“Making food democracy” started in December 2023.

The research project provides 6 Workpackages: two – project management (WP1) and dissemination (WP6) – are ongoing.

WP2 deals with literature review and analytical framework, from December 2023 to March 2024.

Our initial theoretical focus will be on four types of broad factors: political, economic, cultural, and environmental.

From April to August 2024, a comprehensive map of European cities that have been developing and implementing sustainable local food policies (WP3) will be created. Then, we will proceed with a detailed content analysis aimed at systematically describing the nature of local sustainable food strategies. Based on this analysis, 10 cases of local urban food strategies will be selected for an in-depth study from 5 different countries.

The selected cases will be examined in detail from September 2024 to August 2025 with semi-structured interviews, policy and project documents, and secondary context data (WP4). Each research unit will be in charge of 5 cases: one in Italy (Trento and Padua), and four in other two countries per each.

WP5, from December 2024 to August 2025, concerns the knowledge transfer for food democracy, developing sustainable urban food strategies in Trento and Padua through living lab methodology. In conclusion, we will define a “roadmap” on how to implement a living lab methodology within the local sustainable urban food strategy.

The project will end in November 2025.