UU Global Sustainability Sciences students help analyse our MRA roll-out process

Over the past four years, Amped and Local2Local have aligned with a broad range of stakeholders in the Metropoolregio Amsterdam (MRA) regarding a strategy to adopt to build a robust, regional and regenerative food system. The strategy is now up and running in quite a unique form. The ‘MRA working group’ has faced numerous challenges and required several key pivots to arrive at its current position. Now used as our working Proof-of-Concept, we are aiming to implement this MRA-process more efficiently in other regions. We therefore require more insights:

  • have an in-depth review and analysis of the last four years’ events, pointing at key (un)successful pivots and learning;
  • find a way to communicate the MRA-process efficiently to other regions and how it can help these regions;
  • establish the way this model can be replicated efficiently and effectively.

Utrecht University (Future Food Utrecht) and AMPED/Local2Local work closely together on the transition to local food and a regional food system. The strength of the collaboration lies in the knowledge of researchers, the enthusiasm of students, the university’s education programme and the network of Amped and Local2Local. Researchers from Future Food Utrecht are conducting research on the food transition. Over the last 7 years more than 500 students from UU, but also HU and HKU participated in Local2Local projects and initiatives.

Consultancy project
On February 9 2023 eight bachelor students from UU’s Global Sustainability Sciences were briefed on this consultancy project, tasks were divided and they will finish their research midway April. In order to have a 360-degree perspective, the analysis is done with two perspectives: through the Amped/L2L lens and the one of our partners and stakeholders.

Local2Local and AMPED and are very much looking forward to the report, which will be part of the sourcing for the larger scope of research AMPED has initiated in partnership with UU and other universities.