Another inspiring WMT! project meeting was organised in Valmiera, Latvia

Focus on sustainable food

The event had a special focus on sustainable food. In addition to project talks and study visits, we heard interesting presentations of food system experts from Finland, Latvia, Germany and Norway. In the discussion part we compared the perception of sustainable food and specifics of food system challenges on national, regional and local levels in different countries. The challenges are mainly related to global price competition, consumers’ awareness, food logistics, power of big retailers, national legislation and complexity of public procurement. The key question is how to strengthen connection with all parties in the food system from producers to logistics, public institutions and consumers, and make organic local food an easy option for public institutions (e.g. schools) and consumers?

We make transition! project has had a major impact on getting all food stakeholders from different levels together and promoting local organic food in public procurement. The examples in Bremen, Trondheim, Vidzeme and Hämeenkyrö were highlighted.

Presentations of the food experts from Finland, Latvia, Norway and Germany  

Irene Kuhmonen, Postdoctoral researcher on food systems and sustainability transition, University of Jyväskylä:
Sustainability transition in the Finnish food system, Finland

Līga Proškina, an Associate Professor, regional & rural development and bioeconomy expert from the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies:
Vidzeme Region Food System, Latvia

Linda Connie Thorsteinsen, Advisor for circular economy, food and communication, Trondheim municipality:
How to increase purchases of locally produced food in a municipality?, Norway

Florian Minzlaff, Coordinator of the Training Kitchen in Bremen:
Forum Küche Bremen: transforming public catering one meal at a time, Germany

Study visits

Project partners, experts and associated partners visited the Līgatne school and discussed the experiences from getting local organic products in the school menu. We visited also “Pavāru māja,” Latvia’s first Michelin Green Star restaurant located in the heart of Gauja National Park. In MALA Art Space – a community and cultural activity space located in old brewery in Cēsis – we met the founder of company “Labas saknes” which is a family business making healthy snacks from vegetables, especially leftover vegetables after juicing. The dinner took place at the Valmiermuiža Craft Brewery restaurant with introduction to the restaurant’s philosophy. As an active member of Latvian Food Bioeconomy Cluster company strives to promote sustainable innovation in the food production and consumption value chain which is grounded in the principles of circular bioeconomy.

Programme Manual Online

Choose