Next phase rollout of regional and regenerative food system in the AMA

Amped and Local2Local have spent the past two years working with the City of Amsterdam, Hello Zuidas, University of Applied Sciences Amsterdam, Province of Flevoland, Province of North Holland, representatives of our farmer collectives and more than 100 other partners on several eye-catching activities to test how the ambition of a robust regional food system in the AMA can become a reality.

The war in Ukraine and geopolitical developments in surrounding countries have shown a very sharp picture in recent months: the food chain we take for granted has come under very high pressure in a very short period of time. A locally and regionally connected food system is more relevant than ever.

Inspiration phase
Amsterdam had already taken steps in the food transition, in the transition to local, sustainable and vital food, but now targets a 25% market share for local food in the AMA.

To this end, the City of Amsterdam worked with Amped, Local2Local and its partners on a strategy to involve everyone in this food transition. This was done over the past two years with an inspiration phase, in which interested organizations got to know the farmers, the offerings and could join the consortium. One of the highlights of this process was the festive presentation of the farmers’ collectives and partners to buyers in the Zuidas, in collaboration with Hello Zuidas at CIRCL, last October. The central theme: the shortest path between farmer and catering company for healthy, fair and sustainable products for employees at the Zuidas. During this event, the reverse marketplace Let’s Get Local was also launched.

Activation phase
On December 3, 2021, Amped concluded the inspiration phase at the Floriade Forum, with the farmers’ table discussions and the presentation of the extraordinary results;

• Over 400 farmers united in 7 short food supply chains, a complete food supply available to the entire AMA and large parts in the Randstad, ready to scale up;
• A broad-based consortium of more than 120 organizations, governments, farmers, educational institutions, caterers and business networks;
• This network covers North Holland and the surrounding provinces of Flevoland (“Amsterdam’s backyard”), Utrecht and South Holland and the Wadden Islands;
• There is an online trading and data platform that supports all short chains.

Co-creation sessions
A series of co-creation sessions with the consortium partners took place in March and April 2022, at the Floriade Expo park in Almere, in the Atrium at the Zuidas and in Pakhuis de Zwijger. For example, in the Atrium, Green Business Club, Hello Zuidas, Food Council MRA, Impact Hub Amsterdam, Hogeschool van Amsterdam, VU Amsterdam, Aeres Hogeschool, Hogeschool Rotterdam, De Oer, Care Institution Omring, Dapper Texel, Food Hub, Vereniging Flevofood, ABN AMRO Bank, Local2Local and Amsterdam’s only and most sustainable fisherman, Hendrik Kramer, came together to agree on how the shared ambitions can be realized practically and expressed their commitment to join forces.

The co-creation sessions gave participants new insights and inspiration, but above all fuel to actively participate in the rollout plan. It is a movement of significance, which the City of Amsterdam, the Province of North Holland and Flevoland, Rabobank and the AMS Institute are a part of.

On Wednesday, June 8, the consortium partners will gather at The Natural Pavilion at Floriade Expo 2022 to conclude the activation phase and enter the conversion phase for the rollout of a robust, regional and regenerative food system in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area.