LET'S CREATE SUSTAINABLE urban food environments.

To provide healthy, sustainable, affordable + attractive food to all people.

Everyone should be able to fill the plate with nutritious, safe, sustainable and affordable food. However, Europe’s urban areas face challenges to ensure availability of healthy, sustainably produced food for all inhabitants and especially for people facing systemic barriers. Promising initiatives taken by municipalities to change the architecture of food choice often fail to become embedded in the wider policy context and to reach food-deprived and vulnerable groups.

FoodCLIC brings together actors from politics, science and civil society to support the development of integrated urban food policies - i.e. policies that facilitate the accessibility and availability of healthy and sustainably produced food for all people and in particular for vulnerable communities. Given the interconnectedness of food concerns with other (policy) sectors, FoodCLIC wants to ensure that urban planning always incorporates food considerations.

FoodCLIC is a four-year EU-funded project that runs from September 2022 to February 2027.

TAKING ACTION IN 8 CITY-REGIONS.

The EU-funded project supports the creation of sustainable urban food environments in eight city-regions, consisting of an urban centre and its surrounding rural (agriculturally used) area. These city-regions share the ambition of a food system transformation that is brought forward through the improvement of their urban food environments (and the interrelated urban food systems).

FoodCLIC wants to ensure that all inhabitants have access to affordable, healthy and sustainably sourced food.

image/svg+xmlGERMANYNETHERLANDSITALYSPAINPORTUGALDENMARKHUNGARYROMANIAAARHUSAarhus UniversityAarhus MunicipalityAMSTERDAMCity of AmsterdamFood Connect Foundation(Stichting Voedsel Verbindt)Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Stichting VU)BARCELONAMetropolitan Area of BarcelonaIrsiCaixa AIDS Research InstituteBERLINHumboldt University of BerlinBerlin Food Policy CouncilBRASOVCity of BrasovTransilvania University of BrasovBUDAPESTMunicipality of BudapestESSRG Nonprofit KFTLISBONInstitute of Social Sciences, University of LisbonLisbon School of Medicine, University of LisbonMunicipal Environmental Government Agency of Cascais (EMAC)LUCCAMunicipality of CapannoriUniversity of PisaSUPPORTING RESEARCH AND NETWORK PARTNERS:Cardiff University, United KingdomCARIPLO Factory SRL, ItalyEuropean Food Banks Federation, BelgiumCARIPLO Foundation, ItalyFoundation Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change (CMCC), ItalyICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability - Europe, GermanyICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, GermanyICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability - Africa, South AfricaWold Association of the Major Metropolises (Metropolis), FranceUniversity of Surrey, United KingdomInstitute of Social Sciences, Portugal

LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK.

Urban food environments are simultaneously social, spatial, environmental, and political. As such, they impact the accessibility, availability, and adequacy of food within a city-region. Following the CLIC-approach, city-regions in FoodCLIC are working towards sustainability Co-benefits; strengthened rural-urban Linkages across the food system; the Inclusion of all (food) stakeholders; and the creation of Connectivities between food and other complex systems and policy priorities. FoodCLIC connects people, food, and policy in order to establish healthy, affordable, safe, and accessible food environments.

In each of the eight city-regions, a Food Policy Network will be founded and/ or strengthened in the framework of the FoodCLIC project. These Networks bring together policial actors and public authorities, scientists and higher education representatives, the civil society and the private sector. Their common goal is to study, learn and share knowledge by designing and implementing real-life interventions in the city-regions. In this way, relevant evidence can be generated that helps shape integrated food policies influencing how food is produced, processed, distributed, purchased and provided.

The FoodCLIC activities are based on methodological and theoretical foundations, such as the CLIC framework (the CLIC). The CLIC constitutes a model that guides project partners in taking action that particularly supports a transformation of our food systems. It incorporates the place-based and multi-dimensional nature of food system transformation and is built on four pillars, which can be seen as FoodCLIC’s four (interrelated) goals for food system transformation: It emphasises sustainability Co-benefits, spatial Linkages, social Inclusion and sectoral Connectivity.

With this theoretical/ conceptual framework at hand, FoodCLIC aims to create more sustainable urban food environments and empower all people to access healthy and sustainably produced food.

Our Think Tank members.

Eight internationally renowned experts are forming FoodCLIC’s Think Tank. The Think Tank members support project partners throughout the whole project lifetime by giving strategic advice, providing input during the project’s strategic Broadening Phase, and by disseminating the project's key messages and outcomes.

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Cecilia Marocchino is an urban planner at the FAO and has over ten years of professional experience in urban research and planning in various cities in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East, focusing on urban food planning and management, municipal governance and urban information.

Key FoodCLIC area of expertise: Urban food planning

References: [1]

Think Tank member GARETH HAYSOM

Gareth Haysom (PhD) is a researcher in the urban food systems research grouping at the African Centre for Cities at the University of Cape Town. Gareth’s work uses food as a lens to better understand urbanization in African and Southern cities.

Key FoodCLIC area of expertise:  Urban food systems and governance

References: [1]

Think Tank member Joy Carey

Joy Carey is an independent Sustainable Food Systems Planning consultant with a focus on cities. She has worked in sustainable food and farming with the UK and international organic and local food sectors since 1990, and currently serves as Senior Programme Officer at RUAF.

Key FoodCLIC area of expertise: Sustainable food systems planning

References: [1]

Think Tank Memeber Judith Hitchman

Judith Hitchman serves as Joint Coordinator representing Urgenci at the intercontinental Social and Solidarity Economy network (RIPESS). Core aspects of her recent work have focused on global food policy and building bridges between food sovereignty, solidarity economy and agroecology.

Key FoodCLIC area of expertise: Food sovereignty and solidarity economy

References: [1]

Think Tank memeber Laura Michéle

Laura Michéle coordinates FIAN International’s work on Food Systems and Nutrition. Laura’s focus of work lies in the transition towards people-centred food systems that foster human rights and social justice, and the role that governments, including local governments, have to play in this.

Key FoodCLIC area of expertise: Food systems, human rights, nutrition

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Luigi Tozzi is a biologist serving as Deputy Director of SAFE Food Advocacy Europe, with over 30 years of experience in the field of Quality and Safety assurance in the agri-food sector.

Key FoodCLIC area of expertise:  Food quality assurance and safety

References: [1]

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Million Belay (PhD) is the General Coordinator of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) and a Panel Member of IPES Food. He has over two decades of experience working on intergenerational learning of bio-cultural diversity, agriculture, the rights of local communities to seed and food sovereignty and forest issues.

Key FoodCLIC area of expertise: Forestry conservation, indigenous livelihoods, agroecology, food and seed sovereignty

References: [1]

Think Tank memeber Charlotte Flechet

Charlotte Flechet is the Global Programme Director of Rikolto's Good Food for Cities programme where she supports and leads a global team of 40+ people working on urban food environments, regenerative agriculture, circular and inclusive entrepreneurship, short food chains, multi- stakeholder and multi-level food governance, policy advocacy and peer-to-peer learning.

Key FoodCLIC area of expertise: Urban food systems in practice, food environments

References: [1]

Our Stakeholder Advisory Board.

The FoodCLIC Stakeholder Advisory Board provides advice on the quality of the activities and ensures that the project takes into account the different perspectives and interests of stakeholders. The members of the Stakeholder Advisory Board have diverse backgrounds and substantial and unique expertise and knowledge. Members include representatives from academia, policy-makers, private sector and civil society.

SAB_Member_Nevin_Cohen

Nevin Cohen is an Associate Professor at the City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate School of Public Health, and Director of the CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute. His research explores the policies, governance systems, practices, and infrastructure to support socially just, healthy, ecologically resilient, and economically viable urban and regional food systems.

Key FoodCLIC area of expertise: Spatial planning, sustainable urban planning

References: [1]

SAB Member Stefano Minini

Stefano Minini is a Civil Engineer with a global track record in infrastructure development. He works as a Project Director in Milano Innovation District (MIND) and he has experience in transport (railways, roads, airports), real estate, travel retail and hospitality. Within these areas, Stefano has topic expertise in early scheme development, financial feasibility, M&A, operational pricing and turnaround.

Key FoodCLIC area of expertise: Spatial planning, sustainable urban planning

References: [1]

SAB Member Yael Pantzer

Yael is Policy Officer and project coordinator at Slow Food International’s office in Brussels. She follows a wide range of policies regarding food, agriculture and is specialised in urban food policies and the involvement of civil society. She completed a master's in Food Anthropology at the SOAS University, London and a bachelor’s in Development Economics. Before she worked as Gastronome, gaining first-hand comprehensive experience of the complexity of food systems. Yael is on maternity leave in 2024 and is replaced temporarily by Marta Messa, Secretary General Slow Food.

Key FoodCLIC area of expertise: Food systems, project coordination and policy work on production, distribution and consumption of sustainable food in Europe

References: [1]

SAB Member Martina Rogato

Martina Rogato is a Sustainability and Diversity Advisor and Contract Professor at Temple University and at 24ore Business School. She co-Founded in 2022 ESG Boutique for supporting companies on ESG and sustainability. She is the Co-Founder and Honorary President of Young Women Network, and Board Member of HRIC: Martina has been the Sherpa and Spokesperson of Women 20 for the 2021 G20 Presidency, and she’s currently Co-Chair of Women7 Italy (G7).

Key FoodCLIC area of expertise: Sustainability and Diversity

References: [1]

SAB Member Reka Szöllosi

Reka Szöllosi is an experienced food communications and regulatory expert with a demonstrated history of working in the food & beverages industry, with special interest and knowledge in sustainable food production. Her mission is to catalyse the shift to more sustainable food systems by transmitting messages, transferring knowledge and best practices via consultancy, journalism, public speaking and trainings.

Key FoodCLIC area of expertise: Sustainable food production

References: [1]

SAB Member Hugo de Vries

Dr. Hugo de Vries works as a Research director at the National Research Institute for Agriculture and is a member of the INRAE Scientific Directory Team ‘Food, Nutrition and Bioeconomy’, France, with a specific focus on European Affairs concerning Sustainable Food and Bioeconomy Systems. He is Past-President of the European Federation of Food Science and Technology, actively involved in e.g. the SCAR and SAPEA Working Groups on Sustainable Food Systems, the FAO-led International Sustainable Bioeconomy Working Group, the EU-CSA Fit4Food2030, and coordinator of the HE CSA project FOODPathS developing the prototype Partnership Sustainable Food Systems. He is an associated member of the French Academy of Agriculture.

Key FoodCLIC area of expertise: Food system science, technology & business models for food

References: [1]

SAB Member Henk Westhoek

Henk Westhoek is Program lead of Food and Agriculture of PBL (Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency) He initiates, leads, and contributes to policy relevant studies, often with an integrated approach. Combining quantitative, qualitative and governance aspects. Some studies at the national (Dutch) scale, or at the European scale, or at global scale. Recently, he worked for 1.5 years as a national seconded expert for DG SANTE, within the Farm to Fork Unit.

Key FoodCLIC area of expertise: Food and Agriculture

References: [1]

SAB member Tjard de Cock Buning

Tjard de Cock Buning is trained as bio-physicist in the neurosciences and as philosopher of science. He chaired the special chair in Applied Ethics of the Life and Health Sciences at the Athena Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. His research focuses on complex multi-stakeholder problems in the life sciences domain. By engaging patients as well as industry, governance and academia in agenda setting and decisions processes he developed and investigated methodologies of various forms of dialogue. Tjard has dealt with topics including health system reforms, maternal health in fragile states, alcohol & drugs policy, genetic modified food, responsible research innovation, genomics, neuro-imaging, predictive medicine. 

Key FoodCLIC area of expertise: Ethics of the Life and Health Sciences

FOODCLIC. We are connecting people, food, policy & places.

FoodCLIC is a four-year project funded by the EU. The project runs from September 2022 to February 2027. The acronym FoodCLIC stands for 'integrated urban FOOD policies – developing sustainability Co-benefits, spatial Linkages, social Inclusion and sectoral Connections to transform food systems in city-regions