How Cascais is turning local food initiatives into models for wider change
The neighbourhoods of Adroana and Cabeço de Mouro in Cascais are the two pilot areas of the FoodCLIC project in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. By testing real-life interventions in these communities, Cascais is laying the foundations for a more inclusive, resilient and sustainable food system, one that aims to be replicated across the region and beyond.
COOKING UP CHANGE
Through a co-created Learning Agenda tailored to each neighbourhood, FoodCLIC has shown how targeted local actions can shape long-term urban food strategies. A diverse set of real-life interventions has been implemented, including the establishment of a Community Oven and a Community Kitchen, the promotion of food literacy initiatives, the provision of food baskets to vulnerable families involved in the project and the development of Hortas Ninho – the Portuguese term for the marketing gardens approach – to support local food production. The Adroana Community Oven brings residents together around traditional food practices and new recipes, while the Cabeço de Mouro Community Kitchen has evolved into a hub for learning, sharing and exchanging knowledge. Both spaces are independently managed by the community, supported by co-designed usage guidelines and ongoing training to ensure sustainability and local ownership.
LESSONS FROM ADROANA AND CABEÇO DE MOURO
Grounded in community participation, such initiatives are promoting healthier food habits, strengthening social bonds and improving food literacy. Perhaps most importantly, they are demonstrating how community spaces can act as tools for empowerment and inclusion, helping to inspire systemic change. Recognising and responding to the specific needs of each neighbourhood has been crucial to fostering participation and meaningful, lasting change.
FOOD AS A TOOL – REPLICABILITY AND POLICY INTEGRATION
Rather than standing alone, each intervention is designed as a replicable model aligned with municipal and regional policy frameworks. Cascais’ Local Health Plan 2025-2030, for instance, highlights the importance of local food systems and healthier urban environments that foster empowerment and social cohesion through participatory approaches. The FoodCLIC partners in Portugal have been documenting and evaluating each intervention to understand what works, why it works, what can be improved and how these models can be adapted and scaled to other municipalities in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area.
FROM LOCAL ACTION TO SCALABLE MODEL
Ultimately, we believe the future of Cascais’ food system depends on placing community needs at its core, expanding and strengthening local partnerships and connecting food initiatives with broader climate action, health, and sustainability agendas. What began as small local implementations is now outlining a clear path towards a future in which food is more than just sustenance, it is a vehicle for equity, education, health and connection. Cascais continues to serve as a real-world testing ground for urban food policies that could (and should) be extended to the remaining 17 municipalities in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, while advancing a resilient and inclusive food system throughout its own territory.
This blog post was written by Ema Gonçalves from Cascais Ambiente
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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
