Towards more sustainable food provision
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Newsletter 02/2026
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Welcome to the latest edition of the VISIONARY newsletter!
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First up, our big news: together with our sister project ENFASYS, we will host our final conference this June in Brussels. The event is aimed especially at policymakers, but of course welcomes all stakeholders working towards more sustainable food systems.
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We also take a look back at the final SPI workshops, where partners explored how to turn research into policy action, connect smallholder farms to local food experiences, and bring stakeholders from across the food system together.
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In our series “Introducing…”, we turn to Denmark, where the team at the University of Copenhagen explores what drives farmers’ responses to sustainability policies. And in “SPI of the month”, we present an unexpected approach to reducing methane emissions in dairy farming – essential oils.
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We hope you enjoy the read!
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P.S.: To all new subscribers - make sure to follow us on LinkedIn for bite-sized updates.
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From Research to Action: VISIONARY & ENFASYS Final Conference
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ENFASYS and VISIONARY, two sister projects promoting the shift towards more sustainable farming and food systems, invite you to their joint final event. Bringing together policy actors, agri-food stakeholders, practitioners, and researchers, the projects will present their concluding insights on how combining system-level approaches with behavioural research -alongside social, policy, and economic instruments - can accelerate the transition toward more sustainable food and farming systems in Europe. What’s on …
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Final round of SPI workshops
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Several partners in the VISIONARY consortium recently hosted their final SPI workshops, bringing together stakeholders from across the food system — including policymakers, researchers, farmers, NGOs, and consumer representatives.
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The Universitat Politècnica de València focused its session on a key question: how can research be effectively translated into concrete policy action to support a fair and sustainable food system? You can read more about their workshop here.
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Highclere Consulting, meanwhile, explored ways to better connect smallholder farms with modern food supply chains through its SPI on Local Gastronomic Points (LGPs). These small, family-run food establishments transform agricultural household production into distinctive local culinary experiences. Check out their highlights here.
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Introducing... University of Copenhagen, Denmark
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Why do some farmers respond to sustainability policies – while others don’t?
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Next up in our series “Introducing…” is VISIONARY partner University of Copenhagen who looks into exactly this question. Within VISIONARY, UCPH leads Work Package 3 (WP3), which explores the key factors determining farmers’ behavioural responses to policy initiatives aimed at promoting transitions towards more sustainable farming systems.
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SPI of the month: Greenhouse gas mitigation via feed additives
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How can feed additives help reduce methane emissions from dairy farming while maintaining economic viability? This question drives the Science-Policy Interface (SPI) on greenhouse gas mitigation in Trento, Italy. At the heart of this SPI is the EcoLivestock project, an innovative initiative that investigates the use of essential oils and other feed additives to reduce methane emissions from cattle while...
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COMING UP
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In our next newsletter, we will introduce the team from ZALF, Germany and continue our series "SPI of the month" on Legumes for food – increasing consumer demand in Denmark. And, of course, report on all things VISIONARY.
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Funded by the European Union under GA no. 101060538. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or REA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
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The work of UK participants was funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee [grant numbers 10037976 (University of Aberdeen) and 10044788 (University of Exeter)].
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