The 5th Local Food Exchange in Laško is an important event for the key partners in the local food supply chains, including farmers, sellers and consumers. This event is more than just a place to promote business activities, products and services. It is also a vibrant place for exchanging ideas, showcasing the richness of local agriculture and understanding the value of local food. It champions sustainable agriculture, brings the community closer together and strengthens the local food network. It is an important gathering event for anyone committed to a sustainable and community-oriented food system.
The event was divided into two main parts: Part 1 was dedicated to networking to allow attendees to interact, while Part 2 featured expert presentations that focused on specific topics related to the local food supply chain.
The participants and their contributions
- Local food producers (farmers) shared their experiences and products and offered new insights into sustainable farming practices.
- Representatives of the public sector (municipality, members of the agricultural advisory service, STIK, schools, kindergartens, etc.) explored ways to integrate local food sector into public institutions.
- The local gastronomy discussed innovative ways of incorporating local ingredients into their culinary offerings.
- Invited speakers from different institutions presented valuable research findings and insights.
Part 1: Networking and showcasing
The 5th Local Food Exchange was held at the Thermana Laško Congress Center in Laško, Slovenia. The first part of the event focused on showcasing the diverse range of local food products and fostering connections between local food producers, culinary professionals and key public institutions such as schools, kindergartens, care facilities and hospitals in the Local Action Group “Razvoj podeželja” area and beyond. The aim was to strengthen and expand collaborative networks among partners of local food supply chains. Participants also had the opportunity to explore and taste local products. Mayor of Laško, Marko Šantej, gave opening talk where he highlighted the event as an example of community collaboration that promotes local development and the well-being of citizens of Laško municipality.
Part 2: Expert presentations on specialized topics
The second part of the event consisted of invited talks given by experts from different fields:
- Petra Čad from the Institute for Sustainable Tourism GoodPlace highlighted the pressing issues of food waste in the hospitality and catering industry. Her insights provided a compelling overview of the challenges and potential solutions to waste prevention in these sectors.
- Marko Debeljak and Tanja Dergan, Jožef Stefan Institute, gave an insight into the COCOREADO project and emphasized the importance of creating links between local communities and public institutions to strengthen the local food supply chains in a sustainable way. Their presentation highlighted the collaborative efforts and strategies aimed at and improving community food supply resilience and environmental responsibility for both the production and consumption of food
- Tina Hribar from the Eco-School Initiative presented the “Food is Not for Tossing” project, an educational campaign aimed at reducing food waste and promoting responsible consumption among students and the general public. The project serves as a model for promoting environmental awareness of youth.
- Breda Jenček, an employee of the Alma M. Karlin Vocational and Technical Education Center, explained the innovative concepts of the Zero Waste Catering Lab project. This initiative explores sustainable practices in the catering industry and focuses on waste reduction and efficiency in food preparation and service.
- Polona Bastič from Vojnik Primary School presented the project “Vojčica”, a local initiative that involves primary school pupils in activities about sustainable agriculture, food production and school kitchen and meals. The project illustrates the practical application of environmental education and the positive impact of hands-on learning experiences.
Together, invited talks emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and education in addressing environmental challenges and promoting sustainable practices in various sectors.
JSI presentation: “Connecting Local Communities and Public Institutions on the Path to a Green Future”
We have shown how collaboration between local communities and public institutions can improve food self-sufficiency, reduce food loss and waste, and thereby improve quality of life and environmental protection. We focused on the public food procurement system and illustrated its role in promoting sustainable development in local communities at the municipal level.
Using the municipality of Laško and the Primož Trubar elementary school as examples, we demonstrated how the public procurement system can serve as a catalyst for community development, with a focus on linking locally produced food and school nutrition programs. Close collaboration between local producers and public institutions promotes a circular economy and sustainable consumption, strengthening community cohesion. We highlighted the crucial role of awareness as a key factor in the design and implementation of public procurement policies, illustrated by our analysis of food production in Laško. Based on this analysis, we proposed measures to increase the inclusion of locally produced food in public tenders, which benefits the local economy and the environment.
Finally, we emphasized the importance of an information system for connecting local food producers and public institutions as a crucial element in improving local food self-sufficiency through the public procurement system. We proposed to improve the existing successful data collection with a specific information system that would enable better integration of local food producers into the public procurement process. These improvements would also significantly increase the efficiency of food orders that are exempt from public tenders and allow public bodies to purchase directly from food producers. A comprehensive information system would support the local community to increase the efficiency of using locally produced food in the local environment and reduce food losses in the local food chain.
Reactions and Commitments
All presentations given at the event were received with enthusiasm and positive feedback from participants, reflecting the strong community interest in sustainable local food production and short chains to supply local consumers. The event confirmed the commitment of the participants to local food initiatives and set the stage for further progress in the Laško region and beyond.
Tanja Dergan – Jožef Stefan Institute