From March 21-23, Bucharest hosted the first in-person meeting of the Driving Urban Transition (DUT) Feed4Food project, marking a significant milestone in the initiative’s progress. The event was organised by Bucharest University (https://unibuc.ro/?lang=en) and brought together key project members and experts to discuss updates, collaborations, and future directions.
The meeting commenced with an overview of the Feed4Food project presented by Project Coordinator Lia van Wesenbeeck. This introduction set the stage for a series of insightful presentations. Kervie Tocze demonstrated the functionality of the dashboard for data collection, while George Zaimes provided updates on the activities and future plans of the Drama Living Lab. Vassilis Litskas laborated on the progress at the Strovolos Living Lab in Cyprus. He emphasised the strong involvement of the Strovolos municipality in local projects, particularly in agriculture, herbal production, and farming. Additionally, Litskas highlighted his academic contributions, including his teaching on organic farming. Adriano Mauro, presented the results of one year of dissemination and communication activities. He shared key achievements, highlighting the reach and impact of the project’s efforts. The presentation included an overview of engagement metrics, outreach successes, and the numbers achieved over the past year, showcasing the effectiveness of the project’s communication strategy.
In the afternoon, following the productive partners’ meeting, the project partners had the opportunity to engage with university students and experts in an interactive workshop. The session featured a presentation by the Department of Meteorology and Climatology, focusing on climate change and its impacts. This exchange provided valuable insights and fostered discussions on climate-related challenges and solutions.
This part featured guest speakers, including a special presentation by Florin Ciolacu from the Romanian Farmers Club. Ciolacu shared insights on the current situation of farmers in Romania, focusing on the challenges they face in organizing associations to amplify their political influence and enhance their productivity. A critical issue discussed was the lack of administrative and digital skills among farmers, which hampers their potential growth and efficiency.
Further presentations included a report from the national climatology agency, which manages extensive databases aimed at disaster prevention. Additionally, the Department of Meteorology and Climatology contributed to the discussions with insights on climate change. This session was delivered in Romanian, accommodating students who were present, but an English version of the presentation was made available for those interested.
The gathering proved to be an invaluable opportunity for participants to engage face-to-face, fostering collaboration and strengthening the network for future developments. The event reinforced the commitment of all participants to advancing sustainable food environments and innovative agricultural practices across Europe.
