Sustainable and healthy gastronomy as a key driver for sustainable food systems

The initiative links several players in agri-food chains from production, distribution and consumption. Among other positive impacts, the project foresees the application of good agricultural practices at farmers' level, good practices in plant process, transportation and suppliers, good practices in the integral waste management (restaurants and caterers). It also targets consumers raising their awareness regarding to where their food comes from, and stimulating a connection between consumption patterns, from the farm to the plate. The project will: i) generate solutions to the problem of food biodiversity loss due to the disappearance of endemic, native and criollo high nutritional value of regional cuisine edible plants; ii) stimulate the consumption of sustainable diets; iii)address soil conversation, sustainable farming, the use of seasonal food species, efficient distribution, and reducing food losses. Deliverable 1. Training program on sustainable diets & 'Roadmap towards more sustainable offering and menues': The training for chefs in restaurants and caterers is a combination of existing programs of CACORE and Smaackmakers. It aims at raising awareness on the urgency to change; at behavioral change; and at changing mentality, towards more sustainable strategies and behavior. It includes education and advise and enhancing communication skills towards a role as a promoter of consumption of sustainable diets and influencer of the guests, suppliers, producers and other actors in the agri-food systems for development of sustainable food systems. - a- In the framework of the National Plan on Sustainable and Healthy Gastronomy, CACORE continue its efforts with regard to training chefs on Healthy and sustainable gastronomy; disseminate the Plan, principles and goals. b- Some hotel's restaurants have incorporated in their food services menue's applying the Healthy and Sustainable principles. c- New partners has been engaged in the process and it has been conformed the Costa Rican Gastronomy Foundation. 2.Sustainability Dialogues (roundtables for stakeholders): A national food lab to promote dialogue between the most relevant related actors (initially ministries, gastronomy industry and consumption and farmers organizations) in order to reach convened actions that consolidate sustainable consumption as national trend. Cooperation with experienced organizations in The Netherlands and Bolivia will enrich the process - One Theory of Change workshop took place with global and local partners, with the aim to unify concepts and common vision regarding healthy and sustainable gastronomy in Costa Rica. Outcome document yet to be printed. 3. Communication campaign among the gastronomy sector Primarily aimed at restaurant holders/caterers, secondary aimed at producers and suppliers and tertiary aimed at consumers. The main goal is to increase the valuation of sustainability and more sustainable menus and diets by the gastronomy sector, and raising awareness on the benefits of more sustainable menus for agriculture, nutrition and food security - 2 funding proposals submitted 4. Inventory of endemic species 5. Gastronomy laboratories for innovation of endemic and native product consumption. - In the framework of the National Plan on Sustainable and Healthy Gastronomy, CACORE organizes laboratories to train chefs on healthy and sustainable gastronomy, and activities to disseminate the principles of healthy and sustainable gastronomy. See:https://cacoreactual.com/entremes-2018/.