Putting food at the heart of local public debate

In less than six months, French citizens will once again elect their local representatives. This pre-election period is an opportunity to put food at the heart of local public debate.

A collective of NGOs, including the CIVAM network, Action Against Hunger and ALTAA, with whom Energy Cities regularly exchanges ideas, is proposing 10 recommendations for ensuring access to sustainable, high-quality food for all, and sharing examples from across France.

Energy Cities is promoting these recommendations, which, if implemented, can advance the right to quality food in our territories under sustainable conditions.

Get inspired by the French recommendations!

1. Create links from farm to fork: strengthen food democracy by mobilising public education and integrating food into local authorities’ participatory democracy initiatives.
2. Offer healthier and more sustainable food in restaurants and offer social tariffs for school canteens.
3. Support the establishment or development of local shops that offer high-quality (including sustainable) and accessible products, while enhancing public transport and soft mobility to get there.
4. Preserve agricultural land.
5. Support a new generation of farmers and new agroecological models.
6. Support projects that offer financial help for healthy and sustainable food and democratic practices: local food banks inspired by food security, social and solidarity grocery stores, purchasing groups, farmers’ markets with income-based pricing, financial assistance for these purchases, collective kitchens or community canteens, etc.
7. Ensure that local food projects provide sustainable, easy-to-get food and involve residents, elected representatives and producers in decision-making.
8. Regulate or even ban advertising in public spaces for food products that are harmful to health and the environment.
9. Restrict the establishment of fast food outlets near schools.
10. Initiate or continue the development of community gardens (family, shared, integration, educational) and urban farms by involving residents (events, related activities such as baskets, etc.).

10 recommendations for dignified access to sustainable, high-quality food for all
Download the publication (in French)