4.1 Preparing the FoodSAT workshop

4 How to organize a participatory food system sustainability assessment and transformation

4.1 Preparing the FoodSAT workshop

Afterwards, a FoodSAT can be launched in a workshop at a convenient place and time. This requires appropriate planning and logistical preparations. In this manual, we describe the steps involved in a workshop lasting two or three days. A workshop can cover steps 2–6 of the FoodSAT, as outlined in chapter 3.

Moderation of a FoodSAT workshop requires certain skills and experience with workshop methods. The goal is to create a working environment that enables all participants to feel included and valued. Various methods can be used to “break the ice” that are not specific to FoodSAT. However, a few points are worth mentioning:

• Before starting a FoodSAT workshop, it is useful to know the composition of the participants in advance, especially in order to facilitate a transdisciplinary process that values the different types of knowledge they bring to the table. A transdisciplinary dialogue is possible and desirable between diverse actors – including academics and non-academics.

• Where possible, avoid use of terms that might produce social segregation, such as

“professional” and “non-professional”, “scientific” and “non-scientific”, as well as categorization based on marital status, religious affiliation, and the like.

• Propose presentations that help to locate the actors geographically, for example according to their region, municipality, or place of origin. This helps to shed light on their role in particular value chains.

• Securing the participation of different stakeholder groups can enhance the diversity of voices and produce more resilient outcomes. A good mix might include men, women, local government representatives, community representatives, students, practitioners, and so on. Try to identify a language that unifies the group. In the case of participants who do not understand the language used for assessment, make sure that someone is responsible for translation to avoid limitations in access to information.

Figure 8. A local family farming movement in Santa Catarina, Brazil, changed laws that discriminated against traditional foods such as raw milk cheese. Photo: Johanna Jacobi