Session 3

Food Policy Councils (FPCs) engage with institutions at multiple levels — local, national, and international — but the nature of these relationships varies widely. In some cases, FPCs are formally recognized and supported by local administrations, gaining visibility and legitimacy as part of municipal governance. While this integration can strengthen policy impact, it may also constrain the council’s autonomy and capacity to be truly transformative.

In contrast, other FPCs operate independently, representing the voices and priorities of food system stakeholders outside institutional frameworks. This independence can foster innovation and responsiveness, but may limit their ability to influence public policy or secure long-term support.

At the same time, FPCs increasingly interact with national and international bodies such as WHO or FAO, which can provide policy frameworks, technical guidance, and resources. These multi-level relationships raise questions about alignment, legitimacy, and influence across different governance scales.

How can FPCs navigate these diverse institutional relationships without losing their transformative edge?Is there a risk of fragmentation or bottlenecks when multiple levels of governance overlap?

This session brings together case studies from local, national, and international contexts to explore the opportunities and tensions that arise when Food Policy Councils work with — or alongside — institutions. The presentations reflect a range of governance models, from informal, community-based initiatives to formalized structures and multilateral collaboration.

Together, these contributions will spark a broader reflection on what it means to govern food systems collaboratively — and on how FPCs can retain their trasformative ambition while engaging with institutional power

In this Session

Opportunities and limits of informality: the case of Nutrire Trento (Gaia Maronilli)

• Nutrire Trento is an informal food policy council coordinated by the Municipality and the University of Trento, since 2017. Its informality has allowed flexible, open participation and experimentation, adapting to specific topics and community interests. However, this same informality has limited its ability to foster systemic thinking and long-term stakeholder engagement in local food policy. Its action often rely on external, project-based funding—mainly from European sources—rather than stable institutional support. The case raises key reflections on how informality can both enable and constrain food governance when working with local institutions.

Food Coop in action @laurentinakm10 (Gabriella D'amico)

• Laurentina km 10 cooperative was founded to create a community emporium in a strip of city bordering the southern Roman countryside.The cooperative is designing the organizational model of the food coop where organic, fair trade and short supply chain products are sold, self-managed by the members.In this context of female start-up, local synergies with institutions are essential for welfare project that see communities of practice like food coop protagonists.Food Council,if present,should allow the assignment of suitable public spaces and also funds, not only facilitating the dialogues but also the implementation of innovative entrepreneurs projects, for an effective food policy action.

Leveraging the health sector’s role in food procurement and demand generation for the “triple wins” of healthy and safe food; healthy ecosystems; and health equity for all (Theadora Swift Koller and Kaia Engesveen)

• All sectors – including the health sector – must play an active role in reshaping food systems for a better future. This presentation describes how the health sector can support food procurement in ways that enable the “triple wins” of healthy and safe food; healthy ecosystems; and health equity for all. This presentation will include profiling of the WHO Action Framework for Development and Implementation of Public Food Procurement and Service Policies for a Healthy Diet, alongside WHO work on mainstreaming biodiversity for nutrition and health and activities of the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH). The presentation will also underline the central role of equity. Around 2.8 billion people - over 35% of the global population - could not afford a healthy diet in 2022.

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Governance of the Luxembourgish Food Policy Council (Céline Depiesse)

• The luxembourgish food policy council has been institued by its 60 members as an nonprofit organisation in March 2025 after 7 years ideation and co-creation process. While lots of people are enthusiastic about this new governance instance of food system, engagement in working groups, relation with the policy makers and governance methods are still a work in progress. We are building on experience to shape all those processes. We are facing several challenges mostly on power relationships and representativeness from all stakeholders.

Food Governance Networks and the role of Food Policy Council in Rome: An Exploratory Study (Francesca Gori, Francesca Felici, Davide Marino, Daniela Bernaschi)

• This study analyzes the evolution of food governance in Rome, focusing on the role of the Food Policy Council established in 2021. Using a qualitative approach and Social Network Analysis, the research highlights how initial living labs developed into permanent working groups, strengthening the local network and fostering a cohesive community. These working groups enabled structured dialogue between institutional actors and food movements, promoting co-governance practices. Findings show that negotiated power among actors is crucial to building a participatory and resilient food governance system, where influence extends beyond policy outputs to long-term repositioning within governance spaces.