DownScale-Up!

Abstract

The Netherlands exported in 2017 for 91,7 billion euros and exported for even more: 62,6 billion euros(CBS, 2018). This shows the big agri-food fl ows in which the Netherlands is involved. Sadly, these global fl ows have a big impact on economic, social and environmental sustainability worldwide. For example, transport causes many emissions, there is an unfair economic system that keeps farmers trappedand there is a lot of environmental damage. This is a situation that needs to change, but the Netherlands is also very dependent on the economy that the worldwide trade brings. This shows the problemthat South Holland is dealing with: The Netherlands is too much economic dependent on its agri-foodimport and export fl ows and is thereby causing economic, social and environmental sustainability challenges.This report proposes to DownScale international agri-food fl ows and Scale-Up a regional food system.The import and export fl ows are limited to only the European Union while food hubs and knowledgenetworks contribute to a system in which local food consumption and participation are important values. Waste, water and CO2 systems contribute to a circular approach of these DownScaled fl ows andthe production of seaweed helps to change the diet which is necessary to make a DownScaled systempossible. The report is supported by a sustainability triangle resulting from the nested sustainabilitymodel, the R-ladder of sustainability and the X-curve for a sustainable transition. A toolkit of interventions is designed as a strategy to achieve the vision goals. With DownScale-Up a new circular economywith DownScaled international fl ows and a Scaled-Up regional food system, is created by 2050. CBS (2018), De Nederlandse Landbouwexport, retrieved in March 2021, from https://edepot.wur.nl/434974#:~:text=%E2%80%94%20De%20export%20van%20landbouwgoederen1)%20wordt,1%20miljard%20euro%20in%202017