Food systems for an urbanizing world
This report (PDF) by the World Bank examines available evidence and innovative initiatives as the basis for proposing a conceptial framework and the broad parameters and priorities for efforts to improve urban food systems. The increasingly urbanizing world carries tremendous implications for food systems and for their evolution, management and performance. There are three rapidly evolving segment of the food system: 1) Traditional, featuring markets and retail stores; 2) Informal, including informal food vendors and restaurants; 3) Modern, characterized by modernized wholesale and food safety systems. Positioning food systems to address the future challenges and opportunities will require a transformation in how we think about future goals and interventions to improve their performance. The report suggests a select number of indicative policy, institutional, technological, investment and capacity building measures and actions to be considered in programmes that contribute to the achievement of these food system outcomes. For each outcome area, there exist several potential delivery mechanisms for initiating work around urban food system issues. Partnerships are crucial at all levels between diverse sectors and the large number of public sector institutions, private sector and civil society who have a vested interest and innovative ideas to help advance food systems. Tapping into the groundswell of stakeholder momentum, knowledge and local expertise and providing a space for their continued engagement and leadership will help to advance a transformative, pragmatic urban food agenda in support of more sustainable and resilient, more affordable and accessible, safer, nutritious, and inclusive urban and peri-urban food systems.