Food and the Cities. From Policy to Plate.

Across Europe and beyond, cities are increasingly recognising the powerful impact that urban food policies can have on local food systems. While many cities are already seeing the benefits of these approaches, there are still key areas where European Union legislation is crucial to fully empower cities. In this episode of ‘Food and the cities’ we delve into the essential policy messages from the Food Trails project. Join our host, Natasha Foote, as she engages with Madeleine Coste, head of Food Policy and Projects at Eurocities, and Andrea Magarini, Director of the Food Policy Department at the City of Milan. Andrea also serves as Chair of the Eurocities Working Group Food, works within the framework of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, and is the coordinator of the Food Trails project. Together, they will discuss: The main policy recommendations emerging from the Food Trails project. How the EU can enable cities to move forward. Placing food democracy at the heart of EU policies. This podcast is brought to you by Comune di Milano and Slow Food as part of the EU Horizon 2020 Food Trails project. Food Trails is an Eu Horizon 2020 project involving a consortium of 11 European cities, 3 universities, and 5 food organizations, aiming to make lasting and evidence-based progress towards more resilient, safe, fair, and diverse urban food systems across Europe. Through Food 2030-led Living Labs, Food Trails cities co-designed and co-implemented food actions, enabling systemic urban food policies development. Follow @Food_Trails on X and Linkedin!

When we talk about food systems, we're addressing more than just the food on our shelves. We're also dealing with financial markets, where hidden forces can hinder the introduction of new ideas and the drive for change. As Joe Robertson states, "Impact investing is a critical tool for correcting market failures. It can feel like swimming against the tide, but it's really about being honest about value creation." In this episode of Food and the Cities, we explore how impact investing can drive positive social and environmental change in urban food systems. Join our host, Natasha Foote, as she engages with Joe Robertson from Citizens’ Climate International, Senior Advisor of Sustainable Finance at the EAT Foundation, co-leader of the Food Trails Impact Investors Living Lab and the Good Food Finance Network, alongside Thom Aachterbosch, researcher on food systems transformation at WUR - Wageningen University and Research. Together, they will discuss: What is impact investing, and why is it essential for urban food systems and policies?How can cities focus on impact investing, and which investments should be scaled?Insights and outcomes from the ‘Food Trails Impact Investors Living Lab’ This podcast is brought to you by the Comune di Milano and Slow Food as part of the EU Horizon 2020 Food Trails project. Food Trails is an Eu Horizon 2020 project involving a consortium of 11 European cities, 3 universities, and 5 food organizations. Its goal is to promote more resilient, safe, fair, and diverse urban food systems through co-designed actions in Food 2030-led Living Labs, enabling the development of systemic urban food policies.Useful links: Food Trails Policy Brief “Budgeting Urban Food Policies”Impact Investors Living Lab “Overview and Roadmap for Scaling Impact Investment in Urban Food Systems”Policy Brief "Impact Investment in urban Food systems" Follow @Food_Trails on X and Linkedin!

While every city is unique, many of the challenges they face are similar. Cities can learn from each other, replicate, and scale solutions. "Instead of starting from scratch, collaboration allows us to learn from each other and leverage synergies," notes Anna Friederitz.In this episode of Food and the Cities, we explore how peer learning can accelerate food system transformation. Join our host, Natasha Foote, as she engages with Anna Friederitz, Network Development Coordinator at the European Food Banks Federation (FEBA), and Marijke Dijkshoorn-Dekker, Senior Researcher at Wageningen University (WUR). Together, they will discuss: The importance of knowledge exchange and the replication of innovative approaches. Key elements that enable replication and scalability, including drivers and barriers. Strategies for expanding the impact: upscaling and outscaling  Moreover, this episode takes a closer look at one city from the Food Trails project—Thessaloniki—to explore its specific initiatives and the outcomes it achieved. This podcast is brought to you by Comune di Milano and Slow Food as part of the EU Horizon 2020 Food Trails project.  Food Trails is an EU Horizon 2020 project involving 11 cities, 3 universities, and 5 food organizations. Its goal is to promote more resilient, safe, fair, and diverse urban food systems through co-designed actions in Food 2030-led Living Labs, enabling the development of systemic urban food policies. Useful links: FT Handbook for replication Follow @Food_Trails on X and Linkedin

For policy actions to be truly effective and lead to sustained improvements in the food system, they must be deeply rooted in evidence, not only to understand their impact but also to maximize their effectiveness on the ground. However, impressive numbers alone aren't enough, they must be part of a comprehensive monitoring program that feeds back into the policies, helping them evolve and grow. As Simon Heck aptly puts it, "Data and evidence are very empowering. They help everyone in the food system think beyond today’s individual constraints and look toward the future." In this episode of Food and the Cities, we explore the importance of monitoring impact and how this can help build and sustain effective urban food policy actions. Join our host, Natasha Foote, as she engages Simon Heck, Senior Director for Urban Food Systems at CGIAR, the world’s largest agricultural research network, and Giulia Bartezzaghi, Director of the Food Sustainability Lab at Politecnico di Milano School of Management. Together, they will discuss: Tools for systemic and integrated food policy actions, developed and tested by the Food Trails project cities. The relevance of data collection for urban policy actions. How to design a monitoring system that ensures data collection leads to successful policy outcomes. Moreover, this episode takes a closer look at two cities from the Food Trails project—Milan and Copenhagen—to explore their specific Living Labs initiatives and the outcomes they achieved. This podcast is brought to you by Comune di Milano and Slow Food as part of the EU Horizon 2020 Food Trails project. Food Trails is an Eu Horizon 2020 project involving a consortium of 11 European cities, 3 universities, and 5 food organizations. Its goal is to promote more resilient, safe, fair, and diverse urban food systems through co-designed actions in Food 2030-led Living Labs, enabling the development of systemic urban food policies.

For city governments, food serves as a powerful tool to achieve multiple goals, including environmental sustainability, promoting healthier eating habits, improving food access, and strengthening urban-rural connections. However, ensuring that efforts to enhance food system sustainability are effective, lasting, and replicable requires systemic and integrated urban food policies. “Setting up a food strategy is important, but it is just as important that it doesn’t remain just a piece of paper,” says Stephanie Wunder. In this episode of Food and the Cities, we explore the five essential steps to establishing an urban food policy. Join our host, Natasha Foote, as she engages with Stephanie Wunder from the independent think tank Agora Agriculture - Agora Agrar, and Filippo Gavazzeni from the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact Secretariat. Together, they will discuss:  What we mean by an urban food policy and why cities should have one.The five fundamental steps to successfully implement an urban food policy.The critical elements of a food policy. Moreover, this episode takes a closer look at two cities from the Food Trails project—Groningen and Bergamo—to explore their specific initiatives and the outcomes they achieved. This podcast is brought to you by Comune di Milano and Slow Food as part of the EU Horizon 2020 Food Trails project.  Food Trails is an EU Horizon 2020 project involving 11 cities, 3 universities, and 5 food organizations. Its goal is to promote more resilient, safe, fair, and diverse urban food systems through co-designed actions in Food 2030-led Living Labs, enabling the development of systemic urban food policies. Useful links: Food Trails D 3.1 (Soon available on the MUFFP website) The Food System Economic Commissions’ global report ‘The Economics of the Food System Transformation’ FT website, citie’s section

To effectively address food system challenges and shape impactful food policies, participatory approaches are essential. In this context, Living Labs offer a dynamic environment where stakeholders can collaborate and innovate. “Living Labs are an effective method to test innovations in food systems before scaling them to the whole city level,” said Alice Casiraghi.
 
In this episode of ‘Food and the Cities,’ we explore how setting up of Living Labs can help cities initiate the transition towards more sustainable food systems. 
Host Natasha Foote, interviews Shaleen Meelu, public health nutritionist and Food Trails Crosscutting Manager for the ‘Food 2030’ Pillar of Nutrition, and Alice Casiraghi, freelance designer specializing in circular economy and Food Trails Crosscutting Manager for the Circularity Pillar. 
Together, they discuss: Living Labs and their role in implementing integrated urban food policy actions.Food Councils and their significance in driving change.Participatory approaches for engaging food system stakeholders. Additionally, this episode takes a closer look at two cities from the Food Trails project—Bordeaux Metropole and Tirana—to explore their specific initiatives and the outcomes they have achieved. This podcast is brought to you by Comune di Milano and Slow Food as part of the EU Horizon 2020 Food Trails project.  Food Trails is an EU Horizon 2020 project involving 11 cities, 3 universities, and 5 food organizations. Its goal is to promote more resilient, safe, fair, and diverse urban food systems through co-designed actions in Food 2030-led Living Labs, enabling the development of systemic urban food policies.

There is often an unhelpful perception of a division between the worlds of research and policy. However, within the Food Trails project, researchers and city practitioners have become ‘critical friends’, providing a safe, supportive and productive environment for exchanging ideas and co-producing urban food policy interventions.  “It was the process of working together—researchers and policymakers—that resulted in policy changes,” noted Becca Jablonski.

 In this third episode of 'Food and the Cities', host Natasha Foote engages with Becca Jablonski, a member of the Food Trails Think Tank, co-Director of the Food Systems Institute at Colorado State University, and Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, and Paul Milbourne, Professor of Human Geography in the School of Geography and Planning at Cardiff University and a researcher with Food Trails. Together, they discuss:  How to bridge the gap between researchers and policymakers.How the Food Trails project overturned the relationship between research and cities.Innovative research frameworks for a better understanding of urban food systems. Moreover, this episode  takes a closer look at two cities from the Food Trails project—Funchal and Warsaw—to explore their specific initiatives and the outcomes they achieved. This podcast is brought to you by Comune di Milano and Slow Food Europe as part of the EU Horizon 2020 Food Trails project.  Food Trails is an EU Horizon 2020 project involving 11 cities, 3 universities, and 5 food organizations. Its goal is to promote more resilient, safe, fair, and diverse urban food systems through co-designed actions in Food 2030-led Living Labs, enabling the development of systemic urban food policies.

Food can be seen both as a system in need of transformation and as a set of practices that empower cities to achieve sustainability. By leveraging food, cities can address the significant challenges they face. “Fixing our food system is a way to fix our cities,” says Nevin Cohen. In this second episode of "Food and the Cities," host Natasha Foote interviews Nevin Cohen, a member of the Food Trails Think Tank, Associate Professor at the City University of New York, and Director of the Urban Food Policy Institute, alongside Marta Messa, Secretary General of Slow Food and a Food Trails expert. Together, they discuss: What we mean by the sustainable transition of urban food systems.What the main challenges in urban areas are.Why cities are at the heart of the change. Moreover, this episode takes a closer look at two cities from the Food Trails project—Birmingham and Grenoble Alpes Métropole—to explore their specific initiatives and the outcomes they achieved. This podcast is brought to you by the Comune di Milano and Slow Food as part of the EU Horizon 2020 project, Food Trails. Food Trails is an EU Horizon 2020 project involving 11 cities, 3 universities, and 5 food organizations. Its goal is to promote more resilient, safe, fair, and diverse urban food systems through co-designed actions in Food 2030-led Living Labs, enabling the development of systemic urban food policies. Useful links: Food Trails’ Policy Brief The role of cities in shaping food environments, in the framework of the Eu Farm to Fork strategyFood 2030: Green and resilient food systems - conference outcome reportFood 2030 - Pathways for action 2.0 : R&I policy as a driver for sustainable, healthy, climate resilient and inclusive food systems Follow @Food_Trails on X and Linkedin!

The transition towards sustainable food systems is a global goal, and cities are at the forefront of this change. The Horizon 2020 Food Trails project showcases how cities can transform practices into impactful food policies, in line with the EU 'Food 2030' strategy. "If we fail on food, we fail on all” says Linda Scalia. In this inaugural episode of Food and the Cities, host Natasha Foote interviews Linda Scalia, Deputy Head of Unit for Bioeconomy and Food Systems at the European Commission, and Anna Scavuzzo, Vice Mayor of Milan, in charge of the Food Policy. Milan also lead the Food Trails Consortium. Together, they discuss: How to support the sustainable transition of the EU food system at local and EU levels.The EU Food 2030 agenda and its significance for cities.Key insights and future prospects from the Food Trails project. 'Food and the Cities' is brought to you by Comune di Milano and Slow Food as part of the EU Horizon 2020 project, Food Trails. Food Trails is an EU Horizon 2020 project involving 11 cities, 3 universities, and 5 food organizations. Its goal is to promote more resilient, safe, fair, and diverse urban food systems through co-designed actions in Food 2030-led Living Labs, enabling the development of systemic urban food policies.Useful links: Urban food system transformation in the context of Food 2030 – current practice and outlook towards 2030⁠Report ⁠Food 2030 Research and Innovation – Pathways for action 2.0⁠Living Labs in urban areas for healthy soilsEu ‘Food 2030’ research and innovation policy Follow @Food_Trails on ⁠X⁠ and ⁠Linkedin⁠!