Sustainable Food Laboratory

Contingent upon funding and interest from the Lab Team, the Food Lab will collaborate with Chinese partners to convene a two-week Mini-Lab in China with learning journeys, reflection in nature, dialogue and elaboration of possible Chinese participation in work on supply chains and commodity standards.

Pierre Vuarin first developed the plan, with his Chinese colleagues, and the Charles Leopold Mayer Foundation will co-sponsor the event. If SFL is successful at raising funds, and if enough SFL leaders are interested, the group will meet with Chinese food system leaders in Beijing October 22 and conclude 12 to 14 days later.

The tentative design is for about 40 people – half Chinese and half from the Food Lab from different continents – to address food security, food sovereignty and food sustainability.The collaboration would begin with the sharing of papers so that participants can better understand conditions in different regions of the world and perspectives about food security and sustainabilty and then build on the social methodology and global network of the Sustainable Food Laboratory. The two week process would be conducted with translation between Chinese, English, French and Spanish.

Learning journeys would compliment time together getting acquainted and exchanging views. The workshop will culminate with identifying areas of potential work together.

Chinese conveners:
CHEN YUEGUANG
Chief editor, Science and Technology in China
web site: www.kjzg.com.cn

ZHANG Xiaoshan
Director
Rural Development Institute, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

Sustainable Food Lab Leader:

Contact: Hal Hamilton