Food policy in Ede

1. Food policy in Ede Healthy and sustainable Food for Everyone In Ede

2. Healthy food environment In Ede, we are creating a healthy food environment that helps people make healthy diet choices as much as possible. We focus on ensuring a healthy food supply in public facilities, food teaching at every primary school and a public space that stimulates healthy behaviour. Specific examples of this include ensuring healthy food in the hospital or the sports canteen, installing water fountains at school and organizing lessons on how to tend a vegetable patch, and providing edible greenery and urban agriculture in the district.

3. Sustainable food consumption In Ede, we are tackling food waste and initiating the ‘protein transition’ to reduce our environmental impact. We encourage residents and organisations in Ede to minimise their food waste and explore the ways in which they can encourage people to consume less animal protein and more vegetable protein. We do this, for example, via the ‘Foodbattle’ or ‘SuperVeggie Day’ in the restaurant for municipal staff.

4. Short food-supply chains In Ede, we are focusing on short food-supply chains in order to create market opportunities for Ede-based agricultural and other entrepreneurs and to connect Ede’s residents with the surrounding rural areas. Agricultural and other entrepreneurs, supply-chain partners and the municipality work together in various projects to develop unique and distinctive regional products. In doing so, we are responding to the growing need for a transparent and sustainable food supply.

5. Robust agri-food sector In Ede, we are committed to promoting sustainable and innovative entrepreneurship throughout the food-supply chain, so that we can create a robust agri-food sector that can take on future demands. We encourage agri-food companies and initiatives to undertake circular and nature-inclusive activities and to close loops. We support initiatives that bring entrepreneurs together and stimulate learning by and for entrepreneurs, so that they can gain knowledge and inspiration from each other. We support farmers in the development of new business models to create a dynamic rural area that is ready to tackle future challenges.

6. Food as a system-approach In Ede, we take a holistic approach to the food system, so that we tackle problems effectively and avoid disjointed policies. We work on the five themes holistically together with residents and partners at a regional, national and international level. This puts Ede on the map as the municipality that is setting the food transition in motion locally with a new administrative approach.

7. Healthy people In Ede, we ensure that everyone is able to make informed choices about healthy eating each and every day, so that we can promote the health and well-being of the people living here. Interventions such as lifestyle coaches and encouraging neighbourhood dinner clubs and innovative projects together with the hospital and Wageningen University help residents to achieve a healthy diet that suits their lifestyle.