Sustainable Food

The Milan Urban Food Policy Pact is a treaty among cities that want to work towards the ecosocial transformation of food systems to guarantee healthy, sustainable and fair food for citizens. More than 200 cities from all over the world are participating in the Pact, which is led by the Steering Committee, a governing body comprised of 13 members which represent each geographic region in the Pact. The Committee is elected every two years.

The cities of Barcelona and Birmingham have now been elected to represent Europe during the 2023-2025 mandate in a vote that the 210 member cities took part in.

The City Councillor for Economic Promotion and Employment, Raquel Gil, said ‘We are proud that Barcelona is one of the two cities chosen to represent Europe in the Milan Pact, because it signals recognition of the city’s concerted effort to transform food systems’, adding ‘we work with the aim of making Barcelona one of the driving forces that enables us to have a food model which is healthier for people and more respectful of the planet’.

A candidacy with a long legacy

The city’s candidacy revolved around several different aims:

• To generate and consolidate mechanisms of influence in EU and international food policies
• To foster the exchange and transfer of projects and economic activities with an impact among cities to work towards the goals set
• To promote the creation of knowledge about food systems in conjunction with universities and research institutions
• To foster connections with social movements and agricultural organisations

This candidacy is framed within the city’s legacy after serving as the 2021 World Capital of Sustainable Food. That autumn, the city promoted more than 100 urban food projects, and all the cultural activities were refocused in order to place sustainable food at the core of the social and political agenda, with more than 100,000 people taking part.

In addition, the city hosted the 7th Milan Urban Food Policy Pact Global Forum in October 2021 and participated in global processes that stress the importance of national actions to achieve substantial changes in food systems, such as the UNFSS and the COP 26 in Glasgow.

Similarly, in 2022 Barcelona worked on developing the Barcelona Healthy and Sustainable Food Strategy for 2030, a shared roadmap drawn up with more than 100 stakeholders via a participatory process. It also has the City Agreement for the Barcelona Healthy and Sustainable Food Strategy for 2030, a space of city participation shared by the City Council and civil society that acts in areas related to sustainable food. Its main objective is to grow and strengthen the fabric of organisations working to transform the food system in order to contribute to the socioeconomic development of the city and the citizens of Barcelona. Eighty organisations are currently affiliated to it, and the goal is to reach 200 by the end of 2024.

World Food Day

World Food Day, promoted by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), is held on 16 October. This year, the slogan is ‘Our actions are our future’. Indeed, citizens have to be aware that the food system exerts a major impact on the planet and the people living on it. With small acts that are easy to incorporate into our daily food habits, we can contribute to creating a healthier, fairer world in which we can live harmoniously and more sustainably with other people, other living beings and the environment.

To commemorate this day, activities are being held in Barcelona that focus on reviving traditional knowledge of cooking. Two activities enable participants to reflect on the importance of reviving traditional knowledge and incorporating everyday conscious, healthy food practices. Those activities are ‘let’s make sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables’ and ‘let’s make chocolate from carob’. These activities are being organised by the Bosc Turull Environmental Classroom and the Responsible Consumption Space, in conjunction with the Can Carol Neighbourhood Centre.

The city is also releasing the second series of videos produced by the City Council and the Diari de Barcelona (DdB) entitled ‘Kids’ menu’. The chapters are being disseminated on the website and social media of the DdB and the City Council. The first one, ‘Grow and eat’, was released on 29 September, dovetailing with International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Wastage.

These two series examine food, generational changes and the origins of products. They revolve around two questions: ‘How do the food habits of younger people and older people differ, and how can they learn from each other?’ And ‘Do we know enough about the origins of the foods we eat?’.