How we measure impact
If we are going to make transformational change to the food system, how do we know what will make (the biggest) difference to planetary and human health? That’s where metrics come in – ways of measuring and predicting impacts of change by drawing on data already available and using it to predict the outcome(s) of change.
Using the best available evidence, we are developing a set of measures tailored to a regenerative food system. We are developing code that anyone can use which contains numbers about different parts of the food system. We are also developing a dashboard interface to this quantitative model so anyone can see the effect of different interventions and how they would affect different metrics in the food system. This will assist stakeholders to understand the impact of decisions taken within the food system – for example a change in school food menus may reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
So far we have been looking at the climate impacts, but also land use and nutrition together with self sufficiency ratio of the UK. The measures are being determined by the interventions from our research into school food, hybrid business models and regenerative farming activities.
A preview of the dashboard and the current set of modelled interventions can be found here: AgriFood calculator dashboard. The code for our dashboard is open access and accessible via GitHub. In order to increase the impact of our dashboard we are keen to link more data. If you would like to collaborate please get in touch at: fixourfood.york.ac.uk
Key people: Prof Sarah Bridle and Juan Pablo Cordero
