GEOfood International Norway
Geoparks, People, Nature, and Food.
NORWAYAGRIBUSINESS GROUP
About GEOfood International
GEOfood is a global initiative that promotes food sourced and produced within UNESCO Global Geoparks. It emphasizes the connections between local food, food traditions, and the geological heritage of the region where the food is produced.
The initiative aims to support sustainable development by encouraging responsible food production, protecting biodiversity, and promoting local economic impact. Only recognized UNESCO Global Geoparks can use the GEOfood brand, ensuring that the raw materials come from within or near these geoparks.
GEOfood International
GEOfood ( www.geofood.no) is a global brand that promotes food sourced and produced within UNESCO Global Geoparks. It emphasizes the connections between local food, food traditions, and the geological heritage of the region where the food is produced.
Key Aspects
Local and Sustainable: GEOfood products are sourced locally within geoparks, supporting sustainable agricultural practices and local economies
Educational Value: The brand helps raise awareness about the importance of geological heritage and sustainable food production through educational programs and initiatives
Tourism Enhancement: GEOfood enhances the tourism experience by offering unique, locally-sourced foods that connect visitors with the region’s geological and cultural heritage
Community Engagement: The brand involves local communities in its initiatives, ensuring that benefits are widely shared and that local knowledge and traditions are preserved
Global Recognition: Being part of the GEOfood initiative provides international recognition and can enhance the reputation of the geopark.
Membership
To join the GEOfood initiative, a UNESCO Global Geopark must follow these steps:
Eligibility: Ensure that the geopark is a recognized UNESCO Global Geopark. Only these geoparks can apply for GEOfood membership.
Application: Contact GEOfood at geofoodinternational@gmail.com to express interest and request membership. The application should confirm that the food products are produced within the geopark
Our Manifesto
GEOfood aims to promote sustainable agriculture and food production practices. It also aims to raise awareness for the importance of soils and rational use of water resources, geodiversity, landscapes and the entire natural and cultural heritage in Geoparks.
The GEOfood Branding
The GEOfood brand appeared as a response to the current global challenges that agriculture faces, pointed out through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations Agenda 2030, namely by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
GEOfood's main goal is to promote sustainable agriculture and local communities.
The brand provides an opportunity to promote authentic tourism experiences in unique territories, distinguished as sustainable tourism destinations and boosters of health and well-being.
More specifically, GEOfood initative aims at:
Raise awareness for the connection between the raw materials of food products, the territory anditsgeological heritage, establishing links between food and local cultural traditions;
Improve food education, privileging zero-kilometre food products and the responsible use of resources.
GEOfood partners must demonstrate to reach the following standards:
Companies must be located in Geopark territory;
Raw materials must come mostly from the Geopark;
The production takes place within the territory of the Geopark, fostering traditional techniques, preserving and enhancing the territory’s intangible heritage.
To foster the values of the circular economy, zero km food and zero waste;
To promote Biodiversity and the improvement of soil quality through, the adoption of responsible,sustainable farming practices;
To create a healthy environment and healthy food, particularly implementing integrated pestand weed management practices that are non-invasive from a chemical and pharmaceutical point of view;
To use water and soil resources responsibly;
To have an effective waste recycling system;
To respect workers’ rights throughout all the production process.
The GEOfood brand intends to create a network of partners in several countries, within the UNESCO Global Geoparks, under the common mission of influencing local, regional and nationalpolicies towards innovative food system and territorial planning which can strengthen urban-rural links.