Just food team at the consortium meeting. © Photo: Venni Arra
On a chilly day in Viikki, Helsinki, Finland the Just food consortium kicked off its ninth meeting on 27 November 2023. The primary goal was to gather Just food researchers to discuss and share the outcomes of their empirical work and brainstorm the next steps in strengthening the transdisciplinarity of their work. Over these two days, researchers delved into their key findings, fostering discussions on the synergy of their efforts in advancing a just food systems transition.
"A just food system transition requires critical reflection also from us researchers. The consortium meetings of Just food are just great in this respect. The researchers in Just food are equipped to produce top-notch science, but also willing to look critically in mirror. In the coming year we will reflect upon our learnings in a more systematic manner. How were we able to identify and tackle the justice questions with our multiple methods?" - Minna Kaljonen, Project lead
Day one unfolded with discussions on advancing a just food system. Conversations spanned from biodiversity impacts to the affordability of sustainable diets. Xavier Irz presented interesting insights from his latest study on diet optimization, showing how eating sustainability is not a question of affordability, but rather of capability. The results from the latest FinHealth survey echoed the results. The day also featured insights from a research visit to Brazil and a workshop in Switzerland, addressing justice challenges faced by the association of organic agriculture (BioSwiss) in reaching their goals for a net zero food system.
The evening took a delightful turn with the group participating in a fun cooking class organized by the Martha Association. The focus was on crafting a vegan 3-course Persian meal, adding a touch of flavor to the evening, and enhancing the team spirit.
The meeting room at Väentupa in Viikki. © Photo: Venni Arra
On the second day, we delved deeper into the intricate links between regional socio-economic impacts of different transition pathways and learnings gained from the Living Lab seeking regional resolutions to the use of peatlands in Northern Carelia in Finland. We also brainstormed the future collective articles on transdisciplinary analysis of just transition pathways.
"As a newcomer to the Just food project, the consortium meeting was an immersive deep dive into all the impressive work that the consortium researchers are doing. It was inspiring to witness the dedication, expertise and collaborative spirit of such a multidisciplinary team, all working towards a common goal – a just food transition." - Venni Arra, Interaction & Communications
More information
- Venni Arra, E2 Research, firstname.lastname@e2.fi +358 44 9019 594
- Marjatta Selänniemi, E2 Research, firstname.lastname@e2.fi +358 50 3651 481