Policy Recommendations for Building Resilient and Sustainable Food Systems

As cities and regions face challenges—climate change, food insecurity, environmental degradation, and social inequalities—transforming food systems has become an urgent priority. FoodCLIC's policy briefs, including two published recently, focus on key recommendations for local, regional, and national governments to create resilient, sustainable, and just food environments. In this article, we share FoodCLIC’s policy priorities and strategies to drive this transformation. 

Creating Healthy, Sustainable, and Attractive Food Environments

Governments at all levels must actively integrate food systems into urban and regional planning. This means ensuring that food production, distribution, consumption and waste management align with environmental sustainability and public health goals.

• Urban Agriculture & Green Spaces: Encourage the creation of community and school gardens, and urban agriculture initiatives that support local food production while enhancing biodiversity and improving air and water quality.
• Local Food Markets & Short Supply Chains: Strengthen local food markets and support sustainable procurement policies that favour small-scale and organic farmers, ensuring that fresh and healthy food remains accessible and affordable.
• Smart Urban Planning: Prioritise the renovation of existing urban infrastructure over expansion into peri-urban and rural zones to protect agricultural land, enhance biodiversity, and promote sustainable land use.

Supporting Sustainable Food Production and Consumption

Governments must facilitate shifts towards food systems that are both environmentally sustainable and socially equitable.

• Land & Resource Access: Offer incentives such as grants, technical support, and permissive zoning to encourage sustainable agriculture, ensuring that food production practices regenerate natural resources rather than deplete them.
• Sustainable Public Procurement: Promote public food procurement policies that prioritise local, organic, and agroecological food, particularly in schools, hospitals, and government institutions.
• Healthy Eating & Food Education: Implement comprehensive food education programs that promote sustainable and nutritious diets through workshops, school curriculums, and cultural initiatives.
• Food Waste Reduction: Introduce policies that focus on food waste prevention at all levels of the supply chain, from production and post-harvest handling to consumption and disposal.

Strengthening Multi-Level Governance Through Food Policy Councils (FPCs)

Collaboration is key to achieving systemic change in food governance. Food Policy Councils (FPCs) and multi-stakeholder groups provide a critical platform for engaging diverse stakeholders in shaping inclusive, place-based food policies.

• Multi-Stakeholder Involvement: Establish FPCs that bring together local and regional governments, farmers, businesses, civil society organisations, and research institutions to create policies that are both inclusive and effective.
• Alignment Across Policy Levels: Ensure coherence between local, national, and EU food policies to bridge gaps in governance and streamline sustainable food system strategies.
• Institutional Support & Funding: Secure long-term funding and political support for FPCs through dedicated grants, legislation, and integration into broader planning processes.

A Call for Coordinated Action

Addressing food system challenges requires action at multiple levels. Local governments must integrate food considerations into planning and public procurement, national policies should prioritise food system sustainability, and the European Union must advance legislation such as the Sustainable Food Systems Law. By implementing the recommendations outlined in the FoodCLIC policy briefs, decision-makers can create food environments that ensure resilience, equity, and sustainability for future generations.

See the full policy briefs here Policy Brief #1 and Policy Brief #2.

Publishing date: 28 February 2025