Creating sustainable urban food systems is a pressing issue: presently, over half of the global population resides in urban environments, with forecasts indicating that cities will account for 80% of food consumption.   

A holistic approach is needed which comprises various dimensions of food, including education, environment, culture, economy, health, social justice, planning, and tourism. The overarching objective is to identify collective and mutually beneficial solutions to urban challenges, ranging from poverty, health, land use, energy, education, and waste management, among others.

Food policies of cities need to effectively address these current challenges by integrating diverse actors and initiatives into a comprehensive strategy with strong citizen participation to develop long-lasting and effective actions. There are successful cases of citizen participation in the renewal of markets. A growing number of market halls are now playing a role in the circular economy, in creating new community spaces, in creating new jobs, or in linking to short food chains.

While global chains have dominated food production and distribution for decades, an increasing number of local communities and institutions have begun developing their short chain distribution networks between cities and their agricultural hinterlands. Locally sourced food systems play a key role in the creation of resilient, healthy and inclusive cities.