Study title

The SIRIUS project is an international and interdisciplinary research project that studies innovation in (and for) sustainable urban food systems. The project is doing so by exploring regions in China, one region in the United Kingdom and one in the Netherlands. For this data set, we have conducted 17 interviews in the UK on innovations in the food systems. Together, these will allow us (and any other users of this data set) to explore the role of sustainable innovations in urban food systems. The interviews were conducted with organisations, companies, start-ups, NGO’s, or civil groups which we believe to be innovative with respect to food system change. Innovation can be understood as a range of novel alternatives: e.g. a new practice, a novel process, a new network formation, a new technology, or a new understanding or discourse. In the interview guide, we have used the concept [organisation] to describe all earlier mentioned actors: organisations, companies, start-ups, NGOs, and civil groups. In our experience, the interviews last between 40-60 min.Sustainable urbanisation is coupled with the sustainability and resilience of 'glocal' food production and consumption. Economic transformation and climate change have brought complex and dynamic challenges for urban food systems, while new urban economies and social innovations are emerging in various countries to tackle food problems. However, identifying and assessing transition pathways of future urban food systems remain primarily neglected in studies on urban sustainability. Local planners and policy-makers seek scientific guidance and learning opportunities about mechanisms to navigate towards sustainable urban food systems. This project will develop interdisciplinary methods, innovative understandings, and practical managerial insights bridging socio-spatial contexts in China and Europe. It will shed light on trends of urban food production and consumption in Chinese and European cities, and identify the...