Urban Food Policy Research Articles

Towards Sustainable and Sufficient City Region Food Systems: Reflections from the Case Study of Turin, Italy

The City Region Food System (CRFS) approach has emerged in recent years as a framework for shaping urban food governance and policies that overcome the methodological cityism of approaches limited to urban territories defined by administrative boundaries. This article critically analyses the concept referring to the case study of the metropolitan city of Turin, Italy, as part of action research contributing to ongoing efforts to establish food policies. The discussion focuses on three dimensions: (1) the spatial definition of the city region; (2) the relation between the support of short and the re-assessment of long supply chains, with reference to a relational understanding of space; (3) the tensions between the CRFS as an analytical concept and a transformative framework. Results suggest that there is no linear path to define the spatial limits for a CRFS analysis and that a pragmatic approach can best serve policies; that long supply chains should not be ignored but integrated into local food policies; that there are contradictions in the transformative dimension of the CRFS literature when investigating the underlying sustainable development framework from a growth-critical perspective; and that separating the analytical more clearly from the normative dimension could make the discussion more productive.

“New food cultures” and the absent food citizen: immigrants in urban food policy discourse

AbstractMulticultural cities in the Global North are rapidly developing and releasing urban food policies that outline municipal visions of sustainable food systems. In turn, these policies shape conceptions of food citizenship in the city. While these policies largely absorb activities previously associated with “alternative” food systems, little is known about how they respond to critical food and race scholars who have noted that these food practices and spaces have historically marginalized immigrants. A critical discourse analysis of 22 urban food policies from Global North cities reveals that most policies do not meaningfully consider immigrant foodscapes, foodways, and food-related labour. Many promote hegemonic and/or ethno-nationalistic understandings of “healthy” and “sustainable” food without recognizing immigrants’ food-related knowledge and skills. Policies largely fail to connect the topic of immigrant labour with goals like shortening supply chains, subject immigrant neighbourhoods to stigmatizing health discourses, and lack acknowledgement of the barriers immigrants may face to participating in sustainable food systems. Relatedly, policy discourses articulate forms of food citizenship that emphasize individual obligations over rights related to food. This jeopardizes the potential for immigrants to be seen as belonging to dominant political urban food communities and benefitting from the symbolic and material rewards associated with them.

FROM MOBILIZATION TO POLITICIZATION: UNDERSTANDING POLITICAL DYNAMICS OF COMMUNITY-BASED URBAN FOOD SECURITY POLICY IN CITY OF MAKASSAR

Since decentralization was reinforced in 1999, local politicians have exploited local policies to enhance their popularity and electability. In this study, I describe the implementation of a food security policy to demonstrate how the local arena had undergone massive political dynamics through unintegrated food governance demonstrated by local governments in Makassar City. This article aims to analyze the dynamic of urban food policy implemented by the municipality from 2013 to 2023. A qualitative approach had been employed through a case study of the implementation of food security policy. Data were collected by snowball method to eminent informants. Also, focus group discussions were employed in certain community groups. This study found that food policy in Makassar City during the study period had shown a political mobilization rather than a pure food security policy to help the community. In the policy planning, the failure was found in the limited technical analysis. The people who dwell in this city were not prepared for agricultural activities, including planting, maintaining the plants, and soil treatment. Also, the typical vegetables that were planted were not suitable for the climatic characteristics of this city. This study also found that media framing was massively exploited to escalate the positive framing of the ‘inclusivity’ of the leadership and attract the people to engage beyond food diversification. On the other side, as this policy was funded through a discretionary approach, massive negative sentiment had emerged, particularly from the legislative. They felt like an abandoned partner. Consequently, the government should create an alternative mechanism through shadow bureaucrats, designed by the mayor.

Urban food governance without local food: missing links between Czech post-socialist cities and urban food alternatives

AbstractFood is becoming an increasingly important issue in the urban context. Urban food policies are a new phenomenon in Czechia, where urban food alternatives to the current food regime are promoted by food movements or take the form of traditional self-provisioning. This paper examines how urban food governance in Prague and Brno is constituted based on the municipalities’ relations with actors engaged in urban food alternatives. We argue that prioritizing aspects of local food system transformation compliant with the status quo is non-systemic and implies a fragmentation of urban food alternatives based on different levels of social capital and radicality. We conceptualize urban food alternatives as values-based modes of production and consumption and focus on values that guide urban food governance in its participatory and territorial interplay with the actors of urban food alternatives. Our analysis reveals that the values underpinning the two cities’ progressive food policies do not match reality on the ground. We propose four types of relations between the two examined cities and aspects of the local food system transformation. Aspects compliant with the status quo, such as food waste reduction and community gardening are embraced, whereas those requiring more public intervention, such as public procurement, short supply chains, or the protection of cultivable land are disregarded, degraded, or, at most, subject to experimentation as part of biodiversity protection. Chances for a successful transformation of the local food system under such governance are low but can be increased by strengthening social capital and coalition work among urban food alternatives.

School Food Policy through a Project Financing

In recent years, the scientific community has focused more on urban food policies adopted by big cities and less on the local food policies adopted by small municipalities. Furthermore, the empirical evidence on school food policy initiatives is quite fragmented, and the management of the canteen service is not directly addressed by the studies carried out. In this work, the school food policy implemented in a small municipality (Corciano in the province of Perugia, Centre Italy) of about 22,000 inhabitants, through the application of project financing with the participation of local social cooperatives is presented and discussed. This paper aims to reflect on the capability of the alternative food networks developed through the project financing mechanism to identify and implement the uses of the resources concerning the local food policy objectives and the project capacity of the network. The analysis is conducted using a methodological approach based on agricultural economics and anthropology. Results from economic data analysis, collective interviews, and participant observation show that: the financial balance of the project financing is positive but quite precarious and very sensitive to market variations, both regarding the overall demand for canteen meals, and the procurement of raw materials and workforce; the project’s organizational model through a local network not only can combine the environmental, social, and health dimensions of food, but it can also reshape the local concept of community, as well as new opportunities for the circulation of food products.

Territory in urban food policies: the case of Spain

Over the last few decades, cities have taken on an active role in the formulation of food policies in line with the transition toward local, sustainable food systems. These policies have been materialized through the formulation of systemic, holistic urban food strategies. By setting up spatial, relational and organizational proximity circuits, they aim to reconnect the places involved in the production and consumption of food within the territory. The objective is to do so by interaction between the networks of actors on the different geographical scales. This article analyzes the food policies of six Spanish cities that signed the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact. Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Vitoria, Valladolid and Zaragoza have fulfilled their promise by formulating food strategies that set out their commitment to the construction of new, urban food systems that reconsider, from a territorial perspective, the relationship between the city and food. Using a conceptual framework that spans two well-known theoretical systems (the local territorial systems (LoTS) and the sustainable food networks (SFN)); a systematic review of the documents generated in the formulation of the urban food policies is carried out. The territorial capital linked to food is examined; the systems of actors that make up the food strategies are identified; the models of governance that the said strategies deploy and their capacity for self-organization are typified; and the potential of the public agendas for encouraging the construction of localized alternatives and the territorial sustainability of the urban food systems are evaluated. The results suggest that the Spanish urban food strategies, although conceptually inspired by the principles of the Milan Pact, are still far from possessing similarly transformative capacities. Such capacities are directly linked to the characteristics of the place: the existence of relational goods connected to food, the attributes of the territorial food capital, the density of the social capital, and the culture of the territorial planning. Beyond the generic references to the commitment to food, it is the context that determines its personality and reach, the solidity of the food governance, and the political sustainability of the processes that one wishes to set up.

Improving Health through Sustainable and Healthy Urban Food System Policy in Nigeria

Diet-related diseases and mortalities are assuming epidemic proportions globally. It is more worrisome in the Global South, especially in Africa, where the healthcare system is not resilient to the public health burden. There is a growing effort around the world to foster urban food system policies that would checkmate the failing health of the public and ensure improved quality of life. However, these efforts seem non-existent in many African regions. Therefore, there is a need for heightened efforts in these areas to address the food system and ensure a global healthy society. This study identified Nnewi, Nigeria, in sub-Saharan Africa, a typical urban area in Nigeria, and analyzed the public health challenges attributed to the non-existent food system policy and poor nutritional practices. The Milan Urban Food Policy Pact model, which has been successfully implemented in many cities, was adopted to propose a sustainable food system policy for Nnewi. Key policies proposed include autonomous local government power, government-assisted programs, clean and sustainable amenities, agricultural reforms, nutrition education, and reductions in food wastage to achieve a circular economy. An evaluation tool for implementing the food system policy was also developed. Overall, implementing the food system policies proposed herein would improve the quality of life of Nnewi residents. Other urban areas could also adopt similar food system policies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of a healthy and resilient global society.

Transforming Food, Embracing Inclusivity: Nepal's Journey towards Sustainable Food Systems

This study explored Nepal's dynamic food practices, examining the interplay between traditional rural and evolving urban contexts. The country's food system harmoniously integrates age-old agricultural wisdom with the changing demands of urbanization. In rural landscapes, communities craft a resilient tapestry using diverse crops, agroecological practices, and a profound respect for nature, ensuring steadfast food security even in challenging environments. Conversely, urbanization introduces convenience through supermarkets and processed foods, albeit with associated costs such as escalating health issues, food waste, and social inequalities. To bridge these disparities, a focus on inclusivity and resilience is imperative. Strategies include empowering rural women, investing in infrastructure, and safeguarding traditional knowledge for sustainable food security. Urban food policies should emphasize local markets, encourage healthy choices, and minimize waste. In essence, navigating Nepal's food system transformation necessitates a delicate balance between tradition and adaptation, aspiring towards a future where comprehensive food security and well-being flourish for all.

Store-specific grocery shopping patterns and their association with objective and perceived retail food environments.

To explore store-specific grocery shopping patterns and assess associations with the objective and perceived retail food environment (RFE). This cross-sectional study used principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis to identify grocery shopping patterns and logistic regression models to assess their associations with the RFE, while adjusting for household characteristics. The Montpellier Metropolitan Area, France. To be eligible for inclusion, participants had to be 18 years of age or older and reside in the Montpellier Metropolitan Area. Analyses were carried out on 415 households. Households of cluster 'Supermarket' (49 % of households) primarily shopped at supermarkets and were less likely to live near a convenience store. Households of cluster 'Diversified' (18 %) shopped mostly at organic stores, at markets, at specialised stores, and from producers and were more likely to have a market in their activity space. Households of cluster 'Discount' (12 %) primarily shopped at discounters and were less likely to perceive a producer in their activity space. Households of cluster 'Convenience' (12 %) mostly shopped online or in convenience stores. Finally, households of cluster 'Specialized' (9 %) had high expenditures in greengrocers and in other specialised food stores and were more likely to live near a specialised food store. This study highlighted the importance of considering both perceived and objective RFE indicators, as well as assessments around the home and in activity space. Understanding how people buy food and interact with their RFE is crucial for policymakers seeking to improve urban food policies.

Sustainable food policies without sustainable farming? Challenges for agroecology-oriented farmers in relation to urban (sustainable) food policies

Research on urban food policies has focused upon downstream processes, thus neglecting an integral perspective of food systems, being local and sustainable food production one challenge often mentioned. In turn, in the debates on governance, the focus has been placed upon urban settings and actors, with few studies integrating production into research on urban food policies. These biases limit the potential of research on urban food systems to promote a holistic approach towards sustainability. Within the framework of a project promoted by the Spanish Network of Municipalities for Agroecology (RMAe), the present research attempts to understand: (1) how agroecology-oriented farmers associations are positioned in relation to urban food policies, (2) the perceived needs of farmers' regarding urban food policies with a view to strengthening sustainable food systems, and (3) why and how the farmers' viewpoint is missing from urban food policies. To this end we conducted 27 mixed interviews (in-depth interviews containing several survey questions) with agroecology-oriented farmers in 5 local associations linked to urban food policy co-production in Spain; and held two participatory workshops with their involvement. Our results highlight the need to strengthen agroecology-oriented farmers’ associations, and to use public resources towards the promotion of specifically agroecological models of food production and local markets in order for these to actually benefit agroecological initiatives.

Transforming urban food systems through agroecology – a review of agroecological projects in Madrid in terms of MUFPP framework

The paper discusses an agroecological approach to an urban food system’s transformation. A selection of representative initiatives and projects in Madrid were analysed. The goal of the paper is to review these projects and identify their potential in the context of transforming Madrid’s food system into a sustainable one, according to the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP) framework. The following methods were used in the study: (i) desk research – a review of academic papers and press materials provided by the various entities working on the transformation of Madrid’s food system; (ii) case studies – field visits, participatory observation, and interviews. Selected indicators from the MUFPP and City Region Food System (CRFS) frameworks were adopted in the study.

Re-Imagining Urban Wetlands: Watery heritage and food policies in the Albufera de València

Urban food policies require interdisciplinary research and action. Based on a holistic vision, these policies aim to facilitate the transformation of the food systems of cities in a sustainable, equitable and resilient manner. Food availability is key to urban food policies and involves recognition of the widespread disconnect between agriculture and consumers and the central role that food-related practices can play in the transition towards sustainable and resilient cities. This article addresses this topic by investigating the strategic role of one area of urban wetlands that has fostered new positive and shared attitudes towards watery heritage. The recovery of waterscapes in the Albufera, in close proximity to one of the most rapidly expanding Spanish urban areas, València, has allowed for a remarkable improvement of both traditional fisheries and paddy fields that has facilitated the regeneration of sustainable food practices. In 2019, the Horta de València, comprising a system of fields extending over a 28 km² area that is irrigated by the Túria River, was recognised by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS). The area includes the historic Huerta and a section of the Albufera National Park that still maintains elements of traditional Arab heritage. The Albufera is thereby a significant repository of watery memories related to fisher people, peasants and sailors that an increasing number of environmentalists and seaside tourists interact with, and it thereby exemplifies the nature of wetlands as knowledge resources that can inspire sustainable food practices and policies.

The nascent state of urban food policy action in Asian cities

While the important role of cities in food system transformation has long been understood, there is a more recent recognition that food-related outcomes also have an important influence on how well cities can achieve their own broad socio-economic and other aspirations. This recognition has led many cities, around the world, to engage more actively in food policies and programs. The literature documenting this experience is largely case study-based and primarily covers actions and outcomes in larger cities. We analyze the overall state of urban food policy across Asia, drawing attention to distinctive patterns across city size categories and testing hypotheses which may explain the diversity of observed patterns of food policy engagement. Particular attention is given to demographic, institutional, and geographical factors which have likely influenced either the motivation or the capacities of cities to act on food matters. We find that most Asian cities are at an early stage in efforts to apply coherent and coordinated approaches to address food-related challenges and opportunities. The opportunities for future economic gain and avoidance of social costs may be greatest among the region's fast-growing small- and medium-sized cities, yet many such cities lack the requisite capacities to influence complex food system matters and will require assistance from national agencies and others.

The role of short food supply chains in advancing the global agenda for sustainable food systems transitions

Food systems are experiencing a unique momentum of transformation guided by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP). The potential of short food supply chains to contribute to this transition both in urban and rural environments has been broadly acknowledged by policymakers and scientists. Yet no exhaustive evidence exists on their capacity to meet the goals declared. This paper categorises the benefits these chains are reported to have in 69 publications selected via a PRISMA review. It develops an exhaustive inventory of which benefit is connected with which SDG target and recommended action of the Milan Pact. Multidimensional infographics illustrate the associations between these benefits and both sets of global sustainability goals. The 348 benefits collected show disparities in current research on the topic across benefit categories, chain structures and continents. Benefits have been reported for ten SDG targets and nine MUFPP recommended actions. Quantifying externalities of short food supply chains and establishing causal effects for their targeted usage worldwide are aspects barely addressed by scientific inquiry. The insights gained help urban policymakers to understand to what extent the promotion of short food chains can help cities to meet SDG and MUFPP goals.

The Nanjing model: Comprehensive food system governance, localization and urban food security in China

Food supply localization has been extensively studied and advocated in North America and Europe, focusing on its oppositional stance to food system globalization, long food supply chains, the disconnect between producers and consumers, and a desire to reconnect urban consumers with small farmers in the hinterland of cities. The Northern model of city-region food localization has recently been taken up by governments, and promoted by international agencies such as the FAO and embedded in the New Urban Agenda (NUA) of Habitat III and the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact. This paper focuses on an alternative conceptualization and practice of food system governance developed in Chinese cities since the late 1980s. This case study of Nanjing focuses on the similarities and differences between the Chinese model of comprehensive food system planning and localization and the Northern model of localization now being exported to the Global South. The Nanjing case offers an alternative model of food system governance could be more appropriate for other countries undergoing rapid urbanization and dealing with growing urban food insecurity.

Profiling Citizens on Perception of Key Factors of Food Security: An Application of K-Means Cluster Analysis

Cities have been increasingly involved in the development of food policies, becoming key points in achieving food security and fostering the transition to sustainable agri-food systems. The aim of this paper is to identify citizens’ profiles by performing segmentation and profiling according to their socio-economic variables and perception of key factors affecting food security. This is to define appropriate strategies to guide policy makers in a more effective creation of urban food policies. An online survey was filled out by citizens of the Metropolitan City of Bari from July to November 2022. Descriptive analysis, principal component analysis and K-means cluster analysis were applied to the collected data. Four clusters of citizens were obtained and labelled based on socio-economic characteristics and key factors affecting food security perception. Specifically, the “Law-confident” (45% of citizens) and “Hedonist” (36%) clusters revealed the greatest trust in “governance” and “quality certification” aspects. The “Capitalist” (15%) and “Conservatory” (4%) clusters were relatively small groups, characterized respectively by a positive perception of the standardization of food production and governance power, with a focus on strategies regarding food policy implementation, reduction of food loss and waste (FLW) and improvement of food quality certifications systems. The proposed approach and results may support EU policy makers in identifying key macro-areas and matters toward which to direct public funding in order to improve food security in urban areas, and to put in place actions enhancing citizens’ knowledge and awareness of key issues of food security.

Governance tools for urban food system policy innovations in the Milano Urban Food Policy Pact

An increasing amount of cities are invested in developing innovative policies to make the food system more sustainable. This article investigates whether combinations of governance practices can explain why some of these cities develop highly innovative food policies across multiple dimensions of the food system – such as health and waste – while others are only limited in their innovativeness. Therefore, we apply fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis to identify combinations of necessary and sufficient governance conditions to explain food system innovativeness across 26 European cities participating in the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact. Results show that the absence of specific practices, such as mapping local food initiatives, food-related government integration, developing integrated food strategies and monitoring and evaluation, prevents cities from being more innovative.

Modelling food policies in Italian urban agendas in the time of Covid-19: Experiences, challenges and opportunities

Global food systems are broken and in need of profound change. These imbalances and vulnerabilities are particularly strong in cities, where most of the global population lives and that are at the core of the major challenges linked with food production and consumption. The food system transition needs cities as key game-changers towards more sustainable, equitable, healthier and fairer food systems. Against this backdrop, the present article analyses the role of food policies within urban policies, with a focus on Italian cities. In particular, the article discusses data collected from representatives of 100 municipalities across Northern, Central and Southern Italy. Moreover, it addresses the types of policies and initiatives adopted at the local level, the main obstacles encountered, the role of national and international city networks and the impact of Covid-19 on urban food security, with the aim to identify potential models of urban food policies as a structural component of a broader urban agenda. By doing this, the article aims at filling a research gap in current literature, as it is the first large-scale survey on urban food policies in Italy, identifying models of urban food policies that are already being developed within broader urban development agendas.

Food system transformation: Urban perspectives

Recent years have witnessed an intensification of scientific debates on food system transformation, which, however, continue to unfold mostly at the macro-level, with little empirical backing. To begin to fill the gap between theory and practice surrounding food system transformation, this paper focuses on the governance scale that has been more actively engaging with the complexity of food systems: the urban. Based on a critical review of the academic literature on food system transformation, the paper analyses data collected through interviews with actors involved with the urban food agenda at two levels of governance. These include representatives from high-level organisations operating at the global scale and urban food coordinators from the UK — a country where cities have collectively mobilised to change national food priorities. Findings from the analysis highlight a discrepancy between global and local perceptions of the feasibility of systemic approaches, the lack of an evidence-base to support urban food policies and the inertia of national governments as crucial links between global and local food system governance. As the paper concludes, this raises the need for a re-orientation of research and policy agendas on food system transformation towards the development of a polycentric and plurivocal governance context.

Organisational troubles in policy integration. French local food policies in the making

To better understand policy integration dynamics, this paper analyses the early implementation of three urban food policies in France (Montpellier, Rennes, Strasbourg). A key challenge of food policies is their intersectoral nature, while policy design is usually meant to be sectoral. This article seeks to understand both levers and brakes to the implementation of effective integrated policies at the urban level. To explore the making and “everydayness” of the three policy case studies, we collected empirical data based on a multi-faceted methodology comprising a wide review of the grey literature, 29 in-depth interviews, and several series of participant observations on the ground. Our analysis indicates that dedicated organisational resources, including assigned units, trained staff and appropriate financial resources, are keys to the deployment of integrated food policies. We argue that such organisational resources should be more systematically studied in the policy integration literature. Local food policies should also be assessed more critically by putting the organisational resources they receive into perspective with the massive use the local government can make of them for communication purposes.