Co-creating a local food action plan with ShefFood

FixOurFood "aims to understand and build pathways towards more regenerative food systems in the Yorkshire and Humber region" (FixOurFood 2023) with one work package considering innovative forms of food policy and governance. In this collaboration, ShefFood and FixOurFood co-developed an action research project to create a local food action plan. The aim was to learn by doing, to deliver an ambitious local food policy and to "critically reflect on the process of developing a local food action plan in order to share lessons with other food partnerships around the country." (Treuherz, Yap, and Rowson 2023)

A researcher from FixOurFood, ShefFood’s partnership coordinators and representatives from almost 100 organisations across Sheffield (including growers, farmers, caterers, residents, businesses, universities, community groups, food pantries, food banks, social eating spaces, and Sheffield City council).

This collaborative project involving ShefFood, FixOurFood and the local community in the co-creation of a seven-year local food action plan for Sheffield is an example of 'bottom-up' policymaking (FixOurFood 2023).

ShefFood and FixOurFood held a debrief session following each workshop, reflecting on processes, and noting power dynamics in discussions. Group members were also engaged in structured reflections to consider improvements for future workshops. 

ShefFood and FixOurFood are co-authoring a publication to share reflections and learning from the process of developing a local food action plan.  

The process of co-developing the local action plan was considered an opportunity to leverage and build on existing networks in the Sheffield area: 

Times and locations for workshop meetings were selected to maximise participation. ShefFood received financial support to fund workshops, including food and travel expenses for participants: