WP3 Societal dynamics in the water-food nexus examines values and attitudes of food system actors and impacts of current and recommended diets on water resources and the environment. WP3 increases the knowledge on food system stakeholders’ willingness to adopt water-friendly practices and water-smart and healthy diets.
Task 3.1 Farmers’ values, views, attitudes, and willingness to change
We conduct semi-structured surveys to study Finnish farmers’ capacity to adapt to climate changes, especially water scarcity and floods, and to changes in consumer habits and food demand. We identify critical measures and support needed for adaptation. We leverage Luke’s previous farmer surveys (2018-2021) with over 7,700 total respondents, providing data on farmers’ perceptions of measures to cope with climate change and extreme weather events. A follow-up survey on agricultural water management will assess how recent severe weather has changed farmers’ views on applying coping measures, considering regional differences, farm types, and land use. We’ll gather insights on enablers and limitations for implementing solutions and responding to changing consumer habits.
Task 3.2 Food producers’, industries’, and consumers’ values and attitudes
We gather insights from food system stakeholders on water sustainability, examining how consumer preferences encourage adoption of water-smart practices beyond current policies. Through interviews and questionnaires, we explore food system actors’ values and attitudes, identifying motivations and barriers to adopting sustainable water practices. We consider potential impacts of water scarcity on food security and investigate views on water conservation across different producer scales, industry sectors, regions, and consumer demographics.
Task 3.3 Effect of current and recommended diets on water scarcity footprint
We investigate the water scarcity footprint of current diets and food purchases adherent to the new Finnish and Nordic Nutrition Recommendations. We develop a set of reference diets within the new food-based dietary guidelines, considering the Finnish food culture. We model whether all population groups would have access to a healthy diet with minimal environmental impacts during potential water constraints. We combine LoCard study data (food purchases from 42,000 households over several years) with nutrient content, water scarcity footprint, other environmental impacts, and food prices, and employ multivariate regression and mathematical optimization. We provide stakeholders (consumers, NGOs, authorities, policymakers) with data on healthy diets that minimize water scarcity footprints and outline necessary changes from current consumption patterns.