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Scaling up Action on Urban Sustainable Food Systems in the United Kingdom: Agenda Setting, Networking, and Influence

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  • Mat Jones

    (Department of Health and Applied Social Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol BS16 1QY, UK)

  • Sarah Hills

    (Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of the West of England, Bristol BS16 1QY, UK)

Abstract

There has been an increasing focus on the potential of city-based initiatives to address the negative impacts of the global food system. Adopting a meso-level policy perspective, this study aimed to explore whether, how, and why the UK non-government organisation led Sustainable Food Cities (SFC) programme has influenced this food agenda at the level of city governance. The research fills a gap in our understanding of the detailed processes through which trans-local food networks influence the capacity of local food partnerships to effect change, sustain themselves, and through a collective effort, to shape the attention of national and international decision-makers. Based on documentary evidence from 29 of the most active member cities and interviews with a purposive selection of stakeholders, the analysis suggests that SFC provided a point of origin for solutions and inspiration on a major and complex issue. However, the absence of a national sustainable food policy framework and little formal national-government recognition of local food governance together with the paucity of funding opportunities threatens the long-term viability of local food partnerships and ultimately places significant constraints on the ability of the programme to effect long-lasting, systemic change.

Suggested Citation

  • Mat Jones & Sarah Hills, 2021. "Scaling up Action on Urban Sustainable Food Systems in the United Kingdom: Agenda Setting, Networking, and Influence," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-12, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:4:p:2156-:d:500976
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hannah Pitt & Mat Jones, 2016. "Scaling up and out as a Pathway for Food System Transitions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-16, October.
    2. Daniel Henstra, 2016. "The tools of climate adaptation policy: analysing instruments and instrument selection," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(4), pages 496-521, May.
    3. Joy Carey, 2013. "Urban and Community Food Strategies. The Case of Bristol," International Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(1), pages 111-128, February.
    4. Wendy Mendes, 2008. "Implementing Social and Environmental Policies in Cities: The Case of Food Policy in Vancouver, Canada," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(4), pages 942-967, December.
    5. Alison Blay-Palmer & Roberta Sonnino & Julien Custot, 2016. "A food politics of the possible? Growing sustainable food systems through networks of knowledge," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 33(1), pages 27-43, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Renata Pozelli Sabio & Pascale Lehoux, 2022. "How Does Context Contribute to and Constrain the Emergence of Responsible Innovation in Food Systems? Results from a Multiple Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-19, June.

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