The following analysis presents how local and regional governments can use (or already have used) their competences to establish integrated strategies for food security, better nutrition and sustainable agriculture. Nutrition as a driving force in territorial development efforts Local, metropolitan and regional governments first called for ‘Territorialized Alimentary Systems’ in 2012 at the 2nd Summit of World Regions for Food Security in Medellín, and reiterated their commitment in 2015, with the Québec Declaration. Local governments accepted to refocus their development plans so as to integrate efficient ways to improve the production, processing, transport and consumption of food. Territorialized Alimentary Systems build on partnerships with local communities, civil society and the private sector in order to build food chains between metropolitan, intermediary and hinterland-rural communities, while contributing to the preservation of natural resources and the protection of the environment and agricultural and alimentary diversity (SDG 15 and SDG 3). At the level of provinces/regions, for example, North Brabant (the Netherlands) is taking steps to implement a food strategy in which quality and sustainability are more central (Goal 2.4). The main objective is to improve farmers’ revenues without expanding their livestock and increasing nuisance on residents and pressures on the ecosystem. Similarly, the 100 local initiatives for Responsible and Sustainable Eating identifies partnerships between local governments, civil society and private sector in different countries (France, Costa Rica and Canada’s province of Québec, and soon Ecuador as well) to shorten food circuits, improve social cohesion and reduce food prices. At the same time, it counteracts current global greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions: to date, approximately 30% of GHG emissions are caused by food production, distribution, land-use change and deforestation.70 At the metropolitan level, several cities, such as Lima (Peru) and Nairobi (Kenya), have been including urban agriculture as key elements of their municipal plans. At the city level, towns such as Albi in France, have defined special zones through their municipal spatial plans for neighbourhood-based community markets and urban farms to start advancing towards food self-sufficiency. In Kampala (Uganda), municipal law grants the right to secure tenure for urban farmers. The municipality, moreover, supports its commitment with capacity-building campaigns in municipal facilities, such as the local Agriculture Resources Centre. In France, several cities are also creating neighbourhood community gardens through participatory budgets. In South Africa, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the regional government of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) is developing the concept of ‘agri-villages’, within a five-year strategic plan to unleash the province’s agricultural potential, ensure food security, and increase the contribution of agriculture to the territory’s economy. Agri-villages are rural developments in which residents benefit from agriculture-based livelihoods, and gradually secure land tenure and access to basic services.
70 OECD (2015) Agriculture and Climate Change, accessible online at this address: https://www.oecd.org/tad/sustainable-agriculture/agricultureclimate-change-september-2015.pdf
49