The thirteen Conversation on Agroecology, held in September 2025, centred on food system transformations in the UK, with a particular focus on research of alternative actors within the food system and insights from an agroecological living lab. 

The session was opened by Matthew Gibson from Cornell University with his research on assessing the priorities for food system transformation among UK alternative actors. The study mapped and surveyed the priorities of 1.422 alternative food system actors across different sub-sectors, scales, organisational levels, and specialisms. These actors differed from the mainstream by the extent to which they consider social an ecological outcome over economic profit. Among the 58 identified priorities, the most frequently cited included agroecological, organic, and regenerative production methods; the localisation of food systems; dietary shifts including the reduction of animal-sourced foods; and the need to address power relations within the food system. In contrast, priorities related to technology and innovation were mentioned less often. The study also explored the potential positive and negative implications of these priorities and compared them with the recommendations found in England’s Food Strategy White Paper and global food system reports. Finally, Matthew proposed fifteen concrete key priorities intended to guide future policy and practice in food system transformation.  

The second presentation was delivered by Ulrich Schmutz from Coventry University about the Coventry Agroecological Living Lab- sharing knowledge and skills to improve local connections. This LL is part of the West Midlands metropolitan county governed by the West Midlands Combined Authority, located in central England. It has a population of 345,000 with one in five people living below the poverty line and is highly urban, but with over 3,000 allotments and other land where food is grown. The Coventry Agroecological Living Lab is an urban and peri-urban LL comprising small commercial growers, other small businesses, community initiatives and a local charity. Established in 2023 it focuses on implementing a more diverse range of crops for the local consumption and improving the climate resilience of the production system. To achieve this, it designs and carries out crop trials, it fosters knowledge, skills exchange, and resource sharing. Schutz also spoke about the hurdles—tight schedules, diverging priorities, and the struggle to unite all parties—that made it hard to build on momentum and push the project forward. 

The session concluded with an interesting discussion on the challenges of differentiating between mainstream and alternative actors within the food system. Furthermore, advice and experiences on how to bring an Agroecological LL together where exchanged. The recommendation of keeping the focus on the regional structural problems and the needs of the local actors was given.