Third session of the CEPEL seminar “Developing Urban Food Policies”

The third session of the CEPEL laboratory’s research seminar titled “Current Trends in Social Science Research” took place on Tuesday,January 21, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in Room 005 (Building 2) at the Faculty of Law and Political Science in Montpellier (22, Rue Lallemand or 14, Rue Cardinal de Cabrières).

We were delighted to welcome Laura MICHELandNicolasBRICAS for the presentation of their book, co-edited with Caroline BRAND, Damien CONARÉ, Benoit DAVIRON, Julie DEBRU, and Christophe-Toussaint SOULARD:

Developing Urban Food Policies: Concepts and Approaches

Quæ Publishing, 2017

The presentation was discussed by Claire DEDIEU(Ph.D. in Political Science)andAlissia LOURME-RUIZ (Ph.D. in Economics).

This book is also available in English under the title*Designing Urban Food Policies*(Springer, 2019).

Below is a summary ofthe book: Driven by the agri-food industry, the current dominant food system is not sustainable. Studies and expert analyses are multiplying to highlight its limitations in terms of resource use, food miles, health, equity, employment, and more. In light of these findings, public and private actors are taking action, and initiatives are emerging in which “urban governments” are becoming increasingly active and influential. This book is the result of work carried out as part of the Surfood (Sustainable Urban Food Systems) program, coordinated by the UNESCO Chair “World Food Systems,” as well as action research conducted in support of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole to develop its agroecological and food policy. Written by a collective of researchers, it describes the existing conceptual frameworks for analyzing urban food policies, at the intersection of food system and sustainable city concepts. It serves as a working basis for identifying research questions related to urban local government initiatives in the Global North and South. The book is intended for scientists and experts who analyze and support urban food policies. Local policy experts in general will also find it of interest.

The authors:

Caroline Brandis a geographer and a research fellow at the UNESCO Chair in World Food Systems. She studies the role of food issues in the development of local food policies.

Nicolas Bricasis an agricultural engineer and food socio-economist, and a researcher at CIRAD. He heads the UNESCO Chair on World Food Systems.

Damien Conaréhas served as Secretary-General of the UNESCO Chair on World Food Systems since its establishment in 2011.

Benoît Davironis a researcher in political economy at CIRAD. He studies the long-term history of agricultural markets and policies.

Julie Debruis an agricultural engineer and project manager at the UNESCO Chair in World Food Systems. She coordinated the Surfood program.

Laura Michel is an associate professor of political science at the University of Montpellier. She researches land-use planning projects and local agricultural and food policies.

Christophe-Toussaint Soulardis a geographer at INRA. He coordinated the research team responsible for developing the food policy for Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole.