City of Ghent
The Pitch
The City of Ghent localized its food system to make it healthier and less harmful to the environment by creating a food policy council and developing stakeholder partnerships across all stages of the food supply system.
The Problem
The globalized food system is at risk of disruption from climate change. Cities are important for making sure that residents have secure access to food but often lack the tools to impact the food system. Ghent relied on food imports, which made it vulnerable to climate disruptions.
The Process
- Created Ghent en Garde, the city’s new food policy
- Took a co-creative approach, working with an array of food system stakeholders and influencing consumption patterns
- Developed a food policy council to encourage local participation
- Intervened in the production, distribution, consumption and waste stages of the food system
- Shortened food supply chains through the creation of new farmers markets and a platform for professional buyers to purchase local foods
The Impact
- Shifted Ghent’s food system to be more local, circular and eco-friendly
- Created local jobs and removed the large environmental impact of extensive shipping by shortening supply chains
- Helped increase the percentage of Ghent residents that are vegetarian to 7%
- Redistributed 300 tons of food waste in 10 months to 19,000 people experiencing food insecurity
- Worked with 120 stakeholders to improve food access in the city
- Created comprehensive environmental change by influencing people to adopt more eco-friendly diets and by diverting food from the landfill to people who need it
