The Food Trails project has taken an ambitious step towards transforming how urban food systems operate. Partnered with 11 cities and supported by Eurocities, this initiative empowered local governments and communities to reimagine food systems in ways that benefit the people and the planet. The Food Trails project has laid important groundwork for sustainable practices through its Living Labs, where pioneering actions on urban food challenges have taken root. Now a wealth of resources is available to help other cities adapt these successes and start their own journeys towards a food system that provides healthy and sustainable food for all.
‘Food and the Cities: From Policy to Plate’ podcast series
One of the most accessible gateways into Food Trails is the podcast series Food and the Cities: From Policy to Plate, hosted by Natasha Foote, an EU agri-food journalist. Over nine episodes, Foote guides listeners through engaging conversations with food experts and innovators, offering insights into how cities are driving sustainable food system transformation. Each episode introduces real-world examples from the Living Labs, revealing how local policies and community-driven actions are making meaningful strides in sustainable food practices.
The Food Trails Handbook for Cities
For cities looking to embark on or deepen their food system transformation, the Food Trails Handbook for Cities offers a practical starting point. This handbook is a culmination of the project’s learnings, developed in close collaboration with its partner cities. It provides cities with concrete steps and tools for developing their own resilient food systems, drawing on four years of shared experiences. From strategies to hands-on practices, the handbook is designed to inspire and guide urban policymakers, practitioners, and food system stakeholders towards impactful change.
‘Midday Munchies’ webinar series
A deeper understanding of urban food policy emerges through the ‘Midday Munchies’ webinar series, a collection of online talks that delves into best practices and insights gained throughout the project. Each of the eight webinars brought together experts, project partners, and city representatives to foster an exchange of ideas and solutions. Moderated by Eurocities, the series served as a platform to inspire cities and stakeholders outside the consortium to adopt and adapt sustainable practices.
Food Trails Stories video series
Further illustrating the project’s impact, the Food Trails Stories video series brings viewers into the heart of each Living Lab. Here, you can witness the transformative pilot actions undertaken by the 11 partner cities, each tailored to address unique urban food challenges. These videos celebrate the project’s alignment with the EU Food 2030 policy framework, showcasing how each city has worked to promote sustainable nutrition, circularity, and resource efficiency, while strengthening local food policy.
Crosscutting Managers Report
Underlying the project’s activities is a systemic approach captured in the Crosscutting Managers Report, which reflects on themes like healthy diets, circular food systems, and community empowerment. This report, developed by four Crosscutting Managers dedicated to different facets of the Food 2030 framework, explores how cities can ensure policies create benefits across these interconnected themes. By understanding the co-benefits that emerge through policy, cities can take a more holistic approach to food system transformation.
Pathways for Food 2030-Led Urban Food Policies
The project also offers a strategic framework for future urban food initiatives in the report Pathways for Food 2030-Led Urban Food Policies. This report highlights policy pathways developed through Food Trails that align local food system work with the EU Food 2030 priorities. It provides cities with a structured approach to integrating food policy at all levels of governance, from grassroots initiatives to regional and national policy. This roadmap encourages cities to take long-term, multi-faceted actions that respond to both global goals and local realities, embedding sustainable food policies into the fabric of urban life.
The impact of Food Trails events
As part of the project activities, international and local events have played a significant role in its multiplying effect as well as in better knowledge exchange.
Through its resources and lived examples, Food Trails leaves behind a legacy of collaboration and innovation, providing cities across Europe with a roadmap to build more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient urban food systems for the future.
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Food Trails is an EU Horizon 2020 project involving 11 cities (Bergamo, IT; Birmingham, UK; Bordeaux Metropole, FR; Copenhagen, DK; Funchal, PR; Grenoble Metropole, FR; Groningen, NL; Milan, IT; Thessaloniki, GR; Tirana, AL; Warsaw, PL), 3 universities, and 5 food organizations. Its goal is to promote more resilient, safe, fair, and diverse urban food systems through co-designed actions in Food 2030-led Living Labs, enabling the development of systemic urban food policies.
The Food Trails project has received fundings from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme, under grant agreement n. 101000812.
