Sustainable Agri-Food Systems Intelligence – Science-Policy Interface (SASi-SPi) is a 5-year € 11.5 million project with the overall objective to contribute to the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of Aquatic and Agri-Food Systems in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.
SASi-SPi is a social-sciences, economics in particular, driven project and is primarily open to each of the 35 AGRINATURA member organisations, of which SLU is one. The project management unit is responsible for the coordination and implementation and is led by SLU.
The SASi-SPi project builds on the Food Systems Assessment Initiative (FSA) launched by the European Union (EU), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the International Cooperation Centre of Agricultural Research for Development (CIRAD). The FSA supports the transition toward sustainable aquatic and agri-food systems (SAAFS) and laid the ground for National Pathways developed for the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS, 2021) and monitored during the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS+2, 2023).
A "sister" project, named SASi is coordinated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The two teams, AGRINATURA and FAO, will work in close collaboration and coordination on the overall project and each workstream (se below).
A grain (sorghum) storage in Burkina Faso. Photo: Kostas Karantininis
The Project Management Unit (Workstream 0) is responsible for the coordination and implementation of SASi-SPi. The unit is led by the project director Professor Kostas Karantininis at the Department of People & Society, SLU.
Work streams
Workstream 1 Provides fast-track intelligence within 72 hours upon request – as policy breifs, approximately twice per month. Coordinated by the French agricultural research and cooperation organization working for the sustainable development of tropical and Mediterranean regions (CIRAD).
Workstream 2 Develops intelligence on four cross-cutting themes and will establish Science-Policy Labs to test and implement policy recommendations. Coordinated by SLU through Professor Rodomiro Ortiz at the Department of Plant Breeding.
Workstream 3 Works with country studies in close collaboration with the FAO team and the corresponding European Commission and local stakeholders in three countries. The countries of study are still to be decided. This work stream is coordinated by CIRAD, France.
Workstream 4 Provides communication in site and overall, for the project and is coordinated by iCRA. The communication efforts of WS4 will not solely focus on accumulating knowledge and data, but also on building capacity among stakeholders through participatory methods that facilitate dialogue and ensure every voice is heard.