Presentation of research at RSA Annual Conference
On June 11-14, project members hosted a session and presented ongoing research at the Regional Studies Association (RSA) Conference. The session was titled ‘Exploring the routes to creative local food system development in rural regions’ and was chaired by Daniel Laven, Mid Sweden University.
Wilhelm Skoglund, Mid Sweden University, presented a study about the potential of institutional markets for Swedish local food systems. Zooming in on one of the developing approaches on the topic, ‘Dynamic Procurement System’ (DIS) in Jämtland, Wilhelm discussed the increased opportunities for procurement of local food in schools, hospitals and other institutions.
The findings show high ambition levels from the public sector in terms of sustainability, health perspectives, and rural development through food entrepreneurs. Many producers are also starting to sign up and use DIS, aiming to reach public sector consumption. At the same time, challenges in this process are many, including costly transportation and logistics from peripheral places, lack of proper facilities for cooking in public kitchens, the time consumption still required to sign up and use DIS, and the sometimes-higher pricing for local food.
Emma Björner, University of Gothenburg, presented two studies. One of the presentations focused on research of digital platforms and online presence of local food producers, carried out together with Matthias Fuchs, Mid Sweden University, and Wolfram Höpken, Ravensburg-Weingarten University of Applied Sciences. The other presentation centred on local food, policy instruments and entrepreneurial development, based on research conducted together with Annelie Sjölander-Lindqvist, University of Gothenburg.
Some implications from the study on policy-entrepreneurial encounters include:
- Decrease distance between policy, policy actors and entrepreneurs.
- Complement abstract policies with concrete plans and actions.
- Create awareness of various entrepreneurial drivers and tensions.
- Develop adaptive capacity of the policy support system.
- Balance short-term projects with long-term processes.
Others also presented their current research and work in the session. Birgit Hoinle, University of Hohenheim, shared insights from her research on potentials, policy measures and barriers for sustainable public food procurement in Germany and France.
Anna Hegethorn, Eva Jilkén and Lena Mossberg, University of Gothenburg, gave a presentation on their current work on place image through experiences and souvenirs. Using the example of the famous ‘polkagris’ from Gränna in Sweden, they discussed how protected food products can be used as souvenirs and contribute to the enrichment of ethical values and place branding.