Sustainable food system policy development

Sustainable food system policy development

We guide the bottom-up development of your sustainable food strategy in co-creation with all food actors.

In recent years we have supported several cities in developing a food strategy. A food strategy is an excellent tool to collaboratively work on a policy framework tailored to your needs and context, with input from all actors. This approach ensures a shared ownership of the food transition in your city and offers the best chances that the various stakeholders will also effectively commit to implementation.

A food strategy is a collectively developed policy with a vision, strategic goals and operational activities aimed at making your city region food system more sustainable and accessible, for everyone. We guide you through the four steps of developing your own food strategy:

1. Identifying and engaging local stakeholders and citizens

Together with several key actors we identify a tailored approach to reach out to all the different stakeholders. In this process, we help you to install a diversified food council that will oversee the development of the food strategy.

2. Mapping the local agri-food system

Get a picture of what is already happening in the city and its peri-urban and rural surroundings. What about local markets, short chain initiatives, food service, food industry and schools? What is the cultural food identity of the city?

3. Facilitation of the stakeholder meetings

Our common approach foresees three stakeholder meetings:

  1. A first meeting to develop the main strategic goals of the food strategy: what are the main domains you want to work on and what is your long-term goal.
  2. A second meeting to formulate concrete operational objectives and the results that the stakeholders want to achieve after a period of 3 to 5 years. There are also initial ideas on types of activities.
  3. A third meeting to take the step towards action: which projects and initiatives can we collaboratively set up to make our local food system more resilient, sustainable and healthy?

4. Guidance writing the food strategy

It is important to think about clear wording, attractive lay-out and to develop strong and broad communication

After our guidance, you will have:

  • A clear and action-oriented food strategy;
  • A broad and committed network of partners and actors that share ownership;
  • A governance mechanism to follow up and steer the dynamics;
  • A global network of cities to engage with and learn from.

Discover our track record

Ghent, Belgium

Rikolto and Levuur guided the development and implementation of Ghent’s award-winning and holistic food policy.

Main results:

  1. A written, participatory food policy
  2. An innovative multi-stakeholder governance mechanism, Ghent’s Food Council
  3. A food waste re-distribution platform, Foodsavers, saving a total of 1700 tons of food and 2400 tons of CO2 emissions
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Quito, Ecuador

Jointly, RUAF and Rikolto supported Quito’s sustainable food policy with local and international actors.

Main results:

  1. The Quito Agrifood Pact (PAQ), a multi-actor platform responsible for the city’s food policy
  2. A written charter, signed by all actors, and translated into a food policy
  3. Yachik, a new commercial network for agroecological products
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Da Nang, Vietnam

We supported Da Nang to elaborate a Food Smart City development strategy for 2020-2030 with a vision towards 2045.

Main results:

  1. An analysis of Da Nang’s food system and policy environment
  2. A strategic framework of what “Food Smart” can mean in the context of Da Nang
  3. A Food Smart City strategy for the city
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Antwerp, Belgium

Rikolto and Leuven support the city of Antwerp to develop a food strategy, to make the local food system more sustainable.

To achieve this, the city has started to develop a food strategy, encompassing the whole food chain. The process will identify strategic priorities to build a more inclusive, innovative and circular urban food system.

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Do you want to get started?

Don't hesitate to get in touch.

Thibault Geerardyn
Thibault Geerardyn
Directeur van Rikolto in België
+32 16 31 65 83