SERIES: Sustainability and the Circular Economy

S4-S6 / Adult

60–90 minutes

Food Systems: From Farm to Fork and What Needs to Change

Food systems connect agriculture, logistics, packaging, retail, kitchens, health and biological resources. Waste can happen at every stage, so the strongest intervention is not always the most obvious one. You will map one food system, use evidence to identify the biggest opportunity and design a practical circular response. By the end of this challenge […]

Food Systems: From Farm to Fork and What Needs to Change

Your Mission

Redesign one food system so less value is lost between farm, fork and what happens afterwards.

You will map food, packaging and nutrient flows, investigate why waste happens, prioritise the strongest intervention point and create a circular redesign.

The Shape of This Challenge

Discover

✏️ ️ Notice & question

Explore

️ Investigate & test

Create

✏️ Make & communicate

Reflect

️ Think & apply

Discover

Start with the system and causes rather than jumping to a compost bin solution.

Step 1

Map a Food System

✏️ System sketch · 8–10 mins

We are learning to see food as a chain of production, processing, distribution, consumption and biological resources.

Food waste can happen on farms, in supply chains, shops, kitchens and bins — and packaging and nutrients are part of the system too.

Your Task

Choose one bounded food system such as school lunches, supermarket vegetables, takeaway meals or household food.
Map produce → process → transport/store → prepare/sell → eat → leftovers/waste.
Add packaging and nutrient/organic material flows.
Circle the three points where waste may be highest.

I can map a food system including food, packaging and organic-resource flows.

→ This creates the baseline for your redesign.

Systems ThinkingProblem SolvingResearch

Step 2

Why Is Food Wasted?

️ Causes not blame · 8–10 mins

We are learning to identify system causes of food waste rather than blaming one group.

Waste can result from forecasting, cosmetic standards, portion size, storage, packaging, dates, habits, procurement or lack of redistribution.

Your Task

List at least six possible causes in your chosen system.
Sort them into design/process, business/logistics and behaviour.
Choose one cause from each category.
Write what evidence would show whether it is important.

I can identify several different causes of food-system waste.

→ This keeps your solution work focused on causes rather than symptoms.

Critical ThinkingProblem SolvingSystems Thinking

Explore

Use evidence to choose the priority and compare different circular interventions.

Step 3

Find the Biggest Opportunity

Choose your route · 12–15 mins

We are learning to use evidence to identify where intervention could have the greatest impact.

The most visible waste is not always the most important waste.

Your Task

Choose one major waste point.
Complete one research route.
Record at least two useful pieces of evidence.
Decide whether your original priority still looks correct.

⚡ Quick Track

Use one credible source plus local observation/data where available. Quantify or describe the selected waste problem.

Dig Deeper

Compare two potential intervention points using evidence on volume, cost, carbon/resource impact or feasibility. Choose which deserves priority.

I can use evidence to prioritise a food-system problem.

→ This gives your redesign a defensible target.

ResearchCritical ThinkingData Literacy

Step 4

Design a Circular Food Loop

️ Intervention design · 10–12 mins

We are learning to design a response that prevents waste and recovers value safely.

Food systems can use prevention, redistribution, better storage, refill/reuse packaging, composting and nutrient recovery — but food safety and logistics matter.

Your Task

Generate at least six solutions.
Include one prevention idea, one reuse/redistribution idea and one biological/nutrient recovery idea.
Score the strongest three for impact, feasibility, cost and safety.
Choose one primary solution and one supporting action.

I can compare food-system interventions using practical criteria.

→ This creates the recommendation for your final proposal.

Problem SolvingCreativityDecision Making

Create & Share

Create a practical proposal with stakeholders, risks and measures of success.

Step 5

Create a Circular Food System Proposal

✏️ Design · Create · 25–35 mins

We are learning to communicate a practical redesign for a real food-system problem.

Your proposal should show what changes in the system, who needs to act and how success would be measured.

Your Task

Show the current system and priority waste point.
Use at least two evidence points.
Describe the primary solution and one supporting action.
Identify stakeholders, one practical risk and two measures of success.
Choose one output below.

Circular Food Redesign

1 page · 320–380 words + small system diagram

⏱ 25–30 mins

Explain the problem, evidence, intervention, stakeholders, risk and success measures.

Food System Improvement Pitch

4 slides · maximum 30 words per slide

⏱ 30–35 mins

Present current flow, evidence, circular redesign and implementation measures.

Fix One Food Waste Loop

90 seconds final runtime

⏱ 30–35 mins

Pitch one practical change and explain how it prevents waste or recovers value.

I can create an evidence-based circular food-system proposal with practical measures.

→ This is your finished mission output.

Problem SolvingCreativityCommunication

Step 6

Reflect, Apply, Look Forward

️ Think or discuss · 5–8 mins

We are learning to reflect on how circular solutions need to work economically and operationally as well as environmentally.

The next challenge focuses on businesses that make circularity part of how they create and capture value.

Your Task

Answer the prompts.
Name one solution that sounded good but became less practical after evaluation.
Write one business opportunity created by keeping food, packaging or resources in use.

Reflect

Which part of the food system offered the biggest realistic opportunity?

Apply

What could your school, workplace or household test without major investment?

Look Forward

Which food-waste solution could become a viable business or service?

I can explain why circular design needs logistics, incentives and measurement.

→ You are ready to investigate circular business models.

ReflectionProblem SolvingEntrepreneurship

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TOOLKIT

Choose Your Tools

Use the tools available to you. Strong systems thinking and evidence matter more than the software.

Map

Choose a bounded system such as school lunches, supermarket produce, takeaway packaging or household food waste.

Research

Use credible food-waste, packaging, logistics or composting data. Survey/interview evidence should be anonymous and approved.

Create

Use a redesign proposal, system map, slides or short pitch.

Educator / Parent Notes

Age, Stage and Prior Learning: Designed for S4–S6 and adults. A tightly bounded context such as school lunches makes the systems thinking manageable.

Before You Start: If using surveys or interviews, keep them anonymous and follow normal consent/safeguarding expectations. Avoid food-handling activities that create hygiene risks.

How to Open This: Ask: “Where is the most important food waste — on a plate, in a shop, on a farm or somewhere else?” Use disagreement to reveal the need for evidence.

Scheduling: Steps 1–4 need around 40–50 minutes. Step 5 needs 25–35 minutes.

If a Pupil Gets Stuck: Use school lunches as the default system and provide three possible causes plus a simple Impact / Feasibility matrix.

For Fast Finishers: Ask learners to include a rough cost model, behaviour-change risk or nutrient/packaging loop.

Marking Guidance: Look for a clear system boundary, evidence-based priority, solutions that address causes, realistic logistics/safety thinking and measurable recommendations.

Food Systems: From Farm to Fork and What Needs to Change

Food Systems: From Farm to Fork and What Needs to Change

Discover

Map a Food System

Why Is Food Wasted?

Explore

Find the Biggest Opportunity

Design a Circular Food Loop

Create & Share

Create a Circular Food System Proposal

Reflect, Apply, Look Forward

Show What You Have Learned

Map

Research

Create

Show What You Have Learned

Map

Research

Create

TOOLKIT

Map

Research

Create

Educator / Parent Notes

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