AbstractThe general objective of the project is to integrate “know what” (that is, advancement in scientific knowledge) about the impact of food chains, with “know how” (that is, application of knowledge to practice) to increase the sustainability of food chains through public policies and private strategies. This general objective will be pursued through the following specific objectives:
- Objective 1: To develop and validate a ‘performance criteria matrix’ of economic, social, environmental, health, ethical performance (multiple costs and benefits + resilience and security) criteria for assessment and comparison of food chains operating at a range of geographical scales;
- Objective 2: To measure the performance criteria and build a) a database of quantifiable indicators b) a set of case studies;
- Objective 3: To advance knowledge on methodological problems and trade-offs arising when measuring and comparing the impact of food chains;
- Objective 4: To assess how performance is characterized by stakeholders in different national contexts;
- Objective 5: To assess the actual and potential role of public and private policies addressing food chains – with reference with economic, social, health, environmental, ethic policy fields - for the pursuit of smart, inclusive and sustainable growth, and to turn assessment into policy recommendations;
- Objective 6: To build a network that turns the advancement of scientific knowledge on food chains into decision making tools for domestic and public consumers, producers, citizens, scientists, policy makers, civil society organizations.
