What is FoodCLIC?

Learn more about the EU-funded FoodCLIC project here.

Who are the current FoodCLIC Pilot city-regions (Living Labs)?

The FoodCLIC pilot Living Lab city-regions are: Aarhus (Denmark), Budapest (Hungary), Brasov (Romania), Berlin (Germany), Lucca (Italy), Barcelona (Spain), Amsterdam (Netherlands), and Lisbon (Portugal).

Why Broadening?

Within FoodCLIC, innovations - i.e. new approaches, processes, and policies - are planned and piloted in eight Living Lab city-regions with the aim to create long lasting systemic change within the city-regions’ food systems and related fields. In order to ensure the project’s durability, we need to take action beyond the borders of the project’s eight Living Labs.

The Living Lab city-regions are collecting valuable experience with new, and possibly challenging approaches and experiences which they can share. These practical examples can provide input for other city-regions and be adapted to their specific contexts. At the same time, Broadening city-regions are finding their own approaches and solutions to pressing food systems challenges, and are valuable partners to exchange with on approaches, challenges, and best practices to support cross-learning within the project. The goal is to go beyond providing information, and rather to enable cities to take action and to identify successful approaches in different contexts - by sharing tools, templates, and processes; facilitating learning loops and exploring synergies.

How to apply?

Interested city-regions can submit their application by filling out this form until 15 March 2024. Applications will be reviewed by FoodCLIC project partners based on a set of criteria.

How to become a Brodening city-region?

Step 1: Apply, using this form until 15 March 2024.

Step 2: The FoodCLIC selection committee reviews the applications, conducts any follow up with applicants necessary, and makes a selection.

Step 3: Sign a letter of commitment.

Step 4: Co-develop a tailored work plan with FoodCLIC partners.

Step 5: Implement the first three phases of the FoodCLIC process, participate in peer-to-peer exchange activities, and engage in international events.

If you have questions at any time before or during the process, please contact foodclic [dot] beta [at] vu [dot] nlclass="link--inherit" .

Who can apply to become a Broadening city-region?

City-regions* across Africa and Europe are eligible to apply.

What is a city-region?

A city-region is a geographic area comprising urban and rural areas. In the context of the FoodCLIC project, any African or European* city, city-region or urban centre, province, area, town, township and rural centre with a common governing body can apply to become a Broadening city-region. 

Please note that, as FoodCLIC aims to engage and strengthen cross-territorial linkages between and within rural and urban areas and actors in these areas, city-regions interested in FoodCLIC’s broadening should aim to work on strengthening these rural-urban linkages and/or to improve relationships between different territories and territorial levels.

*City-regions located in an African country, in a European Union Member State or in a country associated to Horizon Europe (e.g. acceding, candidate, and potential candidates) are eligible to apply, according to Article 16 of the Horizon Europe Regulation.

What are the selection criteria to become a Broadening city-region?

The selection criteria are aimed at determining the compatibility of the city-region environment with FoodCLIC’s Broadening Approach, level of city-region commitment, and staff resources available. 

Applications will be assessed against a set of transparent criteria by a selection committee consisting of ICLEI experts and taking into account the advice provided by FoodCLIC’s Think Tank members and the project coordinator.

What obligations, responsibilities, time investment and tasks does the role as Broadening city-region entail?

By applying to participate as a Broadening city-region, city-regions are committing themselves to…

• ...providing a contact point for the city-region that facilitates the collaboration.
• ...securing support from local and/ or regional government leaders for participation in the FoodCLIC broadening process.
• ...dedicating staff time and a focal point for the co-design of project activities: Please note that the expected time investment required will vary from Broadening city-region to Broadening city-region. Broadening city-regions are expected to invest an appropriate amount of time in co-developing their individual work plan and participating in peer-to-peer exchanges as well as workshops and some obligatory reporting activities, in addition to overall project communication.
• ...co-organizing three local FoodCLIC workshops between June 2024 - June 2026 and engaging with key local stakeholders to ensure their participation in the workshops.
• ...regular exchanges and communication with the FoodCLIC consortium and input into reflexive learning activities and two status reports.
• ...participating in 1-2 international FoodCLIC-sponsored events, with travel budgets being provided.

City-regions will be asked to sign a letter of commitment and co-develop a tailored Broadening work plan. The work plan will be based on information provided in the application and conversations with FoodCLIC, and will outline roles and responsibilities, key dates and activities. 

What is the timeline of the Broadening phase?

November 2023: Launch of Call for Participation 

15 March 2024: Application deadline

15 March - 15 April 2024: Dialogue with, and selection of Broadening city-regions

April 2024: Selected Broadening city-regions sign the letter of commitment for participation.

Starting in May 2024: Regular peer-to-peer exchanges and initiation of the first of three phases of the FoodCLIC process, including and starting with the co-development of tailored Broadening work plans for each Broadening city-region with timelines.

October 2024: FoodCLIC mid-term international workshop

January 2027: FoodCLIC final international conference

In what ways will a city-region benefit from becoming a FoodCLIC Broadening city-region?

By participating in FoodCLIC, your city-region will join a cohort of other city-regions  committed to sustainable food systems transformation. Through direct exchange, workshops and participation in on- and offline events, all participating city-regions will have the opportunity to share experiences and successes in order to learn from each other. In particular, the FoodCLIC project will support and accompany Broadening city-regions in...

• … creating suitable connections between the areas of science, policy and practice to strengthen your food system(s).
• … developing data maps relevant to the needs and knowledge gaps in your city-region.
• … developing a situation analysis that captures the state of your city-region’s food system(s), key challenges and opportunities for targeted interventions.
• … producing a food systems vision, hand in hand with strategic pathways for change.
• … summarising and structuring your concrete foreseen activities as a FoodCLIC Broadening city-region in a work plan.

In this context, Broadening city-regions will be provided with training, guidance materials and strategic support and benefit from peer-to-peer exchange and networking opportunities with Pilot city-regions, consortium partners, and knowledge experts.

A travel budget exists for Broadening city-region staff (1-2 persons per Broadening city-region) to participate in at least two in-person peer-to-peer learning activities and to attend FoodCLIC-sponsored activities, such as workshops, the mid-term and the final international conferences, set to take place in Berlin in 2024 and Barcelona in 2026. Budget is available for Broadening city-regions, for the organisation of local workshops.

FoodCLIC aims to promote solutions to food system transformation and to contribute to the global visibility of leaders from, and measures taken at a local or regional level.

Will the Broadening city-regions receive financial support?

A travel budget exists for Broadening city-region staff (1-2 persons per Broadening city-region) to participate in at least two in-person peer-to-peer learning activities and to attend FoodCLIC-sponsored activities, such as workshops, the mid-term and the final international conferences, set to take place in Berlin in 2024 and Barcelona in 2026. Budget is available for Broadening city-regions, for the organisation of local workshops.

We will do our best to distribute the available budget very fairly among the future Broadening city-regions. Taking into account the geographical location, our aim is to ensure that both African and European cities can participate equally/ to the same extent in in-person activities that require travelling.

Please note that staff costs will not be covered. The Broadening city-region staff will be accompanied by FoodCLIC consortium members and supported through online dialogue and peer-to-peer exchanges taking place online and in-person (e.g. during workshops and conferences).