Rethinking the rural-urban relationship for food system transformation
The Seminar, which will be taking place on 9 April at the Palau Robert, will bring together experts to discuss the interdependence between the rural and urban worlds in the context of the climate emergency and the demands of farmers.
How can we strengthen and reinforce the rural-urban binomial? What preconceived ideas does the urban world have about the rural world, and vice versa, given the challenges posed by the cultural shift in food demand? What bridges can we build between the rural agenda and the ‘Barcelona Tomorrow. Metropolitan Commitment for 2030’? How do we manage the relationship between a metropolis that is home to a high concentration of the people who need feeding and the territories where the food is produced, taking into account the logistical challenges of distribution? What role do farmers play in all of this? These are just some of the questions that will be addressed in the seminar “Rethinking the rural-urban relationship for food system transformation “ organised by the Oficina Conjunta de l’Alimentació Sostenible – OCAS (Joint Office for Sustainable Food) which will be taking place on 9 April in the Sala Cotxeres at the Palau Robert in Barcelona. Admission to the seminar is free with prior booking via the registration form.
The meeting will serve as an opportunity to reflect together on the importance of the rural-urban relationship in constructing a fairer, healthier and more sustainable food system. The participation of academics and professionals from the agri-food sector will allow for an in-depth analysis of the challenges and opportunities we face in the transition towards a food system model that is good for the food chain, people, the region and the planet.
The opening speech will be delivered by Enric Tello Aragay, Professor from the University of Barcelona and an expert in the sustainability of agri-food systems and agricultural landscapes. Dr. Tello will be asking if we are what we eat and will be talking to us about reconnecting the city with the country to make sustainable food production profitable for farmers..
Following a breakfast featuring a range of sustainable food options, it will be time for the discussions, a space for illustrated conversations around the issues addressed in the opening speech, with a fresh and dynamic format, divided into three blocks: cultural framework; urban agenda, rural agenda; production, distribution and consumption.
Participating in the discussions will be leading experts such as Laia Batalla i Carrera, biologist and director of the Escola de Pastors i Pastores de Catalunya (Shepherds School of Catalonia); Martí Sales i Sariola, writer, translator and musician; Rosa Cerarols Ramírez, geographer, anthropologist, researcher, lecturer at the UPF, and writer; Albert Puigvert Tuneu, manager of the Associació d’Iniciatives Rurals de Catalunya (Association of Rural Initiatives of Catalonia) (ARCA); Irene Navarro Solé, technical officer for the Barcelona Metropolitan Strategic Plan (PEMB); Íngrid Buera Nadal, director of Marketing and Institutional Relations for Mercabarna; Llorenç Llop Manuel, president of the Federació d’Empresaris Productors de Venda de Proximitat a Catalunya (Federation of Local Producer Companies of Catalonia) ; and Gilad Buzi, organic farmer and co-founder of the Associació de Productores Agroecològiques de Catalunya (Association of Agro-ecological Producers of Catalonia). They will be sharing strategies, experiences and best practice in sustainable food, offering perspectives from both the urban and rural viewpoints to foster a rural-urban discussion on the challenges presented at the start.
If we want a living rural world, we have to eat it; this will be the subject of the discussion between Neus Monllor Rico, agro-social consultant at AmaTerra, and Dirk Madriles Helm, shepherd and representative of the Xarxa de Relleu d’Explotacions Agràries (Network for the Handover of Agricultural Holdings), which closes the seminar.
Moving towards a new food model
The Joint Office for Sustainable Food (OCAS) was set up to drive the administrations’ food policies with regard to transforming the food system and moving towards a more sustainable model.
OCAS is formed of representatives of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona City Council, and the Barcelona Metropolitan Strategic Plan. In this regard, the Office promotes sustainable food projects that fall within the Strategic Food Plan for Catalonia 2021-2026, the Barcelona Healthy and Sustainable Food Strategy 2030 and the Food Charter of the Barcelona Metropolitan Region (PEMB).
What is the PATT?
This event is part of the Annual Technology Transfer Plan (Pla Anual de Transferència Tecnològica – PATT), of the Department for Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda (DACC), an annual programme of activities for knowledge generation and knowledge transfer in Catalonia’s agri-food sector, forestry sector and natural, rural and marine environment sector. Is is organised and carried out in collaboration with some 100 entities linked to the agri-food system in Catalonia.