Addressing Food Systems Through Urban Policy, Planning and Action

The New Urban Agenda (NUA) addresses the need for “integrating food security and nutritional needs of urban residents in urban and territorial planning…” (par.123) and encourages the “generation of evidence-based and practical guidance for the implementation of the NUA” (par. 128). Local and national governments are increasingly calling for support to foster sustainable food systems in urban areas, and their surrounding rural areas, for addressing the local food security and nutrition challenges. The objective of this training is to provide an overview/simulation of food systems planning and ascertain demand for support and focus. The event builds upon the recommendations from the two cross-cutting expert group meetings on “Integrating Food Security and Nutrition into Urban and Territorial Planning” held in 2016-2017 in New York City by FAO in collaboration with Habitat III Secretariat. The target participants will be mainly representatives from subnational governments, in addition to potential collaborators in the academia and private sector. The training will be a three-fold event:

Session 1: Urban and territorial planning and the systemic approach to food. An overview of the urgency of implementing i) food system planning by local governments highlighting today’s evidence, and ii) an introduction of the conceptual systemic approach to food for urban and territorial policies and planning.

Session 2: Food systems planning in action. It will showcase some FAO and partners’ work on food systems planning, related tools, key results, and subsequent lessons learnt. Themes covered will include: 1) food systems assessment; 2) food governance, policy and planning; 3) translocal collaboration. This interactive session will stimulate a debate aiming at identifying constraints and lessons learned.

Session 3: Food systems planning for your city. Using examples of ongoing city approaches (case studies), the participants will explore/simulate concrete ways for integrating food security and nutrition in their city policies, planning and actions including assessment, identification of priorities and development of strategies. This session will include work in small groups and plenary discussion.