About the Living Lab
The Living Lab will look at how to organise short food supply initiatives that can contribute to a more sustainable local food system, alongside strengthening the ties between Oosterwold and Almere in The Netherlands.
The targeted area of this Living Lab is Oosterwold, an area that is situated at the fringe of the city of Almere (approx. 210 000 residents). Oosterwold should provide 10% of the future food basket of the Almere in the near future. However, the current residents have a predominantly urban background, and although committed to the areas’ ambitions, they have neither sufficient experience nor expertise in short food supply chains. Currently, most surplus of food products are exchanged between neighbours (by using local Facebook groups), though with a rising number of new residents in the area the excess of food products is rising too.
In the area networks of producers (private, semi-professionals and professionals) are emerging and there is the need to find how to organise a short supply chain to exchange the area’s products, within and beyond the area.
Living Lab coordinator: Wageningen University and Research
Domain: Agriculture, Rural
Focal question
Objectives
- Improve the exchange of knowledge and experiences with short food supply chains in Oosterwold using digital technologies.
- Support innovative local short food supply chain(s) by using digital technologies, both within Oosterwold, and between Oosterwold and the city of Almere.
Main stakeholders
National authorities: Ministry of agriculture & food/RVOB
Regional public authority: Province of Flevoland representative
Local public authority: Oosterwold Authority (Area official, area manager and area communication officer; Chief Councillor/representative Municipality Almere; Chief Councillor/representative Municipality Zeewolde).
Local business: Boerderij Vliervelden; Rabo Bank
Local organisations: Chair local platform
Food outlet/short supply chain: Foodmarket Oosterwold (local food exchange platform)
Media: Newspaper Almere vandaag and Omroep Flevoland (online)
Key documents
Policy brief: Towards urban agriculture in 2030
National Policy Analysis: The Netherlands
Practice Abstract: Oosterwold, The Netherlands