GOAL
In an era when food adulteration, pollution of production areas, and the low quality of some standardized and fast-food products are under media scrutiny, a growing segment of citizens is becoming increasingly discerning in choosing healthy foods.
There is also rising awareness of the environmental, social, and economic impacts of production and the consequences these impacts have on their own territory.
Starting from these trends, the project aims to enhance the local agri-food supply chain as a driver for the sustainable development of the city of Bergamo and the surrounding rural areas, bringing producers and consumers closer together on one side, and urban and provincial rural areas on the other.
By promoting typical and organic local products and low-impact production methods, reducing the food miles traveled to reach our tables, shortening the distribution chain, and rebuilding trust between producers and consumers, the goal is
to promote a local food system that integrates various economic sectors: food represents both a cultural and economic field, involving diverse social actors (citizens-consumers, companies, institutions) and economic sectors (agri-food production as well as catering and school or corporate canteens, local tourism, crafts, etc.—consider the link between typical agri-food products and local tourism routes).

RESEARCH AREA DESCRIPTION
The research carried out so far has been used as a listening and aggregation activity for territorial actors interested in building a local food system together. First, local initiatives already underway aimed at revitalizing the local agri-food sector and sustainable production and consumption were mapped, both from an educational perspective and from the perspective of production and the relationship between consumers and producers.
Next, opinions and challenges perceived and experienced by the actors involved in local agri-food supply chains were collected.
This activity allowed us to grasp the potential and obstacles of the local context, jointly identifying possible strategies to foster greater collaboration: a fundamental action of the project is to facilitate dialogue among groups of “consum-actors” (individual consumers or organized groups who, through their consumption choices, aim to promote more sustainable productions), producer association and institutions, to develop common strategies aimed at promoting more sustainable local development starting from food.

RESULTS AND PROPOSALS
The main outcomes of the dialogue with the territory reveal poor collaboration and high fragmentation of existing initiatives, but also a shared vision among the majority regarding the territorial and economic valorization opportunities that such an idea would bring.
Looking at some international best practices (Toronto, Rotterdam, London, etc.), several local administrations have faced similar difficulties by creating Food Policy Councils—permanent platforms for dialogue among producers, consumers, and institutions, where all initiatives related to education, urban agriculture, and the revival of local agri-food sectors can be coordinated. In these experiences, the local authority provided a permanent space for discussion and evaluation, along with various forms of support (logistical, educational, financial, etc.) for these initiatives.
The objective of networking existing best practices and other stakeholders that make up a local agri-food system is therefore to build a “place” to stimulate and expand sustainability initiatives, where different actors can collaborate with each other and with administrations to find solutions to the previously identified obstacles and limitations.
Ultimately, the goal is not simply to create a sustainable system by copying other international realities, but to foster a shared development process in which international experiences can serve as inspiration, adapted to the local context: Bergamo already has many grassroots initiatives, but lacks consistency, stable connections among actors, and collaboration opportunities.
The Expo 2015 event gave significant visibility to the food theme.
Starting from existing good practices in the territory and supporting their development can provide more solid foundations to visibility that might otherwise be fleeting and ephemeral.

RESEARCH TEAM
Francesca Forno (Professore Aggregato UNIBG)
Simon Maurano (Assegnista di Ricerca UNIBG)

Go to the project: Food 2014/15