ShefFood – Sheffield’s Food Partnership

The diversity of both long established and newly emerging food and drink related activities taking place across Sheffield is entering an exciting new phase of development as the City continues to work towards wider recognition as a 'Sustainable Food City'.

The Sheffield Food Strategy 2014-17 set out what Sheffield City Council and partners aimed to do between 2014-17 to improve the local food system. The strategy came to an end in 2017. There is widespread acknowledgement of the need to refresh the objectives of the strategy, make them relevant to the current context and set out new aims and ambitions for the future.

Developing a sustainable food system for Sheffield is a huge challenge. But thankfully - true to their stoic and independent character – the people of Sheffield are still rising to this challenge. Since the mid-1980s there have been progressive food plans, strategies and policies developed on an understanding that local government, the NHS, universities, business and Sheffield communities must all work together in partnership to create the lasting change needed. This important work continues - today and into the future.

A renewed energy and enthusiasm is present in Sheffield communities where decades of amazing local food work continues to blossom. A major challenge ahead is to turn the challenges of price increases, farm labour shortages and market volatility into opportunities for the community economic development of urban and peri-urban horticultural enterprise – intensively grown organic fruit and vegetables, developing skills and community resources, creating local employment and promoting sustainable local economies.

A willingness to share learning on food policy with other UK cities and make positive change happen is increasingly apparent in the Council and other key city institutions. An independent and equitable food partnership for Sheffield has been a longstanding ambition, and will be necessary to achieve a holistic outcome that must be greater than the sum of its parts. As more UK cities adopt this partnership approach to becoming sustainable food cities we can learn from each other – and understand how best we can make this happen in Sheffield for ourselves.

There is the shared vision and strategic commitment to develop the environmental and economic benefits of a more resilient and sustainable food system for the Sheffield City Region. The opportunity exists to create policy which can be developed and resourced to support environmentally, socially and economically resilient mixed farming systems and land based industries – creating a truly productive landscape – and positioning ‘Food, Fuel & Fibre’ as economic and environmental equals to keep the ‘Fun’ at the beating heart of The Outdoor City Economic Strategy for Sheffield.

Current projects

Proposed Action Plan & Time Line:

1. Learn - create a series of opportunities for key stakeholders to learn about and align their work with the Sustainable Food Cities approach

2. Convene - invite stakeholders to make a positive commitment to joining a food partnership and work towards making Sheffield a sustainable food city

3. Refresh - update profile for Sheffield with the Sustainable Food Cities Network and establish public identity and point of contact / information (eg. website, email, social media etc.)

4. Constitute - establish a cross-sector food partnership that brings together lead partners and stakeholders willing to work together towards making Sheffield a sustainable food city

5. Review - review existing Sheffield Food Strategy and other related policy, strategy documents etc., map against the 6 SFC key issues and identify key areas for policy revision and prioritisation

6. Summit – approach SFC to co-host and facilitate a sustainable food summit for Sheffield, enabling wider engagement and promoting partnership cohesion

7. Plan - develop an up to date food action plan for Sheffield, in consultation with partners and the wider stakeholder community, with partners taking responsibility for actions where they have a lead role

8. Deliver - work together to implement the action plan through a variety of mechanisms, including campaigns, policy initiatives, education & trainings, practical projects, public celebrations and partnership working and networking

9. Measure - develop a set of indicators that will help measure the positive impacts of implementing the food plan and guide future direction

10. Grant - apply for SFC Co-ordinators Grant to boost capacity of partnership with the aim of working towards an SFC Award in 2020

11. Campaign - apply for a SFC Campaign Grant in 2018

12. Award - work towards a Sustainable Food Cities Award for Sheffield, to recognise and celebrate the success of taking a joined up, holistic approach to food and achieving significant positive change on a range of key food issues across the City (2020)

Documents

Soon to be added

A wide range of individuals and organisations are currently involved in this next exciting phase of developing a sustainable food system for Sheffield. If you would like to find out more, or get involved please get in touch.