Networks

From ideas to implementation

Berlin and Brandenburg combine urban food demand with agricultural production, food processing, logistics, research, enterprise and strong civic initiatives. Yet these capacities are often connected mostly for the duration of individual projects or funding programs. Promising ideas can stall between research, testing and the decisions needed for procurement, operating practice, investment or policy.

Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB) is co-developing the FutureFoodS Lighthouse Living Lab as a city-region platform to help close this gap. It aims to connect existing initiatives, facilities and real-world settings around a selected portfolio of concrete problems for a healthy resilient and sustainable food systems in Berlin-Brandenburg.

The FutureFoodS Lighthouse Living Lab is anchored in the FutureFoodS Partnership, and relates to ATB’s roles in the AGROECOLOGY Partnership, and the Leibniz Innovation Farm for Sustainable Bioeconomy (InnoHof).

Mission

Our mission is to strengthen Berlin–Brandenburg’s capacity to move from shared food-system priorities and research to tested, evidence-informed action. The Lighthouse will connect each selected problem with the people, key actors, knowledge, places and resources needed to work on it in practice.

Key priorities

• Regional short supply, processing and logistics
• Food policy and public procurement
• Food access and everyday food environments

Approach

The Lighthouse focuses on a selected number of regional problems where several actors need to work together and there is a realistic path to action. Around each problem, it brings together those directly involved, those who can develop and test possible responses, and those able to put the results into practice. Participation is based on a clear role and practical contribution.

 

PROBLEM → COALITION → TEST IN PRACTICE → EVIDENCE → IMPLEMENTATION

 

Before testing begins, the partners agree on the problem, the intended change, the real-world setting and the route to implementation. Building on existing initiatives, facilities and local knowledge, they test practical options and examine their feasibility, effects and trade-offs. The findings lead to a decision of taking an option forward through operations, procurement, investment or policy; revising and testing it again; transferring it to another setting; or stopping.

Partners

• Public authorities, buyers and caterers to clarify implementation problems, test options and develop decision-ready evidence.
• Producers, processors, logistics providers and food businesses to find relevant collaborators, knowledge, test settings and routes towards use.
• Community and civil-society initiatives to bring practical knowledge, shape cases and strengthen approaches with potential beyond one location.
• Research, infrastructure, funders and regional-development actors to ground work in regional practice and identify better prepared cases for support.

Regional, National and European collaborations

Learning would be shared through the FutureFoodS Living Lab network, Agroecology Living Lab and Research Infrastructure Network, where relevant, the Leibniz Research Network “Green Nutrition – Healthy Society” and the Leibniz Lab Systemic Sustainability. 

ATB is coordinating the development of the Lighthouse Living Lab. Its first cases, participation model and long-term structure are being co-shaped with actors in Berlin, Brandenburg and relevant national and European networks. Selected rural Living Lab Nodes are being explored in Brandenburg. Specific organizations will be named as partners once roles are agreed.

 

If your organization brings a concrete regional problem, a suitable real-world setting, a route to implementation or relevant knowledge or infrastructure, please feel invited to reach out with a short outline of the problem, actors already involved and the proposed contribution.