NRI has led an initiative to build innovative partnerships to strengthen local capacity to grow, process and utilise healthy nutritious food at affordable prices. The aim was to promote healthier living and drive economic prosperity through sustainable practices. The Kent and Medway Partnership for Enterprise, Food and Health was launched in January 2022 to support local initiatives in tackling local challenges. It was a six-month project, later extended to nine months.
The initiative was focused on three geographical areas: Gravesham and Swale Councils in Kent, and Medway Unitary Authority. Our selection was influenced by the high rates of obesity in the area, with 66% of adults in Swale, 68% in Gravesham, and 67% in Medway being overweight or obese (BMI>25.0kg/m2) compared to the national average of 63% (2021/22 data). All three areas had obesity rates for 10–11-year-olds above the national average. There is a strong link between obesity and poverty; 31% of neighbourhoods in Gravesham and Swale were among the top 10% most deprived areas in England, while for Medway, the figure was 27% (Index of multiple deprivation, 2019).
Dr Nazanin Zand, Professor in Food Science and Nutrition at NRI, who led the initiative, describes the project as an inclusive partnership built around consensus, coherence, inclusivity and connectivity. The initiative was designed holistically with a common food-focus lens and implemented in partnership with councils in Gravesham, Medway and Swale in Kent, the University of Kent, Social Enterprise Kent, Produced in Kent, Medway Community Healthcare and Medway Food Partnership. This broad coalition was dedicated to sustainability and zero-carbon goals, striving to offer accessible, healthy food choices to foster healthier community lifestyles. Building partnerships, a key theme of the project, was essential for influencing business processes towards these ideals.
There were five main pillars of the project – the market, business, innovation and processing, skills training, and health, each led by different partners. These were: Produced in Kent who prototyped a market space where producers showcased their products; the University of Kent Business School provided business support, and linkages to mentorship under the Growing Kent and Medway project; NRI and the Medway Food Innovation Centre provided mentorship for sustainable technologies; and Medway Community Health and Social Enterprise Kent provided food and skills training to local communities. The partners initially mapped out the different stakeholders involved in their areas and identified the gaps and barriers to more effective food provision, including the cost of living, limited skills and training, time constraints, etc. Stakeholders discussed these in a workshop and identified potential solutions. Each pillar set priorities among the solutions which constituted the components of a future strategy.
The project finished in November 2022, but the relationships and dynamic it generated have resulted in significant follow up and achievements. Dr Zand said, ‘The initiative helped drive change through structured consultation and deliberation which were applied broadly on the interface between health, business and skills. It demonstrated a model of effective partnership and community-oriented development’.
The successful delivery of the project played a key role in securing a grant from Medway Council in March 2023, through the Shared Prosperity Fund, which enables local authorities in the UK to fund local initiatives. The grant supported business development for the Food and Drink sector in Kent, creating a platform for funding in support of scaling up. Further work on business development has led to NRI’s Accelerator Programme under the Growing Kent and Medway project. The Accelerator gives practical advice to new start-ups and works with local entrepreneurs to develop plant-based food and drink ideas. The programme is also pursuing alternative funding sources for an ‘Impact Investment Fund’.
The Kent and Medway Partnership has strengthened NRI’s collaboration with the Medway Food Partnership. They are now working together on an infant food strategy as well as developing the Medway Food Partnership’s food strategy. NRI has taken a leading role in the establishment of the Kent Food Partnership, an initiative bringing together public and private sector actors to promote health and sustainable food and to develop an ambitious food plan for the future. This effort, focusing on the 'Food for the Planet' theme, has already been recognized with a Silver Sustainable Food Places award, reflecting NRI's commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable food practices. The Sustainable Food Places Awards recognise and celebrate the success of places across the UK who take a holistic and systems approach to sustainable and healthy food.
Following the project, partners launched several initiatives: Produced in Kent with NRI as a partner, launched the Gleaning Project, which mobilises volunteers and students to collect local surplus fresh produce and promotes sales on campuses; the University of Kent, is tackling food insecurity in the university community while promoting a healthy and sustainable food community in Kent, and addressing food inequality in the region; Social Enterprise Kent has been extending its engagement in food-related education and community food aspects.
Leveraging NRI expertise and partners’ experience, the project identified areas of mutual interest and developed plans to inclusively meet the needs of stakeholders across the food, health and environment sectors. ‘We promoted community access to locally acceptable, affordable and healthy foods, and influenced communities to live healthier lives and work in an inclusive social enterprise,’ Nazanin explained.