Locally produced food - the right choice?

From the region, for the region. Made in Switzerland. Local production is a popular selling point. To what extent do locally produced foods offer ecological and socio-economic advantages? Are there foods that would make more sense to produce abroad?

At the third Basel "FoodTalk", the following experts shed light on precisely these aspects and answered questions from the audience:

• Anik Thaler, agronomist & co-founder of fabas - radically local
• Emilia Schmitt, environmental scientist & research associate at the ZHAW, Geography of Food research group
• Michèle Hürner, Project Manager Direct Marketing Bio Suisse
• Peter Saner, Lawyer & Managing Director of the Basel Farmers' Association BVBB

Sourcing regional products
Regional brands are very successful in the supermarket - even if it is not always clear what is behind the respective labels. The Landi stores in Basel and the surrounding area offer a relatively large range of regional products, which, in contrast to the more nationally oriented VOLG stores, focus on regional products when it comes to fresh produce. However, much more marketing is needed. As the Landi is not present in the cities, it is a little more difficult for city dwellers. Especially if they want to buy local food without intermediaries - this is often only possible with a great deal of effort and idealism on the part of the consumer. So how can regional and local products be made even more visible and available?

Various marketing options
Events such as FoodTalk, as well as advertising on social media, help to raise awareness and visibility. New forms of marketing are needed these days - collaborations and closer partnerships between different players can be key to boosting sales of local products. For production companies such as fabas the availability of products on the shelves of large retailers is also a very important channel for making their own work visible.

Logistics as a tricky nut to crack
Efficient logistics are currently probably the biggest challenge for the successful transfer of locally produced food to the plates of city dwellers. Here, we can learn from retailers, as they have been successfully and economically bringing food to people for decades. New approaches to developing regional logistics, such as "field to table", are also interesting. It is important that transportation costs remain as low as possible so that products do not become more expensive and farmers are paid fair prices.

Is local production more ecological?
Local products do not automatically have a better eco-balance. Regional transport routes must be organized efficiently, otherwise the balance is negative. For example, driving your own car to the farm store for the weekly shop makes little sense. When assessing local production, two further points must also be taken into account: Firstly, social aspects, such as the more direct exchange between producers and consumers. Secondly, Switzerland is currently not self-sufficient.

Switzerland's level of self-sufficiency
Switzerland's level of self-sufficiency is currently around 50%. 100% cannot be achieved with current consumption patterns - and, above all, not in a healthy way, as a study by Agroscope has shown. We would then only eat sugar and potatoes to get our calories, which would be unhealthy in the long term. Consumers today are also used to a colorful, varied and, above all, international diet. This is unlikely to change in the future.

Switzerland's level of self-sufficiency is therefore less relevant than the question of how we can make our food system more sustainable. Self-sufficiency is an illusion. Our food supply can only be secured internationally, because in addition to food, we also source machinery, seeds and labor from abroad. This raises the following questions: What should be produced in Switzerland? And what foodstuffs does it make sense to import from abroad?

Grassland farming & Swiss hummus
When it comes to animal products, Switzerland should focus more on grass-eaters (cattle, cows) and less on poultry and eggs. This is because there is a lot of grassland in Switzerland that cannot be used for arable or vegetable farming, but can only be farmed with the help of ruminants. There are also many advantages to growing Swiss legumes. Legumes bind nitrogen in the soil and thus serve as a natural fertilizer. If Swiss (chick) peas are processed into hummus, plant proteins can also be utilized directly without having to take the time-consuming detour of feeding animal proteins. 

Advantages of local production
Direct marketing of local products is an attractive option for many farms, as most of the added value remains on the farms. With good role models and the exchange of experience, more farms can be encouraged to take the step into direct marketing and thus become more resilient in the face of increasing price pressure and ever higher demands on operational efficiency. Local value chains also have many advantages from a scientific point of view. The specific benefits may vary from case to case. Direct marketing without intermediaries is particularly useful because it allows a farm to generate higher added value. The proximity of consumers to production also creates transparency and a direct connection: "I know where the food on my plate comes from".

The FoodTalk is jointly organized by Crowd Containerthe Ebenrain Center for Agriculture, Nature and Nutritionthe Cooperative Food Network Basel - "Field to table", "Enjoyment from town and country"the IG Nutrition Forumthe Impact Hub Baselthe Market Hall Basel, Slow Food Basel and the Zero Waste Innovation Lab.

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