Renewal of urban – rural relationships: the key role of food

1. Renewal of urban – rural relationships: the key role of food A Food Strategy for the Amsterdam Region CEMR Brussels, 12th June 2007 Pim Vermeulen p.vermeulen@dro.amsterdam.nl

2. Amsterdam as a (blue)green metropolis

3. Ecological footprint Sustainable production (CO2) Food miles (CO2) Sustainable consumption (meat!) Health 70% of the health problems are related to food 45% of the people in Amsterdam are overweight (14% serious: obesitas) magazines Paper: books, , Meat Living 6% 6% 7% Other consumption Other Food 7% 24% transport 8% Energiy : gas, electricity 8% Other consumption Diary and services Recreation 9% 15% 10% Envioronmental impacts of food

4. Schoolbags: no food!

5. Objectives of the Amsterdam Food Strategy • Natural and local food for everybody • To promote healthy eating habits, esp. of children & young people. • To achieve a balance between the demand of urban consumers and the supply of food products from the surrounding countryside.

6. Food Chain Stages of the Food Chain Key organisations Health Environ-ment Economic Social and Cultural Food Security Town-Country side Primary production Processingv & Manufacturing Transport, Storage, Distribution Food wholesale & retail Purchasing Food Preparation, Storing & Cooking Eating & Consumption Disposal

7. Grassroots approach • Spread the word and launch discussions in city and region • Invite people, private and public organizations to come up with initiatives • Finding common interest

8. Our main policy themes: • Green Metropolis Plan to preserve and develop the green areas in and around Amsterdam • Improving Health (reports on Public Health and Sports) • Sustainable production and consumption (Environmental Policy Plan)

9. Some targets • Natural en local food in • all school canteens, • municipal canteens • hospitals, • care institutions. • tourist industry • local daymarkets • Preserving agriculture in the immediate surroundings of the city for the long term. • Kitchen amenities in new schools. • Every primary school to have access to a nearby school working garden. • Simpler regulations for retail and daymarkets for natural and local food. • Reduction of foodmiles & lower emissions of transport • School curricula include life style and eating habits

10. School working gardens

11. Links with EU-Policies Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) • Strenghten the economic position of farmers • New economic activities and diversification of agriculture Gothenburg Agenda • Adresses threats to human health • Combat climate change • Ensure sustainable transport • Manage natural resources & stop biodiversity decline • Prioritizes social inclusion Lisbon strategy • Economic & social renewal and growth of jobs • Marketing the cities • Free and fair trade Leipzig Charter • Cities on the front line for growth, quality jobs & innovation • Cities should be linking territorial & urban development

12. Next steps • September 2007: City Board decides on the Projects included in the Food Strategy • Fall 2008: Amsterdam will host an International Meetingon City/Metropolitan food and agricultural strategies (New York, London, Copenhagen) • 2008-10: Implementation

13. Amsterdam meeting in 2008 Issues to be addressed: • How to build Infrastructures that maximise the availability and use of natural and local products in cities • How to create educational vehicles for children and other consumers to increase awareness of health and its relationship to natural and farmed environments • Working out the specific role of metropolitan areas in developing sustainable food systems