Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

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Dr. Manfred Kaufmann

Member since
Organization: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
Country: Switzerland
Field(s) of expertise:
I am working on:

Agricultural Research Portfolio of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. This also includes projects that are dealing with circular economy and urban food value chains and systems

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    • Dear FSN Moderator

      I have seen that for some reasons the attachment to my previous comment produces an error message when one tries to open it. Hence i attach the content below directy in this textbox: 

      1)      In general, the conceptual diagram makes sense, but I find that there is a mix up of concepts that have been defined in the literature. For example, stability cannot be simply related to the underlying principles of diversity & resilience (see p 10). Food Systems resilience and how to enhance it has been defined and detailed by several studies (e.g. Ingram et al 2023, Nature Food https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-023-00762-5; Tendall et al 2015, Global Food Security http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2015.08.001; Zurek et al 2022, Annual Review of Environment and Resources https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-112320-050744). Furthermore, the stability of the food system depends on much more than diversity; diversity does play a role, but is far from the only factor determining the stability and resilience of the food system. Also, sustainability encompasses much more than regeneration and regeneration has its own definition that goes beyond sustainability (Luthe et al. 2023. Designing Resilient Regenerative Systems. educational program magazine. ETH Zurich, Systemic Design Labs). I understand that in a conceptual diagram you cannot have every concept detailed, but having these “principles” underlying the “conditions” is, in my opinion, too much of a simplification of these concepts that are all in themselves complex.

      2)      I also think that the concept of circularity (or circular bioeconomy) should be presented in the conceptual diagram because the “metabolic rift” that exists now due to urbanization needs to be overcome. Currently, the a “mining” of the rural area (more specifically its soil nutrients, but also its human capital) is supporting the urban population with a minimal return. Hence, a circularity across the Rural-Urban nexus has to be established in order to reduce the current linear resource flow from the Rural to the Urban systems; here the peri-urban area plays a crucial role. In section 4.6.3. this issue is addressed, but I think much more could be elaborated on how to establish a circular bioeconomy within the urban and peri-urban food systems. In that sense, I would like to draw your attention to two articles written for a broader public on this issue and potential solutions:

      a) https://www.rural21.com/english/archive/2021/03/detail/article/rethinking-the-rural-urban-relationship-based-on-nutrient-recycling.html

      b) https://www.rural21.com/english/current-issue/detail/article/from-innovation-to-upscaling-circular-economy-in-the-rural-urban-nexus.html

      More info can also be found on the following website: https://runres.ethz.ch/

      And also here some illustrative videos can be found: a) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqfpABnbspg

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N030skkaLTE

      3)      If deemed of interest, I would be willing to provide text and info to outline a case study (in a box or other format) on how to improve the resilience of the urban and peri-urban food system through innovation for establishing a circular bioeconomy. I would rely on the references provided above and would probably focus on one particular innovation that is illustrated in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSK72hi66PI

      If this is of interest do not hesitat to contact me: [email protected]

    • Dear FSN Moderator

      Congratulations to the first draft. In the attached file, I have included a comment by Prof. Johan Six, Sustainable Agroecosystems, ETH Zürich. Prof. Six is the pricipal investigator of the project "The Rural-Urban Nexus: Establishing a Nutrient Loop to Improve City Region Food System Resilience (RUNRES)"  that aims to set a key step in the transformation towards a circular and more sustainable agriculture and waste management. The project is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. I fully share the comments of Prof. Six and believe that a case study, (to be eg. provided in a seperate box), on innovations to establish a circular bioeconomy in the urban and peri-urban food system would add value to the report.

      Dr. Manfred Kaufmann, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation