Organiser's description:
Achieving resilient and diverse food systems through local and regional governance
Our food systems are fragile. Supply chain disruptions, the cost-of-living crisis, geopolitical tensions, and the ongoing climate emergency are highlighting the urgency of the task to make our food systems fairer, more sustainable, and more resilient - urgent action is needed to these ends for humans, animals, and planet. Such actions are increasingly happening at the local and regional levels.
Much attention has been given to the importance of local food policies and initiatives. However, the ways that local and regional approaches might be linked and scaled, the diversity of approaches required, and interactions between local, regional, national, and global food systems are only partially understood. What are the opportunities and challenges of expanding local and regional food systems? What significant role can local and regional approaches play in transitioning to more resilient food systems?
The 2024 City Food Policy Symposium will invite collective debate on the potentials of food systems transformation through local and regional food policy and governance. It will unpack the conditions necessary to harness local and regional food networks. Discussions will reflect on how local and regional activity can meaningfully contribute to just and resilient food systems that support environmental sustainability, human and animal health, and an inclusive economy.
We will:
- Examine how local and regional approaches can lead to more diverse and resilient food systems.
- Identify the co-benefits and trade-offs of integrated local-regional approaches to food policy and governance.
- Examine the interactions between local, regional, and multinational food systems interventions.
- Share practical experiences and highlights of regional food networks.
- Harness opportunities to enhance existing local and regional food systems initiatives.
