Name: Workshop: Regenerating sustainable food systems in Eastern Netherlands
Start: 2025-09-19T09:30:00+02:00
End: 2025-09-19T16:00:00+02:00
Location: U Parkhotel

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Friday 19 September 2025 09:30 - 16:00

How can regions guide a transition towards sustainable food systems, for which the urgency has never been greater? Climate change, biodiversity loss, soil degradation, and shifting geopolitical landscapes are placing unprecedented pressure on how we produce, distribute, and consume food. These challenges threaten not only the environment, but also food security and economic resilience. At the same time, they present a critical opportunity to redesign food systems in a way that supports biodiversity initiatives and local economies.

Workshop goals

In the workshop we will explore with practitioners and researchers what a sustainable regional food system and alternative rural-urban land use patterns could look like for the high-lying sandy soil areas in the Eastern Netherlands. We will discuss key barriers and opportunities across multiple governance levels and sectors, examine possible tensions and trade-offs, and outline priorities for a future research agenda to support the development of a climate-resilient regional food system. The main objectives are to:

Develop and compare several scenarios of sustainable food systems at the regional level, incorporating land use and rural-urban interactions, technological and social innovations, water management, nature conservation and restoration needs, food security, and other socio-economic factors
Generate a knowledge and research agenda that identifies the gaps, needs, and priorities for a regional food system transition with a focus on high-lying areas with sandy soils like that in much of the eastern Netherlands

The workshop is thus a kick-off for a longer-term process of establishing a community working on sustainable food system in the region. The results will provide a foundation for designing the next steps which will target the region-specific challenges and opportunities. They will be shared and discussed at the University of Twente Climate Event 2025, a conference of circa 250 participants, on November 5^th (registration is also open for this event).

This University of Twente Climate Centre workshop is organized by Climate Centre Coalitions “Climate Proof Agriculture” and “Urban Adaptation Planning and Governance”.

Date: Friday Sept 19th, 9.30 - 16.00
Venue: U Parkhotel, University of Twente, Enschede
Registration required

Programme

Click to see the full programme

09.30 - 10.00	Registration & welcome
10:00 - 10:10	Introduction to UT Climate Centre and workshop aims
	Cheryl de Boer, Climate Centre
10.10 - 11.10	Plenary talks “The Forefront of Sustainable Food System Science”
	Transition of the Dutch food system Bram van Helvoirt, Lecturer & Researcher, Sustainable Food Systems, HAS Green Academy
	Restoring biodiversity in relation to Dutch agriculture: Core governance challenges Hens Runhaar, Professor, Sustainable Food System Governance, Utrecht University
11.10 - 11:30	Break
11.30 - 12:30	Plenary talks “Regional Realities, Priorities and Potential”
	A policy and practice-based perspective on agriculture Heleen Lansink-Marissen, Environmental Manager Agriculture, Province of Overijssel, systems convener and farmer
	The challenge of water availability for agriculture and a strategy for a resilient water system Stefan Kuks, Chair, Vechtstromen Water Authority
12.30 - 13.30	Lunch
13.30 - 15.30	Parallel interactive sessions “Exploring Possible and Desirable Food System Futures”
15.30 - 16.00	Wrap-up and next steps
16.00 – 17.00	Drinks and Networking

More information

Would you like to know more before registering? Please send an email to climate-centre@utwente.nl.

U Parkhotel

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