food provision bias by adopting a more integrated approach that also
embraces the consumption side in order to improve our theoretical understanding of sustainable food supply
chains and their development and sustainability potential. The scientific work package about sustainable food
supply chains (WP2) will therefore look into the role of consumers as drivers of innovation and sustainability in
food supply chains and into the impact of new consumer-producer interactions on lifestyles, purchasing trends
and social relations. Furthermore, this WP will also provide insights into one of the most under-studied (and,
simultaneously, paradoxical) aspects of food re-localization: that is, its increased dependence on virtual forms
of communication and the effects this has on food culture and consumption practices. Although the attention
for consumption has grown in the social sciences in the past decades (Miller 1995), consumption has been
rather narrowly conceptualized in many consumers’ studies (Miele 2006). Through a broader conceptualization
of consumption as part of embedded inter-dependent practices and habits (Shove & Warde 1997), PUREFOOD
intends to contribute to agro-food studies where “consumption has been neglected, under-theorized, treated
as an exogenous structural category, and granted agency only in the economistic, abstract terms of demand”
(Goodman & DuPuis 2002: 10).

In addition, PUREFOOD also intends to move beyond another dichotomy in agro-food studies: the
alternative/local/artisan mode versus the conventional/global/industrial mode. This distinction is problematic
as it gives rise to a dualism that tends to obscure the great diversity of production-consumption relationships
(Holloway et al. 2007) and fails to take into account the blurring boundaries between ‘alternative’ and
‘conventional’ modes of food provisioning (Slee & Kirwan forthcoming). In WP2 we will therefore also focus on
the rise of new intermediary food companies that actively link the alternative and the conventional as well as
on the incorporation of ‘alternative’ sustainability principles in ‘conventional’ food chains.

Ad 2. Public food procurement

While sustainable food supply chains on the market/civil society axis have received much scholarly attention
over the last ten years, other (emerging) forms of food provisioning, such as public food procurement have
 7
___________________________________________________________________________________
only recently begun to receive some scholarly attention. Recent studies about hospital catering (Kirwan &
Foster 2006) and school meals (Morgan & Sonnino 2008) show that the “public sector is emerging as a
powerful actor in the food chain - one that has the capacity to reconnect producers and consumers through a
process of qualification that extends beyond the market and the food products alone. By also acting upon the
less visible aspects of the food system - including service, transport, labor, eating practices - procurement
policies … are designing an `economy of quality' that has the potential to deliver the environmental, economic,
and social benefits of sustainable development - in and beyond the food system” (Sonnino 2009: 426).
Particularly because the public sector – hospitals, care homes, schools, universities, prisons and canteens in
government buildings – represents a significant part of any national food economy, its potential in delivering
healthy and sustainable communities is large. Nevertheless, many public sector organizations tend to opt for
rather narrow cost-based contracting procedures instead of a broader and more integrated approach that
includes aspects of health, social justice, regional employment and environmental sustainability (Wiskerke
2010). However, despite its enormous power in effecting behavioural change in economy and society, the story
of public procurement is largely a tale of untapped potential. Research is still very fragmented across different
disciplines and sectors and lacks coherence, empirical backing and comparative insights. WP3 will contribute to
fill these gaps by enlarging our database of different types of public procurement initiatives and their
sustainable development potential. Moreover this WP on public food procurement will also transcend
geographical boundaries in agro-food studies by comparing public food procurement practices and strategies in
the North (UK) and the South (Brazil and Uganda).

Ad 3. Urban food strategies

When more than half of the world’s population is urbanized, food is rising up urban sustainability agendas,
given its unique role in sustaining human life, its intensive use of natural resources such as land, water and
fossil fuel and its connections with a wide range of municipal and regional policy areas (from land-use planning
to infrastructure and transport, from environmental conservation to housing and economic development).
These connections have not escaped the attention of academics. Indeed, much has been written in the last
decade about urban food sustainability, especially in relation to the long-standing issue of food security. In this
context, the attention of researchers has focused primarily on the “production” dimension of the food security
problem, as evidenced by the emergence of a large body of literature on urban agriculture and its real and
potential contributions to improving the quality of the living environment for urban residents as well as their
individual and collective health and well being (see Smit et al. 1996; Mougeout 1999 and 2006; Koc et al. 1999;
Halweil & Nierenberg 2007; Redwood 2009).

In the context of the “new food equation” urban agriculture is likely to play an increasingly important role
in meeting the most basic food needs of urban residents. However, research insights that have been provided
so far are not sufficient to help policy-makers to address the most compelling questions that are emerging in
relation to urban food provisioning and land-use planning. In fact, the lack of comprehensive and comparative
studies on urban agriculture makes it difficult to understand under what specific conditions this activity can
deliver its alleged public health, social, economic and environmental benefits, and to whom (Redwood 2009:
154). In addition, the new food equation is raising the need to develop new conceptual frameworks that
integrate the vast amount of literature (including “grey” literature) on urban food production with studies that
focus on the other most fundamental dimension of food security: access to food.

In the last decades, rapid urban expansion has produced an equally rapid loss of agricultural land in peri-
urban areas, disconnecting cities from the natural resource-base of their surroundings and from the productive
systems that were associated with it. As urban-rural linkages have weakened or even disappeared, cities have
become increasingly dependent on the global industrialized food system. Although comprehensive accounts of
the impact of the global food system on urban areas are still lacking, the studies produced across different
 8
___________________________________________________________________________________
disciplines emphasize how the intensification tendencies of industrial agriculture, with its heavy reliance on the
use of pesticides and fertilizers, have exacerbated urban water pollution and waste problems (Pothukuchi &
Kaufman 1999). Socially and economically, increased marketplace activities of corporate chains have displaced
local food retailers (Dixon et al. 2007: 124-125), creating urban “food deserts” where people –especially low-
income people– have little or no access to fresh, nutritious and healthy food (Wrigley 2002; Guy et al. 2004). So
far, liberal national governments have framed rights and responsibilities in terms of individualized consumer
choices in line with the non-interventionist agenda of corporate retailers. However, this notion is increasingly
contested as it becomes more obvious that “many health and environmental problems, and most social
problems, cannot be reduced to consumer demand” Friedmann (2005: 257).

In this context, there is an urgent need for integrated urban food policies that create new linkages and new
relationships between different stages and actors of the food chain to improve urban food provisioning and to
create positive connections between food, health, the economy, the environment and culture (Lang et al.
2009). Pioneering city-governments all over the world have begun to address this need by devising food
strategies that aim to calibrate demand and supply. Social scientists from different disciplinary backgrounds
have documented the emergence of these strategies and their sustainable development potential (see, for
example, Sonnino 2009; Wiskerke 2010; Donald & Blay-Palmer 2006; Halweil & Nierenberg 2007). However, as
with most of the literature on urban food, this body of work is still fragmented across different fields. Little or
no effort has so far been made to critically compare the case studies produced so far. An analysis of this kind is
crucial to identify best practice and create mechanisms for knowledge-exchange between cities. By harnessing
the many platforms of knowledge established so far on urban food strategies, PUREFOOD’s WP4 and its 4
constituting ESR projects will make a significant contribution to the establishment of a new research
community that can provide cutting-edge theoretical, methodological and practical responses to the challenges
posed by the new food equation and, more broadly, by the shifting pattern of rural-urban linkages.

In summary, sustainable food supply chains, innovative public food procurement strategies and the emergence
of urban food strategies demonstrate that there is a generalized discontent with the globalised agro-food
system and its neoliberal foundations. The integrated and territorial nature of the new developments also
seems to reflect an awareness that “food itself transcends boundaries between realms of modern society such
as between production and consumption, science, technology, and politics, and nature and culture ” (Lien &
Anthony 2007: 413).

To understand the nature and dynamics of this emerging supra-disciplinary field of (peri-) urban
foodscapes and the important contribution they can make to the objectives of sustainable development, there
is a strong need for cooperation across disciplines and between different socio-economic actors. The proposed
ITN will clearly move research beyond its current state-of-the-art and provides a unique opportunity for
knowledge-exchange and direct implementation through the creation of three thematic Communities of
Practice (CoP) – including companies, NGOs, public authorities, academic experts and early-career researchers
from developed as well as developing countries. To facilitate cross-fertilization between academics and
practitioners and make sure that this will benefit both theory and practice, the PUREFOOD ITN will pursue the
following S&T objectives:
a) To move research on sustainable food supply chains in hitherto unexplored directions through the adoption
of an integrated approach that aims to go beyond current dichotomies;
b) To enlarge the theoretical and empirical understanding of the new emerging phenomena of 1) public food
procurement, and 2) urban food strategies;
c) To analyse examples of best practice in the three fields and uncover their potential in delivering food
security and sustainable development outcomes;
d) To identify opportunities for, and barriers to, the development of sustainable food systems at the
 9
___________________________________________________________________________________
international, national, regional and municipal level;
e) To facilitate training and exchange amongst researchers, food entrepreneurs/companies, policy-makers and
civil servants, and members of civil society organizations
f) To train a new generation of experts who have the competences and skills to analyze, design and
implement sustainable food strategies and networks as well as the competences and skills to understand
and collaborate with the key food governance stakeholders: food entrepreneurs, public authorities and civil
society organizations.

Research methodology

The core of the PUREFOOD research and training approach is formed by the three thematic research WPs and
related Communities of Practice (CoPs): 1) Sustainable food supply chains, 2) Public food procurement, and 3)
Urban food strategies. The individual ESR projects will adopt a case study approach as the primary interest is in
unravelling and understanding the underlying dynamics of the (peri-)urban foodscape. A mixed method case
study strategy fits our S&T objectives which are situated in real life situations where conditions cannot be held
constant, where multiple sources of data are available, where a unit of observation needs to be studied over a
longer period of time and where the actors’ points of view have to be taken into account. In their case studies,
ESRs will be using multiple and mixed quantitative and qualitative socio-economic research techniques to
enhance internal case validity (Yin 1994). Qualitative data will be gathered by fieldwork using interviews and
participant observation (e.g. in secondment) (Patton 1990). Software for qualitative data analysis such as
Atlas.Ti will be used. Quantitative database construction of assembled existing company records for secondary
analysis with conventional statistical packages such as SPSS will be used. Analytical comparison of cases in the
sense of iterative explanation-building (Yin 1994: 110) is crucial for the development and refinement of
empirically grounded theories.

Alongside the research within the individual ESR projects, collaborative research, training, exchange and
networking takes place in the CoPs. The concept of CoP thus integrates research and training methodology (see
also B4). From a scientific research perspective the following principles are guiding the research methodology:
• Interdisciplinarity: the competences of the future generation of researchers need to reflect the broader
tendencies in society for holistic and integrated solutions. This assumes a profound theoretical basis in
different social and economic (sub)disciplines, such as rural sociology, human and economic geography,
neo-institutional and evolutionary economics, urban and regional planning, political science and
governance studies, and regional studies.
• A comparative approach to develop a) awareness of cultural biases and knowledge of other contexts for
the stimulation of future mobility in research, and b) understanding of context-specific aspects on the one
hand and general features and developments on the other hand.
• Empirically grounded because a) the nature of this emerging field asks for more empirical evidence and b)
to enhance the competences of the ESRs in handling complex realities with political dimensions.
• A combination of qualitative and quantitative and action research methods is highly innovative because
different methodologies are still often linked to different disciplines. Multi-method research enhances
interdisciplinarity at a practical level through giving ESRs the language, tools, skills and competences to
interact with different epistemic communities.

Scientific work packages and individual ESR projects

PUREFOOD consists of 4 work packages (WPs): WP1 about training and three scientific WPs (2-4), each
representing a specific thematic domain of the overall program: sustainable food supply chains (WP2), public
 10
___________________________________________________________________________________
food procurement (WP3) and urban food strategies (WP4). In this section the scientific WPs and individual ESR
projects will be outlined. WP1 will be discussed in section B4.
Each scientific WP comprises 4 individual ESR projects. Interaction between ESRs, host institutions and
associated partners at WP-level will be facilitated by a threefold approach:
1. Co-supervision, implying that the ESR is not only supervised by a team member of the host institution but
also by a team member of one of the other partners within the WP.
2. Community of Practice (CoP), which will facilitate the creation of a virtual and physical learning
environment in which the team members of the host institutions, the ESRs and the industry partners (as
well as associated partners, visiting scientists and external academics, policy-makers and practitioners) will
be able to exchange knowledge, ideas and experiences. This will allow them to collectively build and
enlarge a database of academic and documentary literature and to discuss the theoretical, policy and
practical implications of research findings and professional experiences.
3. Secondment, implying that the ESR spends a secondment period of 2-3 months at one or more of the
associated partner companies or institutions and/or at one or more of the full partner host institutions as
seen fit with the research of the ESR.

Sustainable food supply chains (WP2)

As indicated in B3.1 this WP will build upon interdisciplinary research based on the hypothesis that food-
related activities are embedded into broader social practices, and advocate that research should concentrate
on the transformative potential of consumers, producers and other food supply chain actors. Hence, there is a
need for research which integrates both producer and consumer perspectives in the study of sustainable food
supply chains. This WP will move beyond the state-of-the-art by studying consumers as drivers of innovation in
new food networks (ESR project 1) and by examining the role of internet and virtual communication in relation
to food culture (ESR project 2). Moreover as the boundary between alternative and conventional food supply
chains are blurring (Goodman 2004; Sonnino and Marsden 2006) it is paramount to research new intermediary
organizations which combine alternative and conventional strategies in different ways to contribute to better
conceptualizations (ESR project 3). Likewise it is necessary to understand the ways in which ‘alternative
sustainability values’ are incorporated in the strategies of transnational food companies and to which extent
these new corporate sustainability principles are implemented in different stages of the food supply chain (ESR
project 4). By addressing these topics, WP2 will contribute to debates about the relationships between
producers and consumers and between conventional and alternative food supply chains and, more specifically,
the effectiveness of this distinction in bringing about a conscious change in the rationale and organization of
sustainable food provisioning.

Vacancy 2.1 Consumers as drivers of innovation in new food networks

Goal: To understand how innovation takes place at different points of the existing socio-technical systems centered
around food as an effect of the activity of new food networks. To understand how innovation at one point (for
example, consumption) may affect innovation at another point (for example, production).
Description: The creation of new food networks is a complex process which, both from the producer’s and consumer’s
side, implies a deep reframing of the material and immaterial components of daily practices. Through participation in
new food networks farmers and consumers are involved into processes that foster innovation along with sustainable
pathways. At consumption level, innovation may affect individual lifestyles, family organization, purchasing patterns,
social relations, consumption technologies. At farm level, innovation may cover all aspects of farming, from internal
organization, to logistics, administration, communication. These processes are also open to interaction with wider
networks, of which producers and consumers are part. Direct links between producers and consumers foster a process
of coproduction of new cognitive frames, infrastructures, rules and norms. The research will apply network analysis to
examine how new production and consumption paradigms are created through learning processes in consumer
purchasing groups.
 11
___________________________________________________________________________________

Vacancy 2.2 Communication and media in shaping sustainable food supply chains
Goal: To understand how new food networks are created in communicative processes. How are the meanings and
discourses of new food networks created? What are the symbols and values, the roles taken by actors involved? How
are traditional and new communication tools used to create new food networks and cultures?
Description: New food networks are increasingly shaped by processes of communication, not only by commodity
exchange. New food communities (food-style groups, dietary associations, communities of food values) are to a large
extent communicative associations formed on internet platforms. This research will deal with the mechanisms how
these food associative ties, ideas, knowledge and lifestyles are transmitted within new food communities and how
these correlate towards retailers and producers. Apart from emerging internet grass-roots networks, this study will
look at other forms of personalized food communication and knowledge, like direct producer-to-consumer
communication.

Vacancy 2.3. The role of new food enterprises in reshaping food supply chains.
Goal: To understand how new food enterprises reshape food supply chains by both using the alternative and the
conventional food systems in new and innovative configurations
Description: New food networks of direct producer and consumer contact have formed a niche in the broader system
of food supply based on a different or ‘alternative’ logic. Much literature has focused on the potential of these
networks to achieve a bigger impact through scaling up and changing the conventional food system. Barriers have
been identified in the capacity of farmers/consumers networks to scale up. However, recently new independent
intermediary food enterprises have been established which combine in different ways the alternative and the
conventional food system. Two of these enterprises will be studied in this project, one related to local sourcing for
conventional supermarkets and the other a new supermarket formula based on local, regional and quality products

Vacancy 2.4. Greening the conventional chain: implementing the food industry’s new sustainability criteria in
primary production
Goal: To understand the bottlenecks primary producers are currently experiencing to implement the food industry’s
sustainability principles and to develop strategies to overcome these bottlenecks
Description: SAI Platform is an association of 24 food industry companies collaborating to develop sustainability
criteria for food production and to support primary producers in implementing these criteria in their everyday
practices. Although ample research has been undertaken to develop sustainability criteria and several pilot projects
have been set up, the desired transition towards sustainable agriculture is not yet occurring. This project will therefore
examine, based on a review of completed research commissioned by SAI Platform and an evaluation of pilot projects
set up by SAI Platform and its member organizations, the main bottlenecks primary producers are experiencing to
implement these sustainability criteria in food production practices. Building on this assessment of bottlenecks
strategies to overcome these bottlenecks will be developed and tested by means of a learning-by-doing approach in
collaboration with SAI Platform member companies and groups of primary producers.

Public food procurement (WP3)

Both developed and developing countries are using school food reform as a tool to develop new supply chains
that set a high premium on the use of “quality” food, which is generally equated with fresh, locally produced
food (Morgan and Sonnino, 2008). Much more could be achieved if the power of purchase were to be
harnessed across the entire spectrum of the public sector—in hospitals, nursing care homes, colleges,
universities, prisons, government offices, and the like. As planners and policy-makers throughout the world
become increasingly engaged with this new politics of the public plate, different challenges continue to arise in
the realms of infrastructural development, transport, land use and citizens’ education, to name just a few. In
this context, there is an increasingly perceived need for integrated and comparative studies that identify and
critically examine examples of sustainable public procurement initiatives. Under what specific conditions do
public authorities overcome the regulatory, infrastructural, economic and cultural challenges associated with
 12
___________________________________________________________________________________
the development of sustainable public food systems? What is the role of different food chain actors in initiating
and sustaining this kind of system? What kind of political and economic strategies are utilized to design and
deliver sustainable public food systems? The four ESR projects in this WP will address these emerging research
questions through a comparative analysis of different types of sustainable public food initiatives. In addition to
offering a broad geographical focus (which embraces both developed and developing countries), the four
projects provide insights into the role of different public food chain actors (i.e., the national and municipal
State for projects 5 and 7, the private sector for project 6 and civil society for project 8) and their differing
approaches to the creation of sustainable public food systems.

Vacancy 3.1 Shaping Sustainable Food Chains through National Procurement Policies
Goal: To understand the role of nationally-led procurement strategies in fostering sustainable food chains. To
investigate the scope for devising and implementing sustainable public food policies at the national level. To provide
case studies that can inform theoretical and practical understanding of the relationship between principles of
sustainable public procurement and their empirical implementation.
Description: The Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative, launched by the UK government in 2003 to ensure that
public canteens purchase from sustainable food chains, was arguably one of the most innovative programmes of its
kind in the world. In addition to embracing almost every stakeholder in the food chain, this strategy was one of the
earliest attempts to factor into the procurement equation the effects on human health and the environment of the
entire agri-food cycle. Using the PSFPI as a starting point, this project aims to enhance theoretical and practical
understanding of the opportunities for (and barriers to) the design and implementation of national public procurement
policies that re-connect producers and consumers and forge healthy and sustainable communities. By focusing on best
practice examples in the context of hospital food, the research will uncover the process through which the main
cultural and practical barriers to the development of sustainable public food chains (including, for example, the
problem of reaching a commonly agreed definition of "best value") can be overcome.

Vacancy 3.2. Local Food Procurement: The Challenge of Scaling Up

Goal: This project aims to address three key research questions: What does a private company understand by a
“sustainable food chain”? What are the scope and barriers to a private company acting as the animateur of a
sustainable food chain? Can Sodexo transfer its supply chain expertise to its own suppliers to enable them to meet
exacting quality standards?
Description: Sodexo is one of the premier food service companies in the EU and in St Athan, Wales, it is responsible for
creating a food system for a radically new community – the Defence Training Centre – which will cater for all three of
the armed services in the UK, the army, the navy and air force. Sodexo aims to provide a high quality food system that
uses as much locally-produced food as possible.

Vacancy 3.3. Food Security and Public Procurement: Reforming School Meals through State Action in Porto Alegre,
Brazil
Goal: The main goal is to understand to what extent the Brazilian School Feeding Program can create healthier eating
habits and more sustainable patterns of food production and consumption. Can the Programme become an
institutional market able to integrate production (small-scale farming) and consumption (schools) and to produce
multiple benefits (economic, social, cultural, environmental and health)? If so, how? What kind of political and
regulatory forms of intervention are needed? What needs to be done to re-orientate the dominant consumption
patterns?
Description: In recent years, Brazil has emerged in the international arena as one of the countries that will achieve the
Millennium Goals. However, in 2004, severe food insecurity still affected 6% of households located in urban areas and
9% in rural areas. Studies show that the problem of food security and nutrition are beginning to take on other
characteristics related to growth rates of overweight. Policies to support food production through increased credit
and organization of the supply have been designed for the small scale family farming sector; in addition, specific
programs to meet the demand and stimulate institutional markets, such as school feeding, have been developed. The
Brazilian School Feeding Programme reaches around 36.3 million pupils, almost 20 percent of the country’s population
and has a budget of U$ 750 million dollars, which the federal government allocates to the states and municipalities.
 13
___________________________________________________________________________________
The school feeding programme is seen as a policy to combat hunger and food insecurity as well as to improve health
and education. Given its significant potential in terms of improving food consumption and calories intake as well as
the financial resources at its disposal, one of the challenges of the programme is to create attractive markets for local
producers, especially small-scale farmers and those assisted by the agrarian reform.

Vacancy 3.4. Food Security and Public Procurement: Civil Society-led School Meal Reform in Kampala, Uganda
Goal: to study perceptions of communities, teachers and cooks, and WFP officials, Ministry of Education on the
barriers to good nutrition and better balanced diets for school going children in Uganda. This study will examine what
kind of health nutrition education is needed to ensure school reform of meals and address millennium development
goals on reducing hunger and poverty reduction. How sustainable are the programmes on food security and
malnutrition adequate for proper growth of children and performance in schools?
Description: Currently, Uganda and many African nations are facing food insecurity, malnutrition and poor diets due to
natural disasters like drought, floods, climatic change and other problems such as poverty, and inadequate knowledge
on balanced diets. Northern Uganda has been a war conflict zone for over twenty years and the nomadic Karimajong in
the far north east are most affected by hunger. World Food Programme (WFP) has implemented the school feeding
programme based on the policy called “Food for Education”. Uganda is one of the countries WFP has supported. Up to
today, there has been no specific policy for school feeding in Uganda, but the Government of Uganda (GoU), together
with WFP, has been implementing the Expand School Feeding Programme (ESFP) for Universal Primary Education
(UPE). However, school feeding is seen as an incentive to go to school especially by the children and parents in hunger
stricken regions in the north and eastern parts of Uganda. Thus, there is a possibility that pupils go to school for food,
not for education. Therefore the question one asks is:, what is school feeding in the context of Uganda? Is it “Food for
Education” or “Education for Food”? The project will contribute to improved nutritional status of the children, capacity
building for schools to improve diets and relation building between private and public sector and, indirectly, to better
school performances by students in the area. It will also help examine whether there is a policy on good dieting in
schools and evaluate what WFP, and other agencies have been involved in.

Urban Food Strategies (WP4)

Until recently food policy was considered more or less synonymous to agricultural and rural policy. Although
those existing policies are structuring the primary production and indirectly consumption, current food policy
concerns mainly take the consumer and the urban perspective as point of departure. As the 2003 joint review
of the FAO and the WHO has insisted policy change is needed by connecting agricultural policy to public health
(eating habits, obesity, food poverty). Moreover policy change is needed to improve the sustainability of the
urban environment (climate change, transport, waste). Particularly city governments, therefore, are taking up
food as a key policy area to enhance human and environmental urban health. This is expressed in ‘food
charters’ and ‘urban food strategies’ by cities like London, Amsterdam, Geneva, Toronto and Vancouver.
However, the challenges of policy articulation and implementation are big. The articulation of food policy has
so far been reliant on individual politicians and on a political level vulnerable to electoral shifts.
Institutionalization of food policy in city governments has just started and different patterns of
institutionalization are emerging with particular pitfalls and successes.
City governments need an integrated knowledge base around food in order to take informed decisions, for
example to stimulate urban food production, curtail fast food outlets near schools, or to enhance the
availability of nutritious food to all of its citizens. While this is a challenge in and of itself, the evidence base at
city level around food related problems is extremely fragmented and knowledge is often lacking. As this is a
relatively new phenomenon, research on the socio-economic dynamics and impacts of urban food strategies
urgently needs empirical evidence, comparative insights and enhanced theoretical understanding.
 14
___________________________________________________________________________________

Vacancy 4.1. The role of food movements as drivers of food regime change
Description: In recent years, new food networks have succeeded in shaking consolidated meanings of food and of the
practices around it, to enlarge the groups of consumers and producers involved in alternative food consumption and
production practices, and even to activate new trends into the mainstream food sector. Despite this success, however,
there is an evident limit to the capacity of these networks to change the cognitive, regulatory and normative rules that
control the food production, distribution, processing and consumption, in most of the cases set by powerful actors
who operate at global level. The phd thesis should explore the processes of change at the interface between micro
level innovation and regime, and in particular to analyse how innovative practices are rejected, appropriated,
integrated into the regime. The thesis should also analyse how these processes are affected by regime crises (as in the
case of animal generated pandemic diseases) or by occurring or anticipated global changes (such as global recession,
climate change, resource depletion). On this regard the thesis will analyse the role of public administrations, and in
particular of cities, as potential facilitators of this change.

Vacancy 4.2. Enabling integrated food policy within urban governance: key components for policy and institutional
design
Goal: To investigate the potential for food to provide the basis for an integrative policy domain to process a series of
related urban policy challenges. To explore food policy related initiatives in urban settings in the UK, drawing on case
studies to identify the policy drivers and barriers that exist and potential enabling factors. To design a set of policy
proposals and key components for institutional design for achieving integrated food policy in urban governance;
embedded in the legal-institutional and multi level governance and policies of the UK and the EU. To illuminate the
empirical realities with theoretical understandings of the nature of contemporary governance and food policy.
Description: Many contemporary urban problems are (in)directly related to food. To address these problems an
integrated food policy at local and regional levels of governance is required. In urban areas examples of food policy
initiatives have emerged such as the through the Toronto Food Policy Council (in Canada) and the London Food
Strategy (in the UK). The UK is in the process of re-addressing food policy at the national level, most recently with the
publication of the Cabinet Office Strategic Review of food and food policy in July 2008. Urban governance in the UK has
been through recent periods of structural reform, leading to a variable geometry in legal jurisdictional and institutional
terms of urban government. At and across the differing levels of urban governance in the UK a variety of food policy
related initiatives are being pursued around: public health such as food and health partnerships (e.g. Lewes), school
meals and obesity strategies; and around food growing (e.g. Middlesborough), producer-consumer links and public
procurement and sustainable food supply chains. Also combinations of these initiatives are being pursued by individual
local authorities (e.g. Sandwell); and food is featuring in major new civil society based urban initiatives such as the
Transition Towns movement. The evaluation of this case study material will provide for the formulation of a set of key
enabling criteria that can inform the policy principles and social and political agency, as well as the institutional design,
for more integrative food policy mechanisms for urban governments. These criteria will be set within the wider
national and EU policy contexts.

Vacancy 4.3. Food insecurity and public action for municipal and rural resilience
Goal: to explore the strategies and solutions to food insecurity in smaller towns and regional cities, and their impact on
municipal and rural resilience
Description: Following the influence of climate change, crisis of international financial markets and the rise of food
prices, food security strategies undergo a process of regionalized food provisioning. Regions and municipalities are
increasingly seeking new ways to increase their own food self sufficiency, a process similar to seeking autonomy in
energy supply. The research will explore how food resilience arrangements are created at local and regional levels in
response to the thickening food crisis in municipalities in Latvia. The research will also pay attention to important deals
between the metropolis and smaller regions on food access and provision shedding new light on urban-rural
relationships. The study will provide an economic estimate of regionalized food resilience strategies in terms of cost-
efficiency of supplies, re-mileage of supply distances and influence on local employment in urban and rural areas.
 15
___________________________________________________________________________________
Vacancy 4.4. Comparative analysis of urban food strategies in European cities
Goal: how are food policies articulated and motivated in different European cities and what are the consequences for
their implementation?
Description: Different city governments are taking up food as a key policy area to enhance human and environmental
urban health. The challenges of policy articulation and implementation are big. The articulation of food policy has so
far been reliant on individual politicians and on a political level vulnerable to electoral shifts. Institutionalization of
food policy in city governments has just started and different patterns of institutionalization are emerging with
particular pitfalls and successes. This study will explore the preconditions, political processes, strategy articulation and
implementations of urban food strategies in different European cities in comparative perspective to enhance the
understanding of the conditions for successful urban food policy implementation.
 16
___________________________________________________________________________________

TRAINING
Training philosophy and objectives

The main aim in the training programme of early stage researchers in the emerging field of the (peri-)urban
foodscape will be to create a pool of socio-economic scientists with interdisciplinary skills who will be able to
develop their own research, development and/or policy programmes in academia, public sector organisations,
government, non-governmental organisations and industry in the near future. The importance and timeliness
of this training is related to “two “fault lines” that are significant for the quality of knowledge and wider impact
of agrifood studies research: the continuing primacy of academic disciplines in designing and conducting
research about food and agricultural problems; and researchers’ “engagement” with non-academic or
“stakeholder” constituencies” (Hinrichs 2008). These two fault lines, or, phrased more positively, challenges are
central to the PUREFOOD training philosophy. We intend to:
1. transfer (disciplinary) scientific knowledge and skills between complementary groups, giving ESRs the
broadest and most thorough education (i.e. interdisciplinary, methodological and theoretical), which would
not be possible at a single establishment, and
2. interactively develop scientific and professional knowledge and skills through a ‘learning-by-doing and
doing-by-learning’ approach. This objective will be achieved by setting up Communities of Practice (CoPs)
of researchers, industry partners and relevant stakeholders (NGOs, interest groups, (semi)public
organisations and city and regional governments) centred around the proposal’s main WP themes: a)
public food procurement, b) new food networks, and c) urban food strategies.

Ad 1. Developing interdisciplinarity through disciplinary interaction

New interdisciplinary research approaches are necessary to solve contemporary societal problems (National
Academies 2004). To develop interdisciplinary research, the first crucial step is to promote interaction between
different scientific disciplines: “The very process of juxtaposing and striving to join together the best parts of
disciplines for common purpose helps to bring those disciplinary boundaries into relief. (…) Much of the current
writing on interdisciplinary practice seems an effort to induce greater reflexivity about such boundaries,
including how to recognize them and successfully transgress them (…)” (MacMynowski 2007). In this
PUREFOOD ITN, disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, geography, economics, political science &
governance studies and planning are involved. The interdisciplinary ambitions of this ITN are reflected on the
one hand in the disciplinary backgrounds of the PUREFOOD academic partners and, on the other hand, in the
‘advanced scientific skills’ courses. Regarding the latter, PUREFOOD will organise 4 advanced disciplinary
courses about food dynamics. All 4 courses will be given within one PUREFOOD course period and this will help
ESRs to recognize conceptual boundaries and complementarities between scientific disciplines and, thus, to
enhance their knowledge and skills on how to cross these boundaries. Moving towards interdisciplinarity will
also be explicitly addressed by the course lectures during a fifth advanced disciplinary course, which is
scheduled within the same course period. Interdisciplinarity will also be the central scope of the summer
school organised by PUREFOOD; like most of the network training, the school will be open to early stage
researchers and PhD students from outside the PUREFOOD network.

Ad 2. Interactive development of knowledge through intersectoral Communities of Practice

Communities of Practice (CoP’s) (Wenger 1998) are formed by people who share a common domain of interest
and who deliberately engage in a process of collective learning about this shared interest over an extended
period of time. Through the creation of a CoP, its members create a safe environment (or protected space) that
gives way to new ideas and insights. Within this safe environment, all stakeholders can share and exchange
knowledge and experiences and collectively develop new knowledge. Through a process of learning-by-doing
 17
___________________________________________________________________________________
and doing-by-learning actors develop new insights, skills and procedures to tackle problems and face
challenges. CoPs are therefore not only arenas for developing new knowledge (single-loop learning), but also
for altering underlying principles, values, rules and assumptions (double-loop learning) and for reflecting on
processes of learning how to learn (triple-loop learning) (Agryris and Schön 1996).
In PUREFOOD a CoP is an organised but informal space for learning-through-practice that will involve
an intersectoral pool of both inexperienced and experienced socio-economic scientists, policy-makers, food
entrepreneurs and staff members of NGOs. During the first months of the PUREFOOD network three CoPs will
be formed by the team members of the host institutions and representatives of the associated partners. The
start-up phase will be characterized by the construction and gradual unfolding of an infrastructure for learning-
by-doing for all present and future CoP members through: a) setting up physical and virtual spaces (website)
for meetings, exchange of knowledge and experiences and collective learning; b) defining joint tasks, interests
and challenges; c) developing tools that support knowledge-exchange (field trips, secondments, case analysis
etc.); and d) documenting and tracking of joint experiences and professional publications. From month 7
onwards the ESRs will be enrolled in a CoP. Over time we will gradually enlarge the number of members and it
will be ensured that four major groups of stakeholders are represented in CoPs: researchers, food chain actors,
civil society organisations and city/regional governments with the aim of establishing solid and long-lasting
(also after the project ends) networks of academics, policy-makers and practitioners. A gradually expanding
CoP, however, does not imply that all its members need to attend each physical meeting. The CoP meets for
specific purposes (such as for example for joint field excursions and joint case studies) or meets on top of other
meetings (such as meetings of associated partners SAI Platform and PURPLE), in working groups of conferences
and prior to or after PUREFOOD Supervisory Board meetings.

Content, structure and quality of the training programme

The PUREFOOD training programme has been designed to develop the competence of the contracted early
stage researchers on multiple levels (see figure 2).
Network training –
advanced scientific skills
Courses:
•Food and the City: a
historical and conceptual
introduction
•Contemporary sociological
theories of food dynamics
•Contemporary economic
theories of food dynamics
•Contemporary food policy and
governance theories
•Contemporary food planning
theories
•Theorising food dynamics:
towards interdisciplinarity
Summerschool & conferences
Network training – basic scientific skills
Courses:
•General introductory course
•Techniques for writing scientific papers
•Presentation skills
•Research methodology
•Project management
Network training –
professional skills
Desired competences Courses:
•Translating empirical findings
•Excellence in own field
and theory into
•Specialist in socio-economic recommendations for
food studies practitioners
•Multidisciplinary educated •Translating empirical findings
•Broad hands-on experience and theory into policy
•Good language skills recommendations
•‘Industrial’ awareness Community of Practice
•CoP sustainable food supply
chain
•CoP public food procurement
•Training through research (incl. secondment) •CoP urban food strategies
•Career Development Plan
•Teaching and supervision of graduate students
•Improved language skills
•Meetings, seminars & courses at host institute
•Preparation of conference papers/presentations
•Writing scientific papers
Host training

Figure 2. PUREFOOD’s training scheme: training approaches and desired competences of ESRs.
 18
___________________________________________________________________________________
PUREFOOD provides a compulsory multi-site programme of introductory and advanced courses, seminars and
meetings. The training modules are designed to provide an introductory as well as advanced scientific training
in all aspects of the research programme. In addition, the training programme involves professional training
modules to facilitate the exchange of experience and the collective development of knowledge among
scientists, policy-makers and practitioners. The scientific network training programme will be open to others,
allowing young scientists from within and outside the EU to benefit from the high quality courses that are
offered. Simultaneously, the interaction with young scientists from outside the PUREFOOD network in parts of
the PUREFOOD training programme will be beneficial to the development of PUREFOOD’s ESRs. The
professional training modules, in particular the WP related CoPs, will be open to other scientists, policy-makers
and practitioners. In this context, the associated partners, in particular network organisations as PURPLE and
SAI Platform will play a vital role in articulating and defining the skills that ESRs need at the end of their
trajectory to pursue a career in the private or public sector. The Supervisory Board will therefore regularly
evaluate the progress of the CoPs and will discuss its learning outcomes in relation to the course
programme to ensure that the ESRs are receiving training which is suited to the required skills in the
emerging field of knowledge. If necessary new activities and/or topics can be introduced in the CoPs
to match the development of skills with the competences required by private and/or public
organisations.

Table 1. Overview of compulsory network training courses and elective training options
Compulsory network training (20 ECTS) ECTS
Basic scientific skills (5 ECTS)
PUREFOOD general introduction course (BSS1) 1
Research methodology course (BSS2) 1
Techniques for writing a scientific paper (BSS3) 1
Presentation skills (BSS4) 1
Project management (BSS5) 1
Advanced scientific skills (9 ECTS)
Food and the City: a historical and conceptual introduction (ASS1) 0.5
Contemporary sociological theories of food dynamics (ASS2) 0.5
Contemporary economic theories of food dynamics (ASS3) 0.5
Contemporary food policy and governance theories (ASS4) 0.5
Contemporary food planning theories (ASS5) 0.5
Theorising contemporary food dynamics: towards interdisciplinarity (ASS6) 0.5
Summer school: interdisciplinarity in agro-food studies (organisation & participation) 2
PUREFOOD International conference (organisation & participation) 2
Participation in (at least) 2 national/international conferences 2
Professional skills (6 ECTS)
Translating empirical findings and theory into recommendations for practitioners (PS1) 1
Translating empirical findings and theory into policy recommendations (PS2) 1
Community of Practice (public food procurement / new food networks / urban food strategies) 4
Elective training (at least 10 ECTS) ECTS
Specialty courses at host institute 0-5
Teaching and supervision of undergraduate students 0-4
Meetings and seminars at host institute 2–4
Improved language skills 0-5
PUREFOOD website maintenance (1 ECTS per year) 0-3
Required number of ECTS for PhD degree 30

Each ESR contracted by the network will be required to attend the compulsory network training programme,
which amounts to 20 credits using the European Credit Transfer and accumulation System (ECTS), and an
elective training programme of at least 10 credits in order to obtain at least 30 credits required for a PhD
 19
___________________________________________________________________________________
degree. For all training activities (compulsory network training as well as elective training) credits will be
awarded that are mutually recognised in the consortium. An overview of the PUREFOOD training programme is
given in table 1.

Compulsory network training

As indicated in figure 2 and table 1, the compulsory network training includes three clusters of PhD courses and
training activities: 1) Basic scientific skills, 2) Advanced scientific skills, and 3) Professional skills. The goals and
contents of each compulsory course and training activity are briefly described below. In addition, the partner
responsible for the course and the other partners contributing to the PhD course are mentioned as well as the
month in which the course or training activity is scheduled. The training time schedule (see also figure 5 in
section B5.2.3) shows that all compulsory courses are scheduled in the first year of the individual ESR projects.
As these courses constitute the methodological and conceptual basis for each ESR project, it is important that
the ESRs are trained in basic and advanced scientific skills during the first year of their appointment. In the
second and third year more time can be devoted to research and other forms of training (e.g. organisation of,
and participation in, scientific workshops/conferences, secondments and participation in a CoP), activities that
do require a sound methodological and conceptual basis. The basic and advanced scientific courses will provide
this basis.

Ad 1. Basic scientific skills (BSS)

This training cluster comprises a series of courses aimed at enhancing the general scientific skills of the ESRs.
The existing PhD training for basic scientific skills of the Wageningen School of Social Sciences (WASS)1 of
Wageningen University (P1) will be used by the PUREFOOD network. The courses will be given by the lecturers
of MG3S in collaboration with academic staff members of the PUREFOOD network.

Title: PUREFOOD General Introduction Course Month: 7 Place: Wageningen

BSS1 Course responsibility: P1 / WASS Partners: P2 and P3 All ESRs
Goal: To inform the ESRs about the organisation, contents, scope and objectives of the PUREFOOD ITN. To render
assistance to the ESRs in writing their research proposal and their career development plan.
Description: ESRs will meet the whole network including the Supervisory Board and learn about their project’s
context and work on elaboration of their research proposal and career development plan.

Title: Research Methodology Course Month: 7 Place: Wageningen

BSS2 Course responsibility: P1 / WASS Partners: P2 and P3 All ESRs + externals
Goal: To get insight in the methodological pitfalls in formulating a research problem and writing a scientific paper. To
acquire skills in adopting quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods strategies.
Description: ESRs are taken through the steps from formulating a research problem to writing a research proposal
and scientific paper. ESRs work on their own project methodology through assignments.

Title: Techniques for writing a scientific paper Month: 15 Place: Wageningen

BSS3 Course responsibility: P1 / WASS Partners: P2 and P3 All ESRs + externals
Goal: To distinguish good scientific writing from bad, to write a clear and readable article, to identify and correct the
most common grammatical and stylistic errors, to edit your work more independently
Description: ESRs will improve and receive feedback on writing and will learn to discuss it with others involved in the
same process. It is assumed that ESRs learn best through interaction with others and with the course materials. ESRs
will study example texts and are involved critiquing each others work.

1
WASS is a graduate school that conducts top quality social sciences research and offers post-graduate education related
to the specific domains of Wageningen University. WASS promotes disciplinary, multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary
research focused on complex problems in the domains of (1) food and food production, (2) lifestyles, health and
livelihood, and (3) environment and natural resources.
 20
___________________________________________________________________________________
Title: Presentation skills Month: 15 Place: Wageningen
BSS4 Course responsibility: P1 / WASS Partners: P2 and P3 All ESRs + externals
Goal: To acquire skills for presenting to different audiences
Description: ESRs will learn how to give a presentation in the English language with attention for sentence structure,
pronunciation, body language and audio-visual tools.

Title: Project management Month: 15 Place: Wageningen

BSS5 Course responsibility: P1 / WASS Partners: P2 and P3 All ESRs + externals
Goal: To acquire knowledge and skills for planning and managing projects
Description: ESRs will learn handy models and easy-to-use tools for project and time management. They will work in
small groups using their own project proposal.

Ad 2. Advanced scientific skills (ASS)

The cluster ‘advanced scientific skills’ comprises of a series of courses and activities (conferences and summer
school) aimed at deepening the scientific disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge and skills of the ESRs. The
courses will be given by academic staff members of the PUREFOOD network. The university partners are
primarily responsible for the courses. For some courses, visiting scientists (VS) will be invited.

Title: Food and the City: historical and conceptual Month: 12 Place: Wageningen
ASS1 introduction
Course responsibility: P1 Partners: P2, VS3 All ESRs + externals
Goal: To introduce ESRs to the relations between food and urban development. To acquaint ESRs with the classical
social, economic and spatial theoretical approaches and concepts about food dynamics.
Description: ESRs will become familiar with the way food has shaped urban/regional development and the lives of
urban dwellers as well as the different theoretical concepts used to make sense of this by reading literatures from
different ‘schools’, introductory lectures and group discussions.

Title: Contemporary sociological theories of food Month: 12 Place: Wageningen

ASS2 dynamics
Course responsibility: P4 Partners: P1, P2, VS1 All ESRs + externals
Goal: To acquaint ESRs with contemporary sociological approaches and concepts about food dynamics
Description: ESRs will get an overview of highly influential approaches in sociology and sociological concepts related
to food dynamics. They will learn about opportunities and limitations of different approaches and acquire the skills
to position their project within contemporary debates through literature review, lectures and group discussions.

Title: Contemporary economic theories of food Month: 12 Place: Wageningen

ASS3 dynamics
Course responsibility: P3 Partners: P6 All ESRs + externals
Goal: To acquaint ESRs with contemporary economic approaches and concepts about food dynamics
Description: ESRs will get an overview of economic theories and concepts in general and economic approaches to
food, food systems and supply chains in particular. They will learn to distinguish debates, to position themselves and
to relate different approaches to their research topic through literature review, lectures and group discussions.

Title: Contemporary food policy and governance Month: 12 Place: Wageningen

ASS4 theories
Course responsibility: P5 Partners: P2 All ESRs +externals
Goal: To acquaint ESRs with contemporary policy and governance approaches and concepts about food dynamics
Description: ESRs will get an overview of schools of thought in political science and governance studies and how
concepts such as food democracy, social justice and multi-level governance are related to emerging food dynamics.
They will learn to distinguish debates, position themselves and relate concepts to their own study through literature
review, lectures and group discussions.
 21
___________________________________________________________________________________
Title: Contemporary food planning theories Month: 12 Place: Wageningen
ASS5 Course responsibility: P2 Partners: P5, P7 and All ESRs + externals
VS2
Goal: To acquaint ESRs with contemporary planning approaches and concepts about food dynamics
Description: ESRs will get an overview of different schools of thought in planning studies and learn about the multi-
disciplinary nature of food planning. The functional areas familiar to planning studies (such as Environment,
Economic development, Health and Transport) will be related to different stages in the food chain and to community
food planning. Students will learn to distinguish debates and to position their project within the contemporary
debates through literature review, lectures and group discussions.

Title: Theorising contemporary food dynamics: Month: 12 Place: Wageningen

towards interdisciplinarity
ASS6 Course responsibility: P1 Partners: P2, P3, P4, All ESRs + externals
P5, P6, P7, VS1, VS2,
VS3
Goal: To acquaint ESRs with the challenges of interdisciplinary team work
Description: ESRs will learn about strengths and weaknesses of interdisciplinary work and organisation.
Miscommunication among researchers is not uncommon and acknowledgement and prioritization of personal views
and scientific goals is essential. Students will gain knowledge about these communication processes and test these
dynamics in a complex case study.

Title: Interdisciplinarity in Month: 24, prepa- Place: Pisa

agro-food studies rations starting in
ASS Summerschool month 18
Responsibility: P1, P3 + ESRs Partners: all All ESRs + 15 external
PhD students
Goal: To learn to organise a scientific conference/workshop. To explore the relation between theories and empirical
findings as related to the early stage of the research
Description: ESRs will be actively involved in the preparation and organisation of the summerschool in order gain
experience in organising scientific events. Regarding the contents and goals of the summerschool itself, ESRs will
learn to critique each others’ findings, to relate theory to empirical material and to step back from their own
research project to gain new insights. The course will consist of individual supervision, small group discussions,
specific lectures on methodology and theory and field trips. The summerschool will be open to 15 external PhD
students funded by the PUREFOOD ITN.

Title: PUREFOOD International Month: 42 (preparations

Conference starting in month 30
ASS PUREFOOD Conference Place: Brussels
Responsibility: P1 Partners: all
Goal: To present results of the PUREFOOD projects to academic and policy making audiences leading to a debate
with policy makers and a book or special issue of a relevant scientific journal.
Description: ESRs will present their findings at an international PUREFOOD conference to be attended by all full and
associate members of the three CoP’s, and other academic colleagues and interested policy makers at national and
regional levels.

Title: International Conferences Month: 18-42

ASS Conferences Responsibility: P1 Partners: P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7
Goal: To practice writing papers and presentation skills for international audiences. To learn from research results
from colleagues. To get access to relevant academic networks
Description: ESRs will take part in at least 2 conferences of important academic networks for future career, such as
the International Rural Sociology Association (IRSA), the European Society for Rural Sociology (ESRS), Societá Italiana
 22
___________________________________________________________________________________
di Economia Agraria (SIDEA), International Sociological Association Research Committee 40 (RC 40 - Sociology of
food and agriculture), the European Regional Science Association (ERSA), the Association of Collegiate Schools of
Planning (ACSP), the Association of European Schools of Planning (AESOP), The Institute of British Geographers
(IBG), the Association of American Geographers (AAG), the Latin American Rural Sociology Association (ALARSU).

Ad 3. Professional skills (PS)

Professional skills refer to courses and activities (CoPs) aimed at improving the skills of the ESRs to engage with
non-academic stakeholders in research and to translate research findings into policy and practical
recommendations. The courses will be given by representatives of the full and associated partners of the
PUREFOOD network.

Title: Translating research findings into policy recommendations Month: 18

PS1 Course responsibility: CoP coordinators Partners: P8
Goal: To acquaint ESRs with the ‘language’ and ‘life-world’ of policy-makers and civil servants. To train ESRs in
formulating recommendations, based on research, to be used by policy-makers and civil servants.
Description: Through case study material of several regions regarding the development of urban food policy
provided by PURPLE network members, the ESRs and network members will study the problems and solutions posed
to them and examine how scientific research can be used by policy-makers.

Title: Translating research findings into recommendations for practitioners Month: 18

PS2 Course responsibility: CoP coordinators Partners: P9, P10, P11,
P12,P14
Goal: To acquaint ESRs with the ‘language’ and ‘life-world’ of practitioners in the food domain, such as farmers,
processors, retailers and NGOs. To train ESRs in formulating recommendations, based on research, that can be used
by practitioners.
Description: Through case study material of innovative short supply chains in one of the countries of the SAI
Platform, the ESRs and the network members will jointly study the problems and solutions posed to them and
examine how scientific research can be used by practitioners.

Title: Community of Practice Month: 3 – 48 (and beyond)

PS CoP Responsibility: P1 (CoP Urban Food Strategies); P2 (CoP Public Food Partners: all and external
Procurement); P3 (CoP Sustainable food supply chains) participants
Goal: To improve the interdisciplinary skills of ESRs. To improve the competences of ESRs to engage with different
kinds of stakeholders. To facilitate exchange and interaction between ESR projects. To collectively build and enlarge
the database of examples/cases with regards to the thematic domain of the CoP. To develop and maintain a CoP
website for CoP members and others.
Description: A CoP offers an infrastructure for learning-by-doing for all network members through: a) setting up
physical and virtual spaces to meet, b) defining joint tasks and challenges, c) tools that support knowledge exchange
(website, excursions, secondments, case analysis), d) documentation and tracking of joint experiences

Elective training
To adequately combine local specialist training with network wide training activities, at least 1/3 of the
required amount of ECTS for a PhD degree will have to be obtained through training activities at the host
institute or proposed by the host institute. It will ultimately be up to the ESR and his/her supervisors to decide
on the specific training choices for each ESR in the individual Career Development Plans. As part of the Career
Development Plan, the ESR and supervisors also use secondment. We see secondments as an important part of
elective training because of the influence that experience at other companies and institutes can have on the
career perspective of the individual ESR. Secondment to associated partners or other relevant companies is
 23
___________________________________________________________________________________
important for the research project as well as for the future employment opportunities of the ESR and will be
stimulated.

Training through research

Training through research takes place first of all through the elaboration of the individual ESR proposal into a
full research plan and, subsequently, through research and writing (see B3.3). The proposal writing process will
be supported by the basic and advanced scientific skills training, all in the first year, and by the host institute
supervision. Moreover, the proposals will be subject to the peer review approval system of MG3S (P1) as part
of the training certification in the Career Development Plan (CDP). Parallel to this, the ESR will work out his/her
CDP. The CDP is the central planning and assessment document through which the training and research
progress of individual ESRs is monitored. The CDP therefore integrates the training and research results of each
ESR. Monitoring meetings will take place every 6 months foregoing or following the Supervisory Board
meetings, when all supervisors are available. Monitoring of ESRs progress is a two-way process in which the
quality of supervision is also assessed. The continuous monitoring in the CDP guarantees that research planning
can be adjusted and that problems are detected in an early stage. However, good ESR supervision is of course
not limited to the official monitoring moments. All ESRs will be connected to a daily supervisor in their host
institution. A daily supervisor is a colleague working in the same field who is accessible for questions at
mutually agreed intervals. All CDPs together will reflect the training and research milestones (WP 1, 2, 3, 4) of
the PUREFOOD project.

The training programme (which will produce a completed CDP) is recognised by all partners as quality
standard for a PhD degree. The ESRs will therefore have the opportunity to obtain a PhD degree as a result of
the PUREFOOD project, provided of course that he/she will also complete and successfully defend a PhD thesis.
The milestones for the PUREFOOD project will be important indicators for the monitoring and decision making
by the Supervisory Board.

Language skills
The proposed individual ESRs projects integrate various sources of quantitative and qualitative data in case
study research. All host institutions including the associated partners have fluent English capabilities.
Publications and network communication will be in English. However, the case study approach implies that
mastering the language of the host country is very important. This may be a barrier for applying for a ESR
position. Therefore, ESRs will be given time in the first year to learn a new language, when the majority of the
courses will be given. Hence, host institutions will provide elective training modules for improving language
skills. Furthermore, in the recruitment of ESRs language skills will be one of the selection criteria.

Visiting scientists
PUREFOOD intends to allocate a small percentage of its budget to the involvement of external scientific experts
in the training and research programme. The PUREFOOD network has invited three visiting scientists (see table
2) for two months each to be involved in the advanced courses ASS2, ASS3, ASS5, ASS6. All three visiting
scientists have accepted the invitation. They will bring the network new experiences complementary to that of
the network partners. Furthermore the participation of two renown experts from the USA will also enable
PUREFOOD to seek synergies with agro-food studies in North America, which, through its emphasis on social
studies of community food systems and urban food planning, is disciplinarily, conceptually and empirically
complementary to agro-food studies in Europe. This complementarity implies that the visiting scientists can
contribute to enlarge the theoretical understanding of the emerging (peri-)urban foodscape, in particular on
sustainable food supply chains and urban food strategies (S&T objectives a) and b) - section B3.1). The visiting
scientists will be involved in teaching courses, in giving seminars open to others at the host institutions and will
 24
___________________________________________________________________________________
give individual consultation to those ESRs who are working with their conceptual expertise. Furthermore they
will be enrolled in PUREFOOD’s CoPs.

Table 2. Invited visiting scientists (short CV’s in Annex 4

Name Gender Country Position Expertise
1. Dr. C. Hinrichs F USA Associate Professor of Rural Sociology Economic & environmental sociology,
(Penn. State University) community studies & food studies.
2. Dr. K. Pothukuchi F USA Associate Professor of Urban Planning Food planning, community food systems,
(Wayne State University) community participation in planning
3. C. Steel MA (Cantab) F UK Director Killburn Nightingale Architects Architecture, History and theory of urban
Dip Arch RIBA (London), visiting lecturer Cambridge development in relation to food
Universit,y School of Architecture
 25
___________________________________________________________________________________

PLANNING
The summary of the timeline of the PUREFOOD project with regard to its training, scientific and management
activities, is presented in the figure below. PUREFOOD spans a period of 48 months.

Figure 5. Planning of PUREFOOD’s training, research and management activities

Month 1- 6:
The first 6 months of the project will be devoted to the recruitment of the ESRs and the preparation of the
training program. The project will start in the first month with a Supervisory Board meeting to elaborate the
training plan and to enhance the use of wide scientific networks for recruitment. The Steering Committee will
further elaborate and implement both the development of courses and the recruitment strategy and meets
twice during the first 6 months.
During the first months of the PUREFOOD network three CoPs will be formed by the team members of the host
institutions and representatives of the associated partners. The start-up phase will be characterized by the
construction and gradual unfolding of an infrastructure for learning-by-doing for all present and future CoP
members through: a) setting up physical and virtual spaces (website) for meetings, exchange of knowledge and
experiences and collective learning; b) defining joint tasks, interests and challenges; c) developing tools that
support knowledge-exchange (field trips, secondments, case analysis etc.); and d) documenting and tracking of
joint experiences and professional publications.
 26
___________________________________________________________________________________
Month 7- 12
The aim is that all ESRs will commence at the same time (i.e. beginning of month 7) with the training
programme and their research activities. This will allow all ESRs to make the best use of the PUREFOOD training
programme and will enhance their sense of belonging to the ‘PUREFOOD training and research community’.
Training through research starts with the elaboration of the individual ESR proposal into a full research plan.
The proposal writing process will be supported by the basic and advanced scientific skills training and by the
host institute supervision. Moreover, the proposals will be subject to the peer review approval system of MG3S
(P1) in month 12 as part of the training certification in the Career Development Plan (CDP). Parallel to this, the
ESR will work out his/her CDP. The CDP is the central planning and assessment document through which the
training and research progress of individual ESRs is monitored. The CDP therefore integrates the training and
research results of each ESR. Monitoring meetings will take place every 6 months foregoing or following the
Supervisory Board meetings, when all supervisors are available.
From month 7 onwards the ESRs will be enrolled in a CoP. CoP meetings will be connected to SB meetings and
will take place each 6 months. Over time we will gradually enlarge the number of members and it will be
ensured that four major groups of stakeholders are represented in CoPs: researchers, food chain actors, civil
society organisations and city/regional governments with the aim of establishing solid and long-lasting (also
after the project ends) networks of academics, policy-makers and practitioners.

Month 13-18
The intensity of the compulsory network training courses will be high during the first year of the ESR’s
appointment (month 7-18) in which all basic (month 7 and 15), advanced scientific (month 12) and professional
courses (month 18) of the compulsory part of the training program will take place. After approval of the
research proposal in month 12, the ESRs start with gathering of data and will conduct the first part of their
fieldwork. In month 18 they will feed the CoP with their first fieldwork experience and receive feedback in the
two professional courses and CoP meeting.

Month 19- 24
During the second the emphasis will be on other forms of training, which are partly also compulsory network
training activities, such as participation in a CoP and organisation of and participation in a summerschool both
in month 24. ESRs will be actively involved in the preparation and organisation of the summerschool in order
gain experience in organising scientific events. Regarding the contents and goals of the summerschool itself,
ESRs will learn to critique each others’ findings, to relate theory to empirical material and to step back from
their own research project to gain new insights. The course will consist of individual supervision, small group
discussions, specific lectures on methodology and theory and field trips.
Most important, however, will be training-through-research: collecting empirical data, analysing collected data,
reading and analysing academic literature and writing scientific papers that will constitute the basis of the PhD
thesis. During this period the mid-term review report will be prepared and delivered.

Month 25- 36
During this year data collection will be finished and more emphasis will go to analysis and the writing of
scientific paper. The ESRs will participate in at least two national or international conferences and take part in
training activities at the host institution. Secondment periods to associate partners or external institutions /
companies will mostly take place in this period. CoP activities will take place during SB meeting intervals in
month 30 and 36 and will be more specifically targeted at specific issues coming from the various ESRs
fieldwork experiences.

Month 37 – 42
 27
___________________________________________________________________________________
The last half year of the ESRs contract will be fully devoted to writing scientific articles. Supervision will be
aimed at finishing high quality peer reviewed articles and presenting them at various occasions. An important
occasion is the PUREFOOD conference in month 42 where ESRs will present their findings to be attended by all
full and associate members of the three CoP’s, and other academic colleagues and interested policy makers at
national and regional levels.

Month 42 – 46
The last half year of the PUREFOOD project will be devoted to a full round of dissemination activities other than
the conference and scientific writing. The CoPs will finish their work with reports and popular articles and the
final report of the PUREFOOD project will be made by Steering Committee and beneficiaries.
 28
___________________________________________________________________________________

PUREFOOD PARTICIPANTS
The PUREFOOD Initial Training Network consists of 7 full network university participants, who will together
host 12 early stage researchers (ESR) each appointed for 36 months, and 8 associated partners (private sector,
NGO, and government). The PUREFOOD network covers 4 EU Member States (the Netherlands, United
Kingdom, Italy and Latvia) and 2 International Cooperation Partner Countries (Brazil and Uganda). The
geographical coverage is significantly enlarged through the involvement of two network organizations as
associated partners, PURPLE and SAI Platform:
a) PURPLE (Peri Urban Regions Platform Europe) was set up in 2004 and brings together civil servants and
policy-makers from 14 peri-urban regions from 9 EU member states. General objectives of PURPLE are to
promote successful socio-economic transition in peri-urban rural areas and their agricultural sector and to
influence European regional and rural policy making.
b) The Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) Platform is an association (registered as such under Article 60 of
the Swiss Civil Code) created by the food industry. SAI Platform has 24 food industry companies as active
members, who actively work to promote sustainable agriculture as a productive, competitive and efficient
way of producing agricultural products, while at the same time protecting and improving the natural
environment and social/economic conditions of local communities.

University Number * University name University short Country

name
P1 Wageningen University WU The Netherlands
(Coordinator)
P2 Cardiff University CU United Kingdom
P3 University of Pisa UNIPI Italy
P4 University of Latvia LU Latvia
P5 City University London CITY United Kingdom
P6 Federal University of Rio Grande do UFRGS Brazil
Sul
P7 Makerere University School of MUSPH Uganda
Public Health
 29
___________________________________________________________________________________
Associated Associated Partner Associated Country Role in the project (*) Organisation
partner name Partner short Status (**)
Number name

1 Peri-Urban Regions PURPLE Belgium / The Scientific training (CoP); Public

Platform Europe Netherlands Complementary skill
training; secondment
2 Sustainable SAI Platform Belgium/ Scientific training (CoP); Private
Agriculture Switzerland Complementary skill
Initiative Platform training; secondment
3 Sodexo United Scientific training (CoP); Private
Sodexo Kingdom Complementary skill
training; secondment
4 Willem&Drees The Scientific training (CoP); Private
Willem & Drees Netherlands Complementary skill
training; secondment
5 Slow Food Italy Scientific training (CoP); Civic
Slow Food Italy Complementary skill
training; secondment
6 Stroom The Scientific training (CoP); Civic
Stroom Den Haag Netherlands Complementary skill
training; secondment
7 Sustain United Scientific training (CoP); Civic
Sustain Kingdom Complementary skill
training; secondment
8 Tukums Tukums Lativa Scientific training (CoP); Public
municipality Complementary skill
training; secondment
 30
___________________________________________________________________________________
Wageningen University – Rural Sociology Group (P1)
General description of organization. The Rural Sociology Group studies the dynamics of rural and regional
development processes in Europe. Specific attention is paid to the different levels at which transformation processes
occur and are shaped, as well as to the different actors and institutions involved. Characteristic is the comparative and
empirically driven research approach. Areas of expertise are: Agro-food and rural development studies, Rural
sociology, Food sociology, STS studies, Governance studies, Gender studies, Social theory and Research methodology.
Previous / ongoing training programs. a) 5 MSc specializations (i.e. MSc courses, internship, thesis): Sociology of Rural
Development, Health and Society, Organic Agriculture - Consumers and Markets, Gastronomy, Research Master Social
Sciences; b) International Master Rural Development (Erasmus Mundus); c) Ongoing PhD program ‘Agro-food, rural &
regional development studies’ (on average 3 PhD graduations per year); d) AGRINOVIM: International (NL, IT, SA) PhD
training program funded by Dutch Organisation for Scientific Research (1999-2004; 5 PhD students, 1 Postdoc)
Previous/ongoing research programs. Coordination of several EC-funded projects about food supply chain dynamics
and rural and regional development processes: IMPACT (FAIR CT-4288), SUS-CHAIN (QLK5-CT-2002-01349), COFAMI
(FP6-2003-SSP-3-6541), ETUDE (SSPE-CT-2006-044245);
Role in project. Overall coordinator, Coordinator of training program (WP1) and CoP Urban Food Strategies (WP4),
Host of 3 ESRs, co-supervision of ESRs, Basic and advanced scientific training
List of PUREFOOD team members and key expertises:
Name: Gender: Expertise Commitment
Prof.dr. Han Wiskerke M Rural sociology, Food sociology, STS studies 0.4 fte
Dr. Petra Derkzen F Rural governance, Food culture, Transdisciplinary research 0.4 fte
Dr. Bettina Bock F Rural sociology, Gender studies, Health studies 0.2 fte
Dr. Jan-Willem vd Schans M Business management, Economics, Urban agriculture 0.1 fte
Key Publications
Wiskerke, J.S.C. (2010). On places lost and places regained: reflections on the alternative food geography and
sustainable regional development, International Planning Studies, in press.
Wiskerke, J.S.C., G. van Huylenbroeck & J. Kirwan (forthcoming 2010). Sustaining food supply chains. Grounded
perspectives on the dynamics and impacts of new modes of food provision. Ashgate, London.
Roep, D. & J.S.C. Wiskerke (eds.) (2006) Nourishing networks: fourteen lessons about creating sustainable food supply
chains, Reed Business Information, Doetinchem, 176 pp.

Cardiff University – School of City and Regional Planning (P2)

General description of organization. The School of City and Regional Planning (CPLAN) is the largest planning school in
the UK and takes a wide definition of planning which encompasses the policy areas of economic development,
environment, housing, urban design, transport, health as well as land-use planning. The School is research-led. Close
links to external agencies and professions are an essential part of CPLAN’s knowledge and research base.
Previous / ongoing training programs. CPLAN runs 10 Master programs, of which the following are most relevant to
PUREFOOD: International Planning & Development; Sustainability, Planning & Environmental Policy; Urban design.
CPLAN has an ongoing PhD program in Human Geography and Planning and hosts on average 30 PhD students.
Previous/ongoing research programs. PhD program “Food and sustainable city-regions” (Cardiff University: 6 PhD
students) Developing a National Food and Drink Strategy for Wales (Welsh Assembly Government); School Meals for
Development (Gates Foundation); Delivering Sustainability: The Creative Procurement of School Meals (ESRC).
Role in project. Coordination of WP3 on Public Food Procurement, basic scientific training courses, advanced scientific
training courses, CoP on public procurement, host of 2 ESRs
List of PUREFOOD team members and key expertises:
Name: Gender: Expertise Commitment
Dr. Roberta Sonnino F Anthropology, Agro-food chains, Public food procurement 0.4 fte
Prof.dr. Kevin Morgan M Regional development, Agro-food chains, Devolution 0.1 fte
Prof.dr. Terry Marsden M Agro-food studies, Sustainable development and planning 0.1 fte
Key Publications
Morgan, K., Marsden, T., Murdoch, J. (2006). Worlds of food. Place, power and provenance in the food chain. Oxford
University Press.
Morgan, K., Sonnino, R. (2008). The school food revolution. Public food and the challenge of sustainable development.
 31
___________________________________________________________________________________
London: Earthscan
Morgan, K.J. and R. Sonnino (2010) The Urban Foodscape: Global Cities and the New Food Equation. Journal of
Regions, Economy and Society, in press.

University of Pisa – Department of Agronomy and Agro-ecosystem Management (P3)

General description of organization. The main teaching and research domains are: agricultural and environmental
economy, agronomy, agricultural botany and geobotany, arable crops, rural building, animal farming. Within the
domain of economics the research topics are: small farmers’ individual and collective strategies, socio-economic
impact of sustainable agriculture, the link between collective initiatives and rural development, local/regional support
policies for small farming and rural development, the role of new food supply chains in sustainable rural development
Previous / ongoing training programs. Coordinator of the II level degree in Management of the Agri-environment at
the Faculty of Agriculture; PhD program International Cooperation and Sustainable Development Policies at the
University of Bologna - Alma Mater Studiorum; International Master on Rural Development (Erasmus Mundus); Marie
Curie Transfer of Knowledge under the Egalitarian an Socially Inclusive Europe (ESIE) FP6-2005.Mobility-3.
Previous/ongoing research programs. SUS-CHAIN (QLK5-CT-2002-01349 (workpackage coordinator); CONVERSION
(QLK5-CT-2000-01112); MULTAGRI (GOCE-CT-2003-5052970), WELFARE QUALITY (FOOD-CT-2004-506508), IMPACT
(FAIR 6 CT 98-4288); projects at regional level on the organisation of food chains based on organic and local products.
Role in project. Coordination of WP2 Sustainable food supply chains, basic scientific training courses, advanced
scientific training courses, CoP Sustainable food supply chains, organization of Summerschool, Host of 2 ESRs
List of PUREFOOD team members and key expertises:
Name: Gender: Expertise Commitment
Prof. Gianluca Brunori M sustainable food chains & rural development 0.4 fte
Dr. Adanella Rossi F rural economics, food marketing and consumption 0.1 fte
Dr. Andrea Marescotti M dynamics of food relocalisation processes 0.1 fte
Key Publications
Brunori G., Rossi A., Guidi F. (2009) On the new social relations around and beyond food: Analysing consumers' role
and action, Sociologia Ruralis (forthcoming).
Brunori G., Cerruti R., Medeor S. and Rossi A. (2008) Looking for alternatives: the construction of organic beef chain in
Mugello, Tuscany. Int. J. Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, 7, 126-143.
Brunori, G. (2007) Local food and alternative food networks: a communication perspective, Anthropology of Food, S2,
URL : http://aof.revues.org/document430.html.

Latvia University – Faculty of Social Sciences (P4)

General description of organization. The University of Latvia, Faculty of Social Sciences is the centre for advanced
social and political research in Latvia. The main research areas are regional and rural development, democracy and
governance, minorities and integration, media studies. The common methodological platform is agency perspective,
actor-network approaches, discourse analysis and policy analysis. Good collaboration with policy makers and market
actors contributes to the communication of research results and elaboration of recommendations.
Previous / ongoing training programs. The University of Latvia, Faculty of Social Sciences hosts three PhD programmes
in social sciences (sociology, political science and communication science) and a doctoral school in post-Soviet studies.
Relevant training expertise at PhD and MSc level includes: contemporary sociological theories, international
comparative research, regional and rural development.
Previous/ongoing research programs. The faculty has a long standing experience with the production of National
Human Development Reports. The faculty members have participated in a number of EU framework projects including
MAS (Making Agriculture Sustainable), SUS-CHAIN (Marketing Sustainable Agriculture), COFAMI (Collective Farmers’
Marketing Initiatives), TRUC (Transformation of Rural Communication), and SINER-GI (Research on Geographical
Indications), ETUDE (Enlarging the Theoretical Understanding of Rural Development).
Role in project. Hosting 2 ESRs and co-supervising 2 ESRs in WP2 and WP4, advanced scientific training courses, CoPs
on Sustainable food supply chains and Urban food strategies.
List of PUREFOOD team members and key expertises:
Name: Gender: Expertise Commitment
 32
___________________________________________________________________________________
Prof. dr. Talis Tisenkopfs M Rural development / food chains / innovation / sociology 0.2 fte
Ilze Lāce MSc F Youth studies / social capital 0.1 fte
Sandra Šūmane MSc F Collective marketing / organic agriculture 0.1 fte
Key Publications
Tisenkopfs, T. (2009) „Oh, Blessed Ones. The Sixties Generation Whose Longings Transformed the World”, In Nikula, J.
(ed) Maaseutuaiheita. Rural Motifs. Aleksanteri Series 5/2009, University of Helsinki pp. 209-217
Tisenkopfs, T., I. Lace and I. Mierina (2008) „Social capital”, In: Jan Douwe van der Ploeg & Terry Marsden (eds)
Unfolding Webs: The Dynamics of Regional Rural Development, Assen: Van Gorcum, pp. 87-110.
Tisenkopfs, T (2006) “Human capability and quality of life. Researching quality of life in Latvia”. Social Sciences.
Socialniai Mokslai, No. 3 (53): 7-16

City University London – Centre for Food Policy (P5)

General description of organization. The Centre researches food as an intersection of policy, particularly around
public health, environment, and social justice. The overarching research commitments are to seek: the promotion of
better understanding of contemporary food policy-making processes; engagement in strategically important issues
from a public interest perspective; contributing to democratic debate about the shape of the food system; and
exploring linkages between social justice, health, the environment and citizens and consumers. These commitments
are pursued both in research and policy engagement such as through membership of governmental and non-
governmental bodies and advisory and stakeholder committees at national, regional-local, European and international
levels. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, the Higher Education Funding Council for England rated the Centre
for Food Policy’s whole submission of work as being of ‘world class' or ‘international' standing of excellence.
Previous / ongoing training programs. The Centre has a successful MSc programme in Food Policy and an MPhil/PhD
Research programme.
Previous/ongoing research programs. The international politics of the regulation of agri-food traceability; ethical
traceability and food supply chains (part of an EU FP6 project); European retailing trends and food systems (ESF/COST
project); National sustainable food security in the UK (Esmee Fairburn Foundation)
Role in project. Hosting one ESR in WP4; Co-supervision of 3 ESRs; Advanced scientific training courses;
List of PUREFOOD team members and key expertises:
Name: Gender: Expertise Commitment
Dr. David Barling M Food policy, regulation and governance 0.15 fte
Prof Tim Lang M Food policy, sustainable development, public health and 0.05 fte
urban food.
Ms Anita Jethwa F Administrator 0.01 fte
Key Publications
T. Lang, D. Barling, M. Caraher (2009) Food Policy: integrating health, environment and society. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
T. Lang, M. Rayner, G. Rayner, D. Barling & E. Millstone (2005) “Policy Councils on Food, Nutrition & Physical Activity:
the UK as a case study.” Public Health Nutrition, 8 (1): 11-19.
D. Barling, T. Lang, M. Caraher (2002), “Joined up food policy? The trials of governance, public policy and food
systems”, Social Policy and Administration, 36 (6): 556-574.

Federal University Rio Grande do Sul (P6)

General description of organization. The Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul is one of the largest federal
universities in Brazil. It is almost completely located in Porto Alegre, with four campi (Campus do Centro, Campus
Saúde, Campus Olímpico and Campus do Vale), some isolated buildings (e.g. the Business School and the Institute of
Arts) and some isolated units in other cities. UFRGS is among the best Brazilian universities and has one of the greatest
numbers of scientific publications.
Previous / ongoing research and training program. The Rural Development Postgraduate Program (PGDR) is a
multidisciplinary research program that provides high level education for Master and PhD students in Brazil. As a
central object of study of the PGDR, rural development is handled in a broad sense and subject to various theoretical
and methodological approaches. Among the topics covered are changes in the role of the State, public policies, food
supply chains, new rural social arrangements, territorial and environmental issues related to rural development. PGDR
 33
___________________________________________________________________________________
accounts with the participation of 21 permanent researchers that have academic skills shaped in several areas of
knowledge such as economics, sociology, anthropology, agriculture, geography, education, biology and public health.
Currently, PGDR have a total of 104 students, from whom 52 are Master's and 54 PhD which come from different
regions of Brazil, other Latin American countries and also from Africa.
Role in project. Host of one ESR and co-supervision of one ESR in WP3; advanced scientific courses; CoP Public food
procurement
List of PUREFOOD team members and key expertises:
Name: Gender: Expertise Commitment
Prof. Dr. Sergio Schneider M Development sociology, public food procurement 0.1 fte
Rozane Marcia Triches F Human nutrition, public health, public food procurement 0.1 fte
Key Publications
Schneider, S., Marsden, T. (2009). El desarrollo rural en Brasil: procesos sociales, políticas públicas y perspectivas
teóricas, Revista Española de Estudios Agrosociales y Pesqueros, 222, 13-48.
Radomsky, G. and Schneider, S. (2007) Nas teias da economia: o papel das redes sociais e da reciprocidade nos
processos locais de desenvolvimento. Soc. estado. [online]. 2007, vol.22, n.2, pp. 249-284.
Schneider, S. ; Silva, M.K.; Marques, P.M.(2004). Public Policies and Social Participation in Rural Brazil. Porto
Alegre/Brazil: Editora da UFRGS, 168 pp.

Makerere University School of Public Health (P7)

General description of organization. The MUSPH is a full member of the Association of Schools of Public Health in the
African, Eastern Mediterranean, South East Asia and Western Pacific regions of the World Health Organisation. Its
mission is to improve the attainment of better health for people of Uganda through a) Public health training that is
demand driven, field oriented and problem based, b) Research that is relevant, operational and leading to evidence-
based public health practice and policy decisions, c) Community service that is in partnership with communities geared
towards community capacity building and self reliance
Previous / ongoing training programs. The school currently offers post graduate courses leading to Masters’ degrees
in Public Health training (MPH) and Health Service research (MHSR); Previous programs are: HIV/AIDS Fellowship
Program (Global AIDS Program, CDC Atlanta) and Master of Public Health Program (The Rockefeller Foundation).
Previous/ongoing research programs. Coordination of the following research programs: Urban agriculture and access
to land by the Poor (IDRC 2003), Community perspectives on quality of health care: Future health systems (2007),
Gender mainstreaming in Urban agriculture and food security (UN Habitat 2008).
Role in project. Host of one ESR and co-supervision of one ESR in WP3; advanced scientific courses; CoP Public food
procurement
List of PUREFOOD team members and key expertises:
Name: Gender: Expertise Commitment
Dr. Juliet Kiguli F Anthropology 0.2 fte
Dr. Rhona Baingana F Food Science 0.05 fte
Dr. Henry Wamani M Nutrition 0.05 fte
Ms. Imelda Zimbe F Social Work 0.05 fte
Key Publications
Waiswa P, Kemigisa M, Kiguli J, Naikoba S, Pariyo GW, Peterson S (2008) Acceptability of evidence-based neonatal care
practices in rural Uganda – implications for programming. BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 8:21
(http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2393/8/21)
Rhona K. Baingana (2004). The need for food composition data in Uganda. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis
17, Pages 501-507
Kiguli, L.N., A. Nuwagaba, D. Mwesigwa & J. KigulI (2003), Access to land for urban agriculture in Kampala. Urban
Agriculture Magazine 11: 11-12.
 34
___________________________________________________________________________________
Peri-Urban Regions Platform Europe (AP1)
General description of organization. PURPLE was set up in 2004 and brings together 13 regions from 9 EU member
states. PURPLE regions are working together to maximize the advantages resulting from their location in proximity to
large towns and cities, and minimize adverse impacts on the urban-rural character, landscape and environment that
make them distinct and special. PURPLE wants to raise awareness of the peri-urban agenda at European, national and
regional levels and ensure coherence between future funding for rural development and regional development.
PURPLE has an Executive Board, of 6 political representatives chosen from the member regions and a General
Assembly, consisting of political representatives from all member regions that manage the network.
Previous / ongoing research and training programs. N.A.
Role in project. Member of Supervisory Board; Assisting the PUREFOOD coordinator in developing and organizing the
Professional Skills course “Translating research findings into policy recommendations”; Encouraging representatives of
its member organizations to participate in the Communities of Practice; Taking part in organizing the PUREFOOD
international conference; Supporting ESRs in the selection of case studies and in the collection of empirical data.
List of PUREFOOD team members and key expertises:
Name: Gender: Expertise
Lenie Dwarshuis F Executive Board Province of Zuid-Holland, Committee of the Regions
Annemiek Canjels F
Key competences and facilities. PURPLE representatives are knowledgeable about rural, regional and sustainable
development policies and the political challenges involved in urban-rural relations and sustainable regional
development. Via PURPLE ESRs have access to informants and data of its 13 member regions.
Key Publications.
• PURPLE’s response to the Green Paper on Territorial Cohesion (2009: http://www.purple-
eu.org/PageFiles/147/PURPLE%20reponse%20Green%20Paper%20TC.pdf)
• PURPLE and CAP reform: position paper
(http://purple.episerverhotell.net/Documents/policy%20documents/071107PURPLE%20CAP%20reform%20positi
on%20paper.pdf)

Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) Platform (AP2)

General description of organization. The Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) Platform is a non-profit organization
founded in 2002 by Nestlé, Unilever and Danone, to support the development of global sustainable agriculture
practices involving all stakeholders of the food supply chain. The SAI Platform today includes 24 corporate members,
with estimated sales of USD 340 billion. All members actively work to promote sustainable agriculture as a productive,
competitive and efficient way of producing agricultural products, while at the same time protecting and improving the
natural environment and social/economic conditions of local communities. The members meet in crop or issue specific
Working Groups to share knowledge and develop projects on sustainable agriculture related topics.
Previous / ongoing research and training programs. SAI Platform has commissioned research in recent years to
develop and test sustainability indicators. SAI Platform also organizes training events for its member organizations.
Role in project. Member of Supervisory Board; Co-supervision and hosting of 1 ESR; Contribution to network training,
in particular PS2 and PS CoP ‘Sustainable food supply chains’
List of PUREFOOD team members and key expertises:
Name: Gender: Function
Peter-Erik Ywema MBA M General manager
Key competences and facilities. Sustainable agriculture, Food processing and marketing, Food industry strategies,
Corporate governance. Through SAI Platform access to its 24 member food industry companies is possible. The ESR
hosted by SAI can be hosted in its office in Brussels or at one (or more) of its member companies.
Key Publications.
Agricultural Standards Benchmark Study (2009)
Short Guide to Sustainable Agriculture (2009), in collaboration with the Sustainable Food Lab
 35
___________________________________________________________________________________
Sodexo (AP3)
General description of organization. Sodexo is a world leader in comprehensive service solutions. Founded in 1946,
Sodexo today has revenues of $19.8bn, employing 380,000 people on 33,000 sites in 80 countries around the world. In
the UK and Ireland, Sodexo employs 43,000 people and has 2,300 client locations across all market sectors, with
approximately 50% of UK revenues being generated in the public sector (healthcare, education, prisons and defence).
Previous / ongoing research and training programs. 1. Corporate – Sodexo frequently collaborates with NGOs and
academic institutions on a wide range of research programs including pilots for Government, policy research with a
range of Government departments, agencies (such as the Food Standards Agency and School Food Trust) and think
tanks (Sodexo is a corporate partner of Reform, the Food Ethics Council and Business in the Community). Within the
private sector, Sodexo contributes to debate and research as a corporate member of the CBI (Confederation of British
Industry). 2. Personal – Prior to joining Sodexo and following ten years of experience in the agri-food industry, Tony
Cooke spent six years with Defra, leading part of its Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy. This included
commissioning research projects on; Red Meat Supply Chains in the Public Sector, Local Food Distribution,
Collaborative Supply Chains. Tony Cooke holds a BSc(Hons) in Rural Resource Management from Reading University
and is a Fellow of both the Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Society of Arts.
Role in project. Member of Supervisory Board; Sodexo will contribute to Work Package 2 through input into ESR
supervision and 2-3 months secondment
List of PUREFOOD team members and key expertises:
Name: Gender: Expertise
Tony Cooke M Government Relations Director, Sodexo UK & Ireland
Key competences and facilities. Sodexo is a leading provider of outsourced foodservices in the UK public sector and is
active in the policy debate around improving: a) Public sector food procurement, b) Healthy eating, c) Sustainability in
the food chain. Sodexo employs around 23,000 staff in public sector markets in the UK (healthcare, education, prisons
and defence) and as such can provide a diverse environment for secondees to better understand the practical
challenges involved in delivery.
Key Publications. N.A.

Willem&Drees (AP4)
General description of organization. Willem&Drees delivers fresh fruits & vegetables on a local for local basis from
farm to outlet. The produce is presented in a special display in the supermarket outlets. The company is a social
enterprise with sustainability ambitions as well as profit targets. It is a triple P based company (People, Planet, Profit)
Previous / ongoing research and training programs. N.A.
Role in project. Member of Supervisory Board; Hosting of one ESR for secondment; Contribution to Professional skills
course and participation in CoP Sustainable food supply chains.
List of PUREFOOD team members and key expertises:
Name: Gender: Expertise
Drees Peter van den Bosch M Drees and Willem have both achieved their MSc at Wageningen University.
Willem Treep M After 10 years of working at Heineken and Unilever the two started a new
company with the ambition to develop a national chain of local for local in-
store availability of fresh produce.
Key competences and facilities. Local for local sourcing, distribution, sales and marketing of fruits & vegetables in the
Netherlands. The premise is at a multifunctional farm in Bunschoten where office space is available for an ESR.
Key Publications. N.A.

Slow Food Study Center (AP5)

General description of organization. Slow Food was founded in 1986 and it became an International Association in
1989. Slow Food Italia is one of the 7 national branches. Born as a movement for the “Defense of the right to enjoy”,
nowadays “Good, Clean and Fair” are the principles that guide Slow Food and inspire the philosophy of the
association's events (Salone del Gusto, Terra Madre, Slow Fish, Cheese) and activities. Understanding more about our
food, how it tastes and where it comes from makes the act of eating all the more pleasurable. Education has always
been central to Slow Food’s activities. The Slow Food department in charge of these activities is the Study Center.
 36
___________________________________________________________________________________
Previous / ongoing research and training programs. Slow Food has different educational projects and programs:
courses for children and adults, School Gardens, Taste workshops and, since 2004, the University of Gastronomic
Sciences, to offer a multidisciplinary academic program in the science and culture of food. Slow Food and the
University work closely together, not only with lessons and courses but also coaching the students on their research
and thesis.
Role in project. Member of Supervisory Board; Contribution to network training modules, in particular PS2 and PS CoP
‘Sustainable food supply chains’; Hosting 1 ESR for secondment period
List of PUREFOOD team members and key expertises:
Name: Gender: Function
Cinzia Scaffidi F Director of the Slow Food Study Center
Key competences and facilities. Specialized in research and training about food origin, food cultures and gastronomy.
Also specialized in mobilizing consumers, raising awareness and organizing different kinds of food events. The Study
Centre is well equipped to host an ESR for a 2-3 month secondment period.
Key Publications.
C. Petrini, Slow Food Nation, Rizzoli Ex Libris 2007;
S. Masini-C.Scaffidi, Sementi e diritti, Slow Food Editore 2008, (only in Italian);
S. Greco-C. Scaffidi, Guarda che mare, Slow Food Editore 2007 (only in Italian).

Stroom Den Haag (AP6)

General description of organization. Stroom Den Haag (an independent foundation founded in 1989) is a centre for
art and architecture with a wide range of activities. Starting from the visual arts, architecture, urban planning and
design Stroom focuses on the urban environment.
Previous / ongoing research and training programs. In 2009 Stroom Den Haag kicked off the program Foodprint - Food
for the city. The program takes place over the course of several years and focuses on the influence food can have on
the culture, shape and functioning of the city, using The Hague as a case study. With a series of activities Stroom aims
to increase people's awareness of the value of food and to give new life to the way we view the relationship between
food and the city. The program invites artists and designers to develop appealing proposals on the subject, while at the
same time establishing a clear connection with entrepreneurs, farmers, food experts and the general public.
Role in project. Member of Supervisory Board; Contribution to network training modules, in particular PS CoP ‘Urban
food strategies’; Hosting 1 ESR for secondment period
List of PUREFOOD team members and key expertises:
Name: Gender: Expertise
Arno van Roosmalen M Director
Peter de Rooden M Developer/organizer art and public space
Key competences and facilities. Stroom Den Haag organizes exhibitions, projects, lectures, workshops and excursions.
It initiates research and debates to stimulate the transfer of knowledge and the development of ideas concerning art,
architecture and related disciplines.
Key Publications.
J. Vreugdenhil, F. van Westrenen, E. Brik, D.Koren, W. van der Land (2009). Foodprint Stadsgids Den Haag. over de
culinaire identiteit van de stad (Foodprint City Guide The Hague. About the culinary identity of the city), Stroom Den
Haag
J. Bennett, R. Khazam, F.Lomme, A. van Roosmalen (2009). The City Amplified, Stroom Den Haag.

Sustain (AP7)
General description of organization. Sustain represents around 100 national public interest organisations working at
international, national, regional and local level. It advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance
the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, promote equity and enrich
society and culture. The company, which is limited by guarantee and therefore governed by its Memorandum and
Articles of Association, is also a registered charity.
Previous / ongoing research and training programs. Sustain has designed and run several training programmes to
improve skills among caterers, particularly those working in the public sector, with a focus on achieving improved
 37
___________________________________________________________________________________
health and sustainability, for example: a) Good Food Training for London, which trained over 1,000 staff in London’s
public sector through bespoke and accredited training courses for cooks and catering staff, b) Good Food on the Public
Plate, which provides practical help to public sector caterers in the London area to improve the healthiness and
sustainability of the food they serve, c) Ethical Eats, a project to help restaurants and other caterers improve the
sustainability of their food and operations, d) Greener Food, a project to conduct sustainability audits of restaurants
and caterers and provide practical advice for improvements, e) Greener Curry, a project to increase the amount of
local, organic and fair-trade food consumed by London’s diverse ethnic communities.
Role in project. Member of Supervisory Board; Contribution to network training modules, in particular PS2 and PS
CoPs ‘Sustainable food supply chains’ and ‘Public food procurement’; Hosting 1 ESR for secondment period
List of PUREFOOD team members and key expertises:
Name: Gender: Expertise
Kath Dalmeny F Policy director
Alex Jackson M Good Food for Our Money coordinator
Richard Watts M Campaigns director
Key competences and facilities. Sustain is dedicated to improving the healthiness, ethics and overall sustainability of
the food system by a) Working with professional groups, including public sector caterers, to improve their working
practices and prove what can be achieved, and b) Campaigning for change to funding, support systems and the law to
enable or require greater uptake of good practice. Public sector catering has been a major focus of Sustain’s work over
the past seven years, with Sustain developing a wide range of practical support (brokerage, training and advisory
services) to help public sector caterers buy and serve sustainable food.
Key Publications.
Building a Sustainable Food Hub (2009); Good Food on the Public Plate: What we have done and what we have learned
(2009); Through the Back Door: An exposé of educational material produced by the food industry (2008); Growing
Round the Houses (2008); Changing Diets, Changing Minds: how food affects mental health and behaviour (2007)

Tukums municipality – Development department (AP8)

General description of organization. After the administrative territorial reform of 2009, Tukums municipality unites
the town of Tukums and ten surrounding rural municipalities. The number of inhabitants of the new municipality is
33 680. The main functions of municipality are to organize provision of communal services, provide social services for
the population and to ensure infrastructure improvements through attracting private and public investment. The
Development department of Tukums municipality facilitates the initiation and elaboration of projects by creating and
developing project plans in conformity with the Tukums municipality development strategy and needs of the
residents.
Previous / ongoing research and training programs. Previous expertise in research and training includes research on
labor market from the perspective of entrepreneurs funded by European Social fund. The municipality has been
involved in planning and organizing life-long learning both for the employees and rural development specialists. In
cooperation with Latvia Rural Education and Training Centre the municipality participated in design and
implementation of agricultural education on vocational and secondary education level. During the elaboration of the
municipal territorial development plan for 2007-2012 (adopted in 2007), research and public discussions were
organized regarding the land use and assessment of socio-economic priorities.
Role in project. Member of the Supervisory Board. Hosting of one ESR for a secondment period of 2 – 3 months.
List of PUREFOOD team members and key expertises:
Name: Gender: Function
Anita Selunda F Head of the Development department
Key competences and facilities. Close contact with local entrepreneurs and population and good understanding of
their needs, cooperation with entrepreneurs club and with surrounding rural territories. Office space available for ESR
for secondment period.
Key Publications. N.A.