Publications/Reports Archives

Economic and environmental performance of controlled-environment supply chains for leaf lettuce

We assess landed costs and selected environmental metrics for field-based andcontrolled-environment agriculture greenhouse (GH) supply chains for leaf lettucedelivered to New York City. Landed costs for a GH are 46 to 174 per cent higher thanfield production, with the lower value for an automated GH located in the peri-urbanarea. Energy use and global warming potential per kg lettuce delivered were larger forthe GH, particularly if located in a peri-urban area. Water use was much higher for thefield-based supply chain. Controlled-environment GH technologies will require further development to meet goals for lower costs and environmental impact.

How to Procure Sustainable Food and Include Famers in Public Procurement

This study explores the integration of sustainability into public food procurement, focusing on its alignment with the EU public procurement legal framework.

The study begins by providing an introduction to EU procurement law in order to highlight its relevance for sustainable public food procurement. This has been achieved by highlighting fundamental principles of EU public procurement law. Furthermore, an overview of historical EU legal developments (CJEU case law, Public Sector Directives and soft law instruments) that led to integrating sustainability considerations into public procurement is provided.

The core of the study thoroughly examines several conceptualizations of sustainable food, such as organic, local, fresh, seasonal, fairly traded, and those involving short supply chains, assessing how these definitions influence procurement decisions and align with current laws. Furthermore, key legal constraints that affect sustainable food procurement are identified – including the necessity for a direct link to the subject matter of the contract, the risk of artificially narrowing competition, the prohibition against splitting contracts to avoid EU procurement rules, and limitations on purchasing ‘local’ food under EU law. Additionally, the study discusses the inclusion of farmers in public procurement processes, highlighting the challenges they face and the opportunities to enhance their participation. It underscores the particular challenges in pursuing socially responsible procurement and the barriers small farmers face in public tenders. Strategies such as dividing tenders into lots, consortia bidding, and subcontracting are proposed to rebalance farmers’ positions in public procurement.

Lastly, legislative changes are suggested to facilitate the wider adoption of sustainable food procurement practices. The report concludes with a synthesis of findings and recommendations for future amendments to EU procurement laws to support environmental and social objectives more effectively.

Public Food Procurement for Sustainable Food System and Healthy Diets

Sustainable Public Food Procurement (PFP) represents a key game changer for food systems transformation. It can influence both food consumption and food production patterns. It can deliver multiple social, economic, and environmental benefits towards sustainable food systems for healthy diets.

Strengthening Local Fresh Food Markets for Resilient Food Systems

Proclaimed at the highest international levels, the global food system is experiencing the worst crisis in history. Unlike the food price crisis of 2007-8, in 2022 there is convergence of multiple crises. Hunger and malnutrition have soared in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).

Strengthening Urban Rural Linkages for Sustainable Development

Urbanization and ecosystems are profoundly intertwined. As urbanization takes over more land and has greater impacts on ecosystems, and as towns and cities of all sizes demand ecosystem services (food, fiber, water, energy, etc.), flows of people, goods, services, information, capital, etc. define and drive urban–rural linkages in complex and intricate patterns.

Red Meat Processing in NYS: Bottleneck in the Local Food Economy

The livestock industry provides value to NYS by contributing approximately $893M in sales to
the economy and supplies nutrient-dense food for local consumers. The COVID-19 pandemic
highlighted the weaknesses in the current NYS livestock supply chain, especially the bottleneck
of meat processing.

School Meals Programmes and the Education Crisis

The immediate context for this financial landscape analysis is the learning crisis triggered by school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic and the shrinking fiscal space available to governments. We look at the potential for school feeding programmes to play an expanded role in addressing the learning crisis – and at the public financing options available. The analysis draws on seven rapid assessment country studies commissioned by the SFI.

Meeting the Expectations of the Customer

Regional vegetable production can only displace high-quality centralized production if consumers specifically desire regional produce. California leads the United States (US) in vegetable production and sets the industry standard for broccoli; however, there is increasing production in the Eastern US to shorten the broccoli supply chain for East Coast consumers.

Public food procurement as a game changer for food system transformation

The last decade has seen various countries, regions, and cities from low-income to high-income economies develop public food procurement (PFP) initiatives designed to use government purchasing power and regular demand for food as a policy instrument to promote sustainable development.1 These initiatives—often also referred to as institutional food procurement, including school meals programmes and purchase of food for public hospitals, prisons, universities, public building cafeterias, and other social programmes— have been increasingly recognised as an important entry point to trigger more sustainable food systems and healthy diets. They are also an important instrument for the achievement of target 12.7 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): “to promote public procurement practices that are sustainable in accordance with national policies and priorities”.

Food Action Cities: Case Study Archive

Discover how other cities improved their food system and learn from their experience

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