Belgium

Belgium

Rikolto’s roots go back to Belgium in the 1950s. We gradually moved from a traditional development NGO to a network organisation. Also in Belgium, we work towards a sustainable food system.

From 2014 onwards, we started building our expertise in making institutional kitchens from companies and schools more sustainable. This laid the foundations for the GoodFood@School approach, that we are currently also adopting in Indonesia, Vietnam etc. As of 2017, Belgium was one of the first countries where we started up our Good Food for Cities programme. Currently, we are running our Good Food for Cities programme in the cities of Antwerp, Ghent and Leuven; and we play our part in pushing for a more sustainable cocoa and coffee sector in Belgium. We also organise private fundraising campaigns in Belgium.

Good Food for Cities programme highlights for 2023

Rikolto's GoodFood@School team co-developed the Whole School Food Approach (WSFA), resulting in a "How to apply the WSFA?" Manual tested in over 120 European schools and a yearly state of play with best practices as part of the EU-funded SchoolFood4Change project. This model has been extensively tested in our pilot cities Ghent, Leuven en Antwerp. In Leuven, Rikolto partnered with 3 schools and a new local caterer to pilot a hot school meal model based on the WSFA principles. In order to promote cooperation between city authorities, civil society and schools, Rikolto also facilitated regular School Food Councils, spaces for dialogue on how to advance the discussion on healthy and sustainable food at school. The Superlist Environment project implemented by Rikolto examined the efforts of supermarkets in Belgium and Europe to make the food system more sustainable. We shared this research with citizens, policymakers, civil society and the food sector to encourage supermarkets to live up to their social responsibility.

Sustainable Cocoa and Coffee programme highlights for 2023

In 2023, Rikolto made significant progress towards a more sustainable Belgian cocoa and coffee sector. We actively lobbied for changes in EU legislation, in particular the forthcoming Due Diligence Regulation, to ensure responsible sourcing throughout the supply chain. We also promoted the concept of a living income for farmers within the framework of a sustainable food system. By working with The Voice Network, we raised this critical issue on the national agenda. Rikolto also fostered collaboration between different stakeholders. We organised supply chain meetings in 2023, facilitating communication and joint efforts between stakeholders. These efforts yielded results, with Belgian retailer Colruyt launching four new sustainable products this year. In addition, Rikolto promoted knowledge sharing by disseminating cocoa expertise from the Ivory Coast through Impact Institute reports.

Projects

Superlist: nudging supermarkets to make sustainable food the norm

We examine the efforts of Belgian and European supermarkets to make the food system more sustainable. We share these research results with citizens, policy makers, civil society and the food sector. That is how we encourage supermarkets to take up their social responsibility. Superlist is a collaboration with the Dutch think tank Questionmark.
Updated on:
October 3, 2024

Generation Food goes international

A young community of innovators wants to give their peers a sustainable future through inclusive businesses in food systems.
Updated on:
October 3, 2024

Good food at school in Belgium

A healthy diet at school is essential for the health and development of children and adolescents. In Belgium, our approach focuses on schools in Leuven, Ghent and Antwerp, where we work with students, teachers, parents, management, kitchen staff... around nutrition.
Updated on:
October 3, 2024

SchoolFood4Change in Europe

The European SchoolFood4Change project (SF4C), funded by Horizon 2020, aims to make sustainable and healthy food in schools the norm.
Updated on:
October 3, 2024

Carbon farmers in Belgium

Over the next five years, fifteen farmers will be trained to become 'carbon farmers'. The ultimate goal? To establish a carbon farming model for farmers in Belgium to ensure carbon sequestration.
Updated on:
October 3, 2024

GoodFood@School for Belgian pupils

Healthy and sustainable food for every child, at every school. From class to canteen.
Updated on:
October 3, 2024

I am more than my receipt

A civic movement in Belgium to make sustainable food the new normal in supermarkets
Updated on:
October 3, 2024

Generation Food: helping young Belgian entrepreneurs solve food-related problems

A new movement stimulates innovation and entrepreneurship in agriculture and food.
Updated on:
October 3, 2024

Robin Food transforms food surpluses into healthy products for vulnerable families

We develop business models that make the products accessible for vulnerable groups and offer a viable business to the companies that produce them.
Updated on:
October 3, 2024

Wanted: Food for the Future [completed]

A unique project in which the Belgian Province of Flemish Brabant, Rikolto, retailer Colruyt Group and the University of Leuven together with young people, experts, farmers, etc. look for ways to feed the growing global population in a sustainable way.
Updated on:
October 3, 2024

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