The PATHWAYS project

With the aim of reducing environmental impacts while addressing societal demands for safe, nutritious and affordable meat and dairy products, PATHWAYS is about identifying and increasing sustainable practices along the supply and production chains of the European livestock sector.

Coordinated by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and comprising 28 partners from 12 countries, this 5-year (2021-2026) €9 million Horizon 2020 project contributes to the EU Farm-to-Fork Strategy which is at the heart of the EU Green Deal. 

Using a participatory approach the PATHWAYS project will co-develop visions, scenarios and transition pathways for sustainable livestock husbandry and food systems based on innovative practice hubs, living labs and interactions within a European multi-actor platform and wider community of practice.

PATHWAYS will inform policy, research, and business strategies to support the transition to more sustainable livestock production and consumption.

The project is split into 10 work packages:

  • Work package 1 Multi-actor engagement for system redesign
  • Work package 2 Development and consolidation of scenario assessments for holistic solutions and pathways
  • Work package 3 New measurements and modelling for welfare, biodiversity, emissions and farm practices
  • Work package 4 Assessing consumer behaviour, current and future diets
  • Work package 5 Farm to fork holistic Life Cycle Assessment
  • Work package 6 Assessment of the circular economy and territorial ecosystem services
  • Work package 7 Assessment of supply chain dynamics and market power
  • Work package 8 Knowledge exchange, dissemination and transfer of outcomes
  • Work package 9 Coordination and management
  • Work package 10 Ethics requirements

PATHWAYS Work Package 1 (WP1) is led by Dr Jenny Yngvesson (SLU) and facilitated by the University's Dr Jessica Stokes, working together with other task leaders Dr Anna Hessle (SLU), Dr Agnes van den Pol (AERES) and Dr Daiana de Oliveira (SLU). We have established and are operating a participatory approach for co-innovation, co-learning and data collection to enable a timely and effective transition to improved practices within the European livestock food systems.

The PATHWAYs project team for work package 1

Image above shows the WP1 team.

Image shows a PATHWAYS facilitation session.

Objectives of WP1 - Multi-actor engagement for system redesign:

  • Form and manage the European multi-actor platform and practice hubs with the close involvement of PATHWAYS industry partners and stakeholders to enable co-innovation and to provide an interactive forum for the development of visions and to inform scenario development in WP2.
  • Identify existing challenges and solutions for the livestock sector through a participatory approach involving all practice hubs and European multi-actor platforms, informing the assessments done in WPs 3-7.
  • Explore and demonstrate the factors affecting the uptake and success of innovations in commercial livestock businesses and facilitate knowledge exchange in collaboration with WPs 8 and 9.
  • Coordinate data collection from selected practice hubs within major production areas.

You can find out more about the PATHWAYS project and the work packages here.

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