About the project
Switching European food systems for a just, healthy, and sustainable dietary transition through knowledge and innovation
The transition to sustainable, safe, healthy and inclusive food systems is a key priority for EU policies, in line with UN sustainable development goals (SDGs). A big challenge to achieve this is the partial knowledge of the influence of dietary choices, limiting large-scale adoption of healthy and sustainable diets.
The SWITCH ambition is to accelerate the behavioural shifts of European citizens towards more sustainable and healthy models through research and innovation as a driver to increase knowledge and strategies supporting policy makers and all the actors involved in this mission. It is essential to engage all agri-food systems actors in a process of knowledge sharing and co-creation. SWITCH provides this opportunity!
In practice, the SWITCH project encourages EU citizens to adopt sustainable and healthy diets by changing the way food is being produced and consumed. This is done with a combination of technologies, social initiatives, and innovations supporting sustainable food systems. The project is implemented in real-life conditions in selected Food Hubs, to scale up best practices all over Europe.
Our goals
Starting in January 2023, we will dedicate 4 years to developing and testing innovative technologies and solutions in 6 Food Hubs across Europe, using research and innovation as drivers to increase knowledge sharing and upscaling strategies at all levels of the food system.
Define healthy and sustainable diets
Establish a science-based approach to define just, healthy, and sustainably dietary patterns across Europe. Socio-economic, environmental, and nutritional aspects of food production and consumption will be contemplated while also valuing the regional social, cultural, economic, environmental, and agronomic diversity.
Shift dietary habits
Increase understanding of the multidimensional factors that can enhance or limit the large-scale adoption of healthy and sustainable diets by different groups. Drivers, barriers, and constraints are analysed at all levels of the food system.
Define healthy and sustainable diets
Establish a science-based approach to define just, healthy, and sustainably dietary patterns across Europe. Socio-economic, environmental, and nutritional aspects of food production and consumption will be contemplated while also valuing the regional social, cultural, economic, environmental, and agronomic diversity.
Shift dietary habits
Increase understanding of the multidimensional factors that can enhance or limit the large-scale adoption of healthy and sustainable diets by different groups. Drivers, barriers, and constraints are analysed at all levels of the food system.
Communication to change
A strategic plan for the Communication, Dissemination and Exploitation of SWITCH results to facilitate at different levels the transition towards healthy and sustainable dietary behaviour.
Demonstrate food solutions
Innovative and effective solutions and approaches are demonstrated in SWITCH Food Hubs to increase knowledge transfer, accessibility, and facilitation. This will support citizen engagement in healthy and sustainable diets, as well as promote thriving, sustainable and healthy food businesses.
Communication to change
A strategic plan for the Communication, Dissemination and Exploitation of SWITCH results to facilitate at different levels the transition towards healthy and sustainable dietary behaviour.
Demonstrate food solutions
Innovative and effective solutions and approaches are demonstrated in SWITCH Food Hubs to increase knowledge transfer, accessibility, and facilitation. This will support citizen engagement in healthy and sustainable diets, as well as promote thriving, sustainable and healthy food businesses.
Demonstrate food solutions
Innovative and effective solutions and approaches are demonstrated in SWITCH Food Hubs to increase knowledge transfer, accessibility, and facilitation. This will support citizen engagement in healthy and sustainable diets, as well as promote thriving, sustainable and healthy food businesses.
Communication to change
A strategic plan for the Communication, Dissemination and Exploitation of SWITCH results to facilitate at different levels the transition towards healthy and sustainable dietary behaviour.
Sustainable dietary guidelines for policymakers
Incorporate evidence and results of SWITCH into policy recommendations to national authorities and policymakers to guide them in developing guidelines on sustainable dietary behaviour and lifestyle, taking into account current and future IPCC climate scenarios and the EU climate policy targets.
Digital innovations for sustainable and healthy diets
A digital ecosystem of technological innovations and tools supports the systemic transition to more sustainable and healthy diets across multi-actors of the food system.
Sustainable dietary guidelines for policymakers
Incorporate evidence and results of SWITCH into policy recommendations to national authorities and policymakers to guide them in developing guidelines on sustainable dietary behaviour and lifestyle, taking into account current and future IPCC climate scenarios and the EU climate policy targets.
Digital innovations for sustainable and healthy diets
A digital ecosystem of technological innovations and tools supports the systemic transition to more sustainable and healthy diets across multi-actors of the food system.
Project Workplan
The SWITCH methodology is in line with the objective of the project to involve as many actors as possible in the sustainable and healthy dietary transition.
This requires a co-creation approach: actors from different fields of the food systems, from farmers to businesses and policy makers, collaborate in implementing solutions and sharing knowledge and best practices in the 6 Food Hubs.
This involves multiple efforts towards:
1.
Characterising the environmental, economic and social sustainability and the healthy level of the food production, food consumption, dietary patterns and cultural approach locally;
2.
Increasing knowledge and awareness at the food demand and supply side about sustainable and healthy food and dietary plans;
3.
Increasing the accessibility to sustainable and healthy food and dietary patterns while addressing social inequalities;
4.
Valorizing the interconnections and synergies between multi stakeholder actors involved in the different Food Hubs, sharing tools to better address food and lifestyle strategies.
