A project carried out by a team from the University of Aberdeen has found that one of the biggest obstacles to creating a more sustainable food system is a lack of collaboration between the people and organisations involved in producing, processing, selling, regulating and researching food.
The EU and UKRI-funded VISIONARY project, which was completed in August, explored pathways towards sustainable food systems and concluded that the challenge is not a lack of scientific knowledge or willingness to change, but rather progress is being hindered by fragmented decision-making and poor connections across the food sector.
While today's food system provides affordable and accessible food for many, it also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, pollution, food waste and poor dietary outcomes. Farmers, communities and policymakers are increasingly being asked to balance food production with environmental responsibilities, yet no single organisation can tackle these challenges alone.
According to the research team, farmers, retailers, processors, policymakers, researchers and community organisations often work towards similar goals but rarely have opportunities to collaborate effectively. This can reinforce existing power imbalances, leaving smaller producers and local initiatives with limited influence.
Dr Shadi Hashem, Project Co-Lead at the University of Aberdeen, said: "Everyone in the food chain is left to navigate the problems alone, and the result is a food system that lurches on. What is needed is more durable collaboration and collective action that brings stakeholders together across knowledge, supply chain infrastructure and market boundaries."
The project highlights social innovation as a key driver of change. Alongside technological advances and policy reform, building relationships, trust and shared purpose across the food system is essential to achieving long-term transformation.
Dr Hashem continued: “One example emerged from a VISIONARY workshop that brought together food producers, community organisations and public sector partners to discuss barriers to promote expansion of organic farming in Scotland. Through sustained networking, these practitioners-built partnerships across different sectors and organisations, involving Sustain, Soil Association Scotland, Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET), Royal Northern Countryside Initiative (RNCI), Aberdeen City Council and an organic pea farmer in Aberdeenshire.
“As a result, locally grown organic split peas are now being served in eleven recipes across Aberdeen City Council’s primary and secondary schools as part of the ‘Give peas a chance’ scheme, demonstrating how collaboration can create practical solutions with tangible community benefits. This example was not without difficulties, but it demonstrates the power of collective action and social innovation, which can be the spark to create change”
Sarah Gowanlock, Programme Manager at Soil Association Scotland, said “We were delighted to work in close partnerships with multiple Council teams, education partners with RHET and RNCI, and with Phil Swire the farmer to make the Give Peas a Chance! pilot possible. The facilitated communication across partners enhanced every aspect, from planning to delivery and evaluation; getting everyone around the table meant we were able to problem solve, collaborate better, and learn together.”
Phil Swire, a farmer working in Aberdeenshire, said: “The work of VISIONARY clearly highlighted the missing link between the farmer and the consumer as a key problem in the food system and that the key question is how we make that link – the supply chain – more equitable and fairer, in terms of who takes the risk and who pays. It seems there is a lot of pressure at the bottom of the supply chain and unwillingness to adapt at the other end. VISIONARY has shown that other countries are way ahead of what we are doing in Scotland, and brought people together across the supply chain, and across countries, to inspire change.”
The project has also supported wider community-led initiatives, including FoodLink NE, a social enterprise established in 2025 to improve access to locally produced food across Aberdeenshire. The network brings together producers, researchers and community organisations to strengthen local supply chains and encourage greater public engagement with local food.
Natalie Jurdeczka of FoodLink NE said: “FoodLink NE was created from the understanding that real change in our food system happens when producers and communities are genuinely connected. Across the North‑east, we’re developing shared markets, strengthening local supply chains, and creating practical ways for people to learn more about locally grown food and the people who produce it. Whether through our producer network, food hubs or community gatherings like ‘A Taste of Place’, we’re making it easier for people to engage with and influence their local food system. The more these connections grow, the more resilient our region becomes — not by waiting for solutions from elsewhere, but by creating them together.”
The VISIONARY team is calling for greater investment in collaborative approaches that bring together producers, communities, policymakers and supply-chain partners. With growing pressures on land use, biodiversity and climate targets, the researchers argue that collective action offers one of the most promising routes towards a more sustainable and resilient food system.
For more information and access to project outputs, visit https://visionary-project.eu.