Urban food strategies and sustainable agri-food systems: Results of empirical analysis in Palermo

Abstract

In developed economies, there is an increasing shift in food production from places of production to places of consumption. According to the economic logic of production costs, today many agri-food products are produced in one part of the continent and made available for consumption in other parts. This situation, although justified from an economic point of view, leads to the impoverishment of territories as many economic activities disappear from the production scenario. In this work, the agrifood policy of the city of Palermo is analyzed. In particular, we investigated the fruit and vegetable market in Palermo. The empirical verification shows that most of the fruit and vegetables available for consumption in the metropolitan area of Palermo do not come from Sicilian farms. This availability-consumption pattern of fruit and vegetables, fuelled by the consumption demand expressed by many consumers who give much weight to the price of the commodity over other variables, highlights the fact that the metropolitan area's current food policy results in the impoverishment of rural areas. • With globalization, food production has lost its territorial character. • Globalization favors the birth of new agri-food systems. • Food policies are needed to increase territorial competitiveness. • Urban policies should also consider food in the agendas of public administrations. • A new vision of food production and consumption is needed.