What fundamental problem are you addressing?
The “Food Quarters” initiative is designed as a long-term, scalable transformation project. In order to implement this ambitious project effectively and in a targeted manner, a two-stage approach is planned:
1. Feasibility study (phase 1 — subject of this request)
As part of InnoBooster, a scientifically based and participatory feasibility study is to be developed. This forms the basis for the downstream pilot project. The study analyses the starting position, target image, stakeholders involved, potential measures and necessary structures for the implementation of food districts in the Basel area.
2. pilot project (phase 2 — implementation from 2026)
Based on the feasibility study, a pilot project is being implemented in the Basel-Stadt-Land supply area. The aim is to establish food hubs, introduce target agreements with companies and implement interventions in the food environment (e.g. district map, campaign week). This pilot project serves as a transferable blueprint for other regions in Switzerland.
What is the fundamental problem that you are addressing? Which systemic problem hypotheses are the starting point for your mainstreaming approach?
Nutrition is one of the strongest levers for achieving the 2030 Agenda — and at the same time a driver of the biodiversity and climate crisis as well as rising healthcare costs. But urban areas, such as Basel, do not yet have any integrated strategies or structures to effectively promote healthy and sustainable nutrition in everyday life.
Systemic baseline assumptions:
- Dietary behavior is created in context — not in the head; It is shaped less by knowledge than by structural conditions (DONE framework). Behavior only changes when healthy and sustainable options are easily available in everyday life.
- Dietary environments can be designed; Local actors from civil society, business, administration and social space can create framework conditions together.
- Transformation can only be achieved together; Individual projects are not enough. Collective responsibility and networked approaches are needed in the neighborhood.
- What works locally can be scaled regionally; A pilot in a supply room creates structures, knowledge and tools for transferable solutions.
Conclusion:
The fundamental problem is the lack of systemically designed, accessible and sustainable food environments in cities. Our approach starts right here and develops integrated, jointly supported solutions for everyday life.
Which habits would you like to change or mainstream through which approach?
As part of the “Food Quartiere Basel” feasibility study, we are analyzing how sustainable eating habits can be systematically promoted in urban areas. The study forms the basis for a later pilot project.
Habits to study and change:
- Selection and purchase of food: How can the transition from conventional to sustainable, regional products be facilitated?
- Eating habits at home, on the go and in community facilities: How can health, climate and biodiversity-friendly diets be promoted?
- Community food culture: How can collaborative, low-threshold offerings in the district be strengthened?
What would you like to work on during the booster?
In Booster, we develop a participatory feasibility study for the Pilot project Food Quartiere Basel. The aim is to work with relevant actors to systemically and practically design healthy, sustainable and socially equitable food environments at district level.
We use three levers to do this:
- Create structures: Design of locally anchored Food Hubs as coordination centers.
- Enable collaboration: Development modular target agreements for companies.
- Strengthen participation and impact: low-threshold pilot formats such as. a Culinary district week, one digital offer card or participatory monitoring.
The InnoBooster enables the development of a well-founded feasibility study, which is strategic basis for the pilot project “Food Quartiere Basel-Stadt-Land” and prepares a systemic model for sustainable food environments within a 10-15 minute radius.
In the long term, the model is to be transferred to other supply areas in Switzerland — supported by a guide (“How to Food Quarter”), peer learning and knowledge transfer.