See Foodwise Leeds Research pages for Feed Leeds scientific research.
Feed Leeds has been involved in research ever since it was formed. Initially this was led by Dr Chiara Tornaghi through her Urban Food Justice platform, however Chiara is no longer based in Leeds. Informal research continued via the Feed leeds Think Tank, and there has been a continuing strand of design research, based at Leeds Beckett University, led by Tom Bliss.
The Permaculture Association also conducts regular research, sometimes in collaboration with Leeds City Council, who also work with University of Leeds. Useful papers include Merriman 2011: (Enhancing the understanding of how food security/resilience can be improved for the city of Leeds), and Mendes 2013: (Cultivating Food Sustainability: Envisioning a sustainable foodshed for Leeds). Feed Leeds carried out a Food Audit for LCC in 2016 (Final Report), which led directly to the creation of Leeds Food Partnership, and then FoodWise Leeds. References for the Food Audit include the lapsed Leeds Food Strategy 2006-2010 and our deputation to LCC with supporting documents and LCC response are here.
In 2019 Feed Leeds initiated a major initiative with The Leeds Climate Commission Resilience Working Group and FoodWise Leeds, which led to a series of workshops which are on-going. The first, ‘Enabling a climate resilient food system in Leeds that promotes health, sustainability and food security’, took place in December 2019, and the second ”Pathway for a climate-resilient, healthy and sustainable Leeds Food System’ took place in September 2020. Both workshops informed the development of a Policy Brief, which was submitted to Leeds City Council Climate Emergency Action Committee on 22 09 20. (Workshop reports and more can be accessed on the FoodWise Leeds research page).
These Leeds Beckett student projects for Leeds Edible Campus illustrate what could be done in Leeds. There are more student ideas and live proposals at KEEP.
Urban Agriculture Report:
Monument Moor Temporary Farm
An innovative use for the eastern half of Woodhouse Moor, aka Hyde Park
Entomaphagy
Yes, we’re all going to have to learn to eat insects soon. Yum.
Edible Bowling Greens – Healing Veg
Crown green bowling is not as popular as it used to be – what to do with those green squares? (There’s another idea here)
Edible Wetland
New thinking for Meanwood Valley Urban Farm
Edible Roof Gardens (on LUU Building)
All those flat roofs need to become productive
Formal Bedding Veg and Orchard
Floral bedding is traditional in parks – how to make an edible alternative?
Sacha Gigant and Yana Georgie – Edible School
Edible Campus – Julie Hryniow and Sroboshi Das
Edible Roof Gardens (on LUU Building) – Phil Mason
Midgley Gardens – Linn Svanh (with Martina Maria Taroni and Marc Bori)
An innovative use for the eastern half of Woodhouse Moor, aka Hyde Park
Wet and Edible Links – Map Pin 15 – George Payiatis
More new thinking for Meanwood Valley
Hospitals and Habitats – Map Pin 17 – Katie Ruffles
This is actually St James, but could be applied to the LGI (which is part of the campus)
Feed Leeds 