Reducing food waste is not only a technical challenge. It is also a matter of identifying shared priorities and understanding what types of action can realistically work in each territory.
In rural areas, this is especially important. Solutions need to reflect local habits, existing relationships, available infrastructure and the capacity of actors to collaborate.
RULESSWASTE therefore places territorial dialogue at the centre of its diagnostic approach.
Understanding barriers and opportunities
Food waste can be linked to many factors: purchasing habits, storage practices, lack of redistribution channels, seasonal surplus, limited information or weak connections between actors.
But not all territories face the same barriers.
Some challenges may be linked to logistics. Others may be related to awareness, coordination or access to tools. Understanding these differences is essential to define useful interventions.
From individual views to collective understanding
A strong diagnosis does not rely on a single source of information.
It combines individual perceptions, stakeholder interviews and collective reflection to identify recurring patterns and priorities.
This process helps distinguish isolated opinions from shared challenges and makes it easier to design actions with a stronger chance of local acceptance.
Preparing the next phase
The insights gathered during the diagnostic phase will help shape the next steps of RULESSWASTE, including awareness activities, educational actions and digital tools to support food surplus coordination.
At this stage, the priority is to build a reliable understanding of the territory before moving into implementation.
Because the most effective solutions are those that respond to real needs and shared priorities.
