Category Archives: Research

Research

“Sugar in Dutch foods throughout the years” – MSc-thesis possibility with Rural Sociology and Food Technology

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Sugar in Dutch foods throughout the years: proposal for a Rural Sociology Master’s Thesis supervised by dr Jessica Duncan of the Rural Sociology Group and dr ir Ralf Hartemink of the Food Technology Group of Wageningen University.

Note: the research question is proposed by Knowledge Centre for Sugar & Nutrition (Kenniscentrum suiker & voeding). They will review the thesis and potentially use findings to develop a fact sheet on the history of sugar use in the Netherlands.

Research context and problem:

Today, it is not uncommon to read warning of the impacts of increasing amounts of sugars being added foods and drinks and thus increasing sugar intake by consumers. But is this the case in the Netherlands? Are Dutch people using more sugar in their cooking? Are they consuming more sugar in ready-made products? Has the sugar content in these products increased over the years? If so, by how much and why? In order to establish an overview of trends in sugar use in some typical Dutch products the researcher will:

  1. Research and map sugar trends in foods and drinks throughout the years (both domestic cooking and industrially prepared foods);
  2. Research the functionalities of sugar in a variety of products in the context of the trends.
  3. Analyse the  social and technological drivers and implications of the trends

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Stedelijke herstructurering via onderhandeling

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Next to the many agricultural and food related researchers and PhD candidates, I sometimes feel a little bit odd within the Rural Sociology group. During my PhD research I study land transactions between governments and private landowners. The link to food is present, but not so obvious. Yet, land is a basic resource for food production. If you look at it that way, my research might be less ‘odd’ as it seems at first sight. Via my employer ‘Kadaster’ I write a monthly blog on urban renewal, that I would like to share with you. I think that some of the issues that I find during my research have similarities with issues during food research. Unfortunately for the non-Dutch readers, the blog is in Dutch.

Onderhandelen komt voor in alle tijden en culturen. We onderhandelen over de prijs van ons huis, de verdeling van de taken in het huishouden (doe jij de boodschappen, dan begin ik alvast met koken), onze arbeidsvoorwaarden en nog veel meer. Door te onderhandelen kunnen partijen met verschillende belangen tot een gezamenlijke overeenkomst komen. Maar we zijn het onderhandelen in Nederland de laatste jaren ook steeds verder verleerd. In veel oosterse landen is het nog heel gewoon om over de prijs van je dagelijkse boodschappen te onderhandelen. Wij hebben gewoon prijskaartjes. En mogen we een keer onderhandelen over bijvoorbeeld de prijs van een woning, dan laat menigeen dat liever aan een expert over.

Met regels en richtlijnen hebben we een samenleving gecreëerd waarin onderhandelen steeds minder nodig is. Vaak is dit maar goed ook. Ik moet er niet aan denken om dagelijks te moeten onderhandelen over de snelheid die ik op de weg mag rijden, of over de prijs van een brood. Maar met alle regels en richtlijnen die we in de loop der tijd hebben ontwikkeld is de flexibiliteit die aanwezig is tijdens een onderhandeling ook verdwenen. Want regels zijn regels, en daar hebben we ons dus aan te houden.

Een van de problemen bij stedelijke herstructurering is dan ook dat gebrek aan flexibiliteit en samenwerking. Onderhandelen zit niet in onze planningscultuur en systeem. De overheid is gewend een plan te ontwikkelen, daar eventueel de mening van de inwoners over te vragen, het op basis hiervan waar mogelijk wat aan te passen, om vervolgens het plan te gaan realiseren. Regelgeving is er voor vrijwel elke stap in het proces. Een nieuw plan moet bijvoorbeeld zes weken ter inzage liggen. En dan zijn we vervolgens verbaasd als dat hele proces moeizaam gaat of langer duurt dan gepland. Het belang en de mogelijkheden van onderhandeling zijn in dit proces schromelijk onderschat. We zouden inwoners en eigenaren als samenwerkingspartners moet zien, in plaats van als lastige burgers die moeten participeren. En ons echt verdiepen in hun belangen; met ze in gesprek gaan, luisteren en onderhandelen. Ik ben ervan overtuigd dat je daar veel meer mee kunt bereiken dan met een starre planprocedure volgens de wettelijke kaders. Die kun je altijd nog gebruiken als je er echt niet samen uitkomt.

Alle eerdere blogs zijn te vinden op: http://www.binnenlandsbestuur.nl/ruimte-en-milieu/partners/kadaster/sanne-holtslag-broekhof.9175800.lynkx

 

Imagining Research for Food Sovereignty (video)

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This video – ImaginingResearch for Food Sovereignty – highlights the outcomes of the farmer exchanges and the St Ulrich workshop deliberations.

For more information about the St. Ulrich Workshop on Democratising Agricultural Research for Food Sovereignty and Peasant Agrarian Cultures and theDemocratising Food and Agricultural Research initiative go here:http://www.excludedvoices.org/st-ulrich-workshop-democratising-agricultural-research-food-sovereignty-and-peasant-agrarian-culture

Two food and urban farming conferences in The Netherlands in May 2014

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Take action? Collaborative action for more sustainable food systems

PUREFOOD Conference, May 14th, Utrecht (The Netherlands)

On Wednesday May 14th 2014, the international PUREFOOD conference will take place in Utrecht (The Netherlands): “Take action? Collaborative action for more sustainable food systems.” This day marks the finalization of the EU-funded PUREFOOD program. The conference is connected to the Day of Urban Farming (‘Dag van de Stadslandbouw’), which takes place on May 15th in Utrecht.

The PUREFOOD conference starts with an informal drink and local bite on Tuesday evening the 13th of May. Wednesday morning the 14th will stimulate the dialogue between you and business, government and civil society representatives, with reflections by keynote listener Tim Lang (Professor of Food Policy at City University London). Taking 3 short, inspirational talks as the starting point, we will try to find answers to the rather challenging tasks we face for the (near) future with regard to making our food system more sustainable. With the experience of 12 PUREFOOD researchers, plus the presence of experienced and well-known scholars and practitioners, we can draw from a rich ‘database’ of knowledge. The challenge will be to connect all this knowledge present and translate it into advice for and action by various actors within our food system.

Wednesday afternoon 3 different excursions are offered, all visiting Utrecht and its peri-urban fringes. During the excursion you will experience the rich history of urban and peri-urban agriculture in Utrecht. The results of the workshop sessions and discussions on Wednesday morning, will feed into 9 English spoken sessions during the Day of Urban Farming on Thursday May 15th.

For more information: www.purefoodconference.com.

Third Edition Day of Urban Farming, The Netherlands

May 14th-17th Utrecht (The Netherlands)

After two previous editions in Almere (2012) and Rotterdam (2013), the Day of Urban Farming (‘Dag van de Stadslandbouw’) has become the authoritative professional event in the field of urban and urban oriented farming in The Netherlands. During this National Platform on May 15th 2014, its 400 participants and about 80 speakers will deal with the central topic how urban and peri-urban  farming and regional food systems can fulfill the needs of Dutch cities, its inhabitants and local farmers. Participants at the conference are farmers and urban farming entrepreneurs, food & agriculture executives and executives from city and regional governments, health organizations, social institutions, real estate developers, housing corporations, universities and colleges.

The conference consist of a plenary session with keynote speaker Claus Meyer (founder New Nordic Cuisine Movement; co-owner restaurant Noma (Copenhagen) and Sharon Dijksma (Minister of Agriculture of The Netherlands). The plenary session is followed by three rounds of breakout sessions, where one will be able to discuss a broad variety of urban farming subjects in further detail. Main items in 2014 will be:

  • health and social aspects
  • business models, value creation and economics
  • cultivation in and on buildings
  • urban area development and placemaking
  • sustainability and local cycles
  • local and regional food networks
  • urban and regional food policies and planning

For English speaking participants, 9 of the 27 breakout sessions will be held in English (in co-operation with the PUREFOOD conference). During three excursions on Wednesday May 14th, one will be able to meet farmers and urban gardeners in and around the city of Utrecht and hear about their experiences. On Saturday April 17th, the general public is invited to visit urban farms and urban gardens all over The Netherlands. In this way, local residents get the chance to become acquainted with urban farming projects in their own neighborhood.

For more information: www.dagvandestadslandbouw.nl.

Master thesis and internship possibilities: INNOVATIVE AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY IN THE PYRENEES

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The project takes place in a little mountain village in the Spanish Pyrenees. The question is formulated by a Dutch woman who lives and works in this village. 

The central question is: How can agriculture, in a little mountain village in the Spanish Pyrenees, be developed in a way that meets the circumstances and needs of today?

This particular mountain village has been abandoned for fifty years. The association ‘Muro de Solana’ (http://murodesolana.org/) is dedicated to bring it back to life.

Pyreneeen

The means of living here used to be cattle breeding and farming, mainly producing potatoes and wheat. Since many people have left, the once cultivated fields have been replanted with pine trees. The terrain  has small fields and difficult access and also a lack of water supply. The village used to have only a few  hectares of farming fields, however, for this project they consider an area between 1-10 hectares. A true challenge!

Rather than going back to the old means of agriculture the association looks for innovative ways of farming which meet the circumstances and needs of today. This means the development of farming practices which improve the soil quality, are less intense in labour, produce products based on demands, and reconstruct the current forest fields.

The research results can be an inspiring example for other (semi-)abandoned villages in the North of Spain, giving villages an source of income, as well as providing reduced risks of forest fires.

Main goal is to regenerate forest farming fields, now poor in biodiversity and with the risk of forest fires (due to the planted pine trees), into useful, productive and fertile terrain.

There is no deadline for this project.

Contact person: lummina.horlings@wur.nl