How can we scale regenerative food systems? There are so many benefits to food from food hubs, box schemes and farmers markets – the food is tastier and healthier, farmers get more of the retail price, nature, ecology and society all benefit. But currently regenerative food systems aren’t scaling. There are many reasons for this. Regenerative food businesses find their strength and resilience in being small. But, without the economies of scale and supportive infrastructure, they tend to be more expensive and less convenient than their supermarket counterparts. Changing this is no easy feat. We need to invest in the right infrastructure and research. We need to understand this sector in a much broader and deeper way. This is what the Food Data Collaboration is seeking to do.
Across Devon and Cornwall, Tamar Grow Local, the Good Food Loop, and In My Back Yard are participating in a trial of a new data infrastructure for the agroecological sector. We have plugged in the Open Food Network to Shopify to enable products from Britain’s pulse and grain pioneers Hodmedod’s to be listed and ordered via the food hubs. Ordering Hodmedod’s products from one of these hubs over the coming weeks is enabling us to test our prototype and leverage the Good Food Loop for efficient distribution. It’s a small step, and part of a much bigger picture.
The Food Data Collaboration is working to link together the different digital systems that are used across the agroecological sector. The goal is to create a much deeper understanding and visibility on what is being produced, where, how is it being distributed. This data will help to understand what investment is needed where: Where will processing facilities and warehouses unlock the next scale? Where does distribution need support and where do the potentials for collaboration exist? Where are there gaps in production in areas well suited? The data infrastructure also unlocks the potential for cross-selling and collaborations, enabling producers to sell more of their produce through direct and short supply networks in a more streamlined way – managing one inventory to sell through outlets across the region.
The infrastructure works by creating a data layer that directly interfaces with the tools farmers, producers, retailers and businesses are already using – spreadsheets, POS, Shopify, WordPress, Open Food Network, Big Barn, Ooooby and more. Once connected products and orders can be shared across the network, between organisations with data sharing agreements in place and respecting privacy at every step. In this way businesses can connect and collaborate without changing their existing business processes.
If you’re based in Cornwall or Devon and are ordering from Tamar Valley Food Hubs or In My Back Yard over the coming weeks, add something from Hodmedod’s to your order and help test out this new data infrastructure. You won’t notice any difference to the ordering process – everything happens in the background. One small step toward mainstreaming agroecological food systems.