Glimpses of Urban Food Strategy Mix workshop

On 5 February 2014 in Brussels, participants from over 40 cities  met and browsed through the Sustainable Food City Exhibition showcasing sustainable food initiatives in partner cities of the URBACT Thematic Network Sustainable Food in Urban Communities.

During six workshops addressing “Growing”, “Delivering”, “Enjoying”, “Governance”, “Funding” and “CO2 and Resource Efficiency Strategies” the participants reflected on next practices for the development of sustainable food governance in the cities.

Opening – Cities tackling food

Stephanie MANTELL, Lead Partner – Brussels Environment – PPT intro to the thematic network François JEGOU, Lead Expert – Strategic Design Scenarios – PPT intro to the thematic networkEmmanuel MOULIN, Director, URBACT Secretariat- PPT  URBACT programme & sustainable urban development  Joy CAREY, Thematic Expert – Sustainable food system planning, Bristol Food Policy Council – PPT What role for cities in Sustainable Food Governance?

Morning parallel interactive workshops

1. Growing governance

• François JEGOU, Strategic Design Scenarios – PPT Growing Governance Business models for producing and transforming food more sustainably in cities
• Lilian PELLEGRINO, City of Lyon –PPT peri-urban Farmland protection and agricultural development
  

Growing table discussions:

• How can cities handle the conflict between urban densification and maintenance of growing spaces?  Video 1 & Video 2
• What is the potential of creating profitable companies and secure self-supporting jobs in urban agriculture? Video 1 & Video 2
• How can cities stimulate (re)engagement of citizens in growing (i.e. window gardening, private garden, community gardens…)? Video 1 & Video 2

2. Delivering governance

• Joy CAREY, Bristol – PPT-Delivering in a more sustainable less carbon intensive way
  
• Anne DE FEIJTER, Municipality of Amersfoort PPT How supply meets demand…To create a breeding ground for cooperation
• Anna MERONI, Politecnico di Milano –PPT Feeding Milan, framework for city supported agriculture
  

 Delivering table discussions:

• What roles can recognition schemes/labelling play to foster shifts towards sustainable food? Video 1 & Video 2
• How to organise logistics of (short) food supply chains to lower environmental impact (e.g. food distribution platforms/hubs)? Video 1 & Video 2
• What new forms of sustainable food retail can strengthen links between consumers and producers (i.e. organic markets, social groceries, direct schemes…)? Video 1 & Video 2

3. Enjoying Governance

• moderated by Stephanie MANTELL – PPT Enjoying governance how to foster behavioral change and grant access for all to more sustainable diets
• Dorothy GREAVES, Bristol City Council – PPT re-engaging the population with food: Overview of initiatives in Bristol
• Ulrike STOCKER, City of Vienna – PPT Public procurement to foster behavioral change. Organic food in public canteens

 Enjoying table discussions:

•  How can cities reduce food poverty and spread sustainable food practices across ethnic communities – Video
• What message to convey to citizens about (sustainable) food to engage them & change behaviours? Video
• How to leverage on public meals served in canteens & education to foster more sustainable practices/behaviour change?  Video

Afternoon Parallel interactive workshops

4. Governance

• moderated by François JEGOU –  PPT Considering food governance at a city scale and the possible role of food policy councils
• Steve MARRIOTT, Bristol City Council – PPT The role and constitution of the Bristol Food Policy Council
• Marketa BRAIN-SUPKOVA, IUFN – PPT Food matters. Engaging local authorities into food governance

Governance table discussions

• How can cities synergize bottom-up and top-down sustainable food initiatives? – Video
• How can public procurement increase the sustainability of the local sustainable food system?- Video
• What is the purpose of forming a food policy council?- Video

5. Funding

• moderated by Stephanie MANTELL –  PPT possible sources of funding for sustainable food initiatives
• Quentin RICHARD, SPRB, ERDF Managing Authority, Brussels Capital Region – PPT ERDF & urban food strategy (from page 14)
• Evgenia KOUTSOMARKO, URBACT Secretariat – PPT URBACT Local Actions Plans. Implementation & Finance (from page 23)

Funding table discussions

• Through what schemes can citizens and private businesses invest effectively in sustainable food without reliance on public funds (e.g. community supported agriculture…)? Video 1 & Video 2
• What other public funds can be tapped into for sustainable food at national, regional, municipal levels (e.g. national public health funds…)?- Video
• How can sustainable food action plans and actions be in part funded by EU programmes such as ERDF or ESF?- Video

6. CO2 & Resource efficiency strategies

1. moderated by Joy CAREY – – PPT to be added
2. Erik GERRITSEN, WWF – Eating your way to a better planet. Experiences from the LiveWell for LIFE project
3. Ulla LUNDGREN, City of Gothenburg – Sustainable Meals in the canteens of the city of Gothenburg
   

CO2 & Resources table discussions

•  What dietary recommendations can cities provide to lower carbon footprint & resource use while taking into account health and how can this be successfully encouraged? – Video 1 & Video 2
• How can sustainable food contribute to a more circular economy at city scale?- Video
• On what priority aspects should cities focus to increase CO2 and resources efficiency of the food system?Video

Conclusions   (no PPTs)                                                                                                      

• Closing remarks – Evelyne HUYTEBROEK, Environment Minister of the Brussels Capital Region
• Feedback from parallel sessions & wrap-up – François JEGOU, Joy CAREY & Stephanie MANTELL

Background documents

The following documents are work in progress based on city exchanges in 2012 and 2013 to be enriched and finalised in 2014.

• Baseline study with 10 city profiles (Oct 2012)
• Interim Thematic Report“Delivering” (Nov 2013) explores ways to distribute, share and procure local food inside the city.
• Interim Thematic Report “Enjoying“ (Dec 2013) list of cases promoting sustainable food consumption (public & private)
• Interim Thematic Report “Growing“ (May 2014) draft list of cases on urban & peri-urban food production activities

Individual cases can also be consulted on this blog grouped per city or per theme.

Discussion Cards Kit

This set of discussion cards is based on a selection of initiatives of sustainable food in urban context emerging from the 10 partner cities. It aims at disseminating this movement of cities engaging in building a local sustainable food governance. Discussion cards should be used in a local stakeholder process to prompt strategic conversation, stimulate new initiatives and keep the ball rolling…

contact: urbact AT environnement.irisnet.be