Local Food Strategies: Insights from 3 Belgian cities

Today’s food systems are under immense pressure, yet cities have the potential to become influential drivers of change. A report published by Rikolto in early 2025 shows how the Belgian cities of Ghent, Antwerp, and Leuven are leading the way with local food strategies that tackle multiple societal issues. For example, by working on the repurposing of food surpluses or improving meals in schools. But while these cities show what is possible, the report also highlights the untapped potential that remains due to insufficient coordination and resources.

Context: Why food strategies matter

Today’s food systems face enormous challenges. Globally, 38.9 million children are overweight or obese, and three billion people cannot afford healthy food. Our current food systems are responsible for up to 37% of greenhouse gas emissions. As farmland shrinks and biodiversity declines, millions of farmers are leaving the sector.

In this landscape, cities hold unique potential and are increasingly recognised as key players in transforming food systems. Urban areas are home to more than half of the global population—a figure expected to rise to nearly 70% by 2050. As cities grow, so do the challenges: ensuring access to healthy food, reducing the environmental impact of food systems, combating food poverty, and reconnecting people with the origins of their food.  

A local food strategy report

Rikolto developed an extensive report on local food strategies, in order to explore how cities can tackle these complex issues. We turned to three Belgian cities – Antwerp, Ghent, and Leuven – for inspiration. The report highlights the progress they have made, the obstacles they face, and the lessons they offer. Each city has developed its own food strategy in response to local needs, yet they share a common ambition: ensuring healthy, sustainable, and accessible food for all. By providing examples of these real-life practices, we hope to inspire other municipalities, regions and national governments to take similar steps towards healthier and more sustainable food systems.

The four pillars of effective local food strategies

Our report highlights four central themes that provide valuable insights into the development and implementation of local food strategies.

1. Transversal embedding

A food strategy cannot stand alone. Successful strategies connect food to broader policy domains, like health, education, economy, welfare, tourism, and climate. This cross-departmental collaboration ensures that food becomes a shared responsibility across city departments.  

• Example: Leuven’s food strategy “Food connects”, offers a successful example of this cross-sector approach. Initially launched under Leuven 2030—a climate-neutral initiative—it has since expanded into a broad partnership that includes schools, businesses, farmers, and social organisations. Steering committees with representatives from multiple departments ensure that food is considered in discussions on health, economic development, and climate policy. This cross-sector approach has fostered broad support for the city’s food initiatives.

2. From project to impact

Pilot projects are important catalysts for innovation, but true transformation happens when cities scale these initiatives and integrate them into broader policy frameworks. Cities need to take successful small-scale initiatives and create structural impact.  

• Example: In the beginning, Foodsavers Gent was intended to be a project to only redistribute surplus food, but it has become a comprehensive platform addressing food waste, social employment, and food security. Managed by Ghent’s Public Welfare Center, Foodsavers Gent rescues fresh produce from retailers and redistributes it to social organisations. It also offers job training to people distanced from the labour market, helping them to become skilled logistics workers. Today, there are 12 Foodsavers hubs across Flanders. However, despite its success, demand still exceeds supply, which illustrates the need for continued investment and scaling.  

3. Coordination and resources

Implementing a food strategy requires more than ambition; it demands dedicated coordination, reliable funding, and clearly defined roles. Cities need both human and financial resources to turn strategic objectives into tangible actions.  

• Example: Antwerp’s Tasty Schools programme illustrates how targeted funding can drive meaningful change. With a €40 million budget over five years, the city supports 147 schools (36,000 students) by subsidising healthy, vegetarian school meals. Schools receive a fixed budget per student, with additional support for those living in poverty. While participation is voluntary, schools that adopt the programme receive full backing from the city.

4. Governance

Effective governance is key to the success of local food strategies. Food policy councils provide an essential link between city governments and local stakeholders, including civil society organisations, businesses, and citizens. These councils foster collaboration, ensure diverse voices are heard, and help align bottom-up initiatives with formal policy processes. The cities have adopted different governance models, but they share the opinion that well-structured participation and clear roles are critical to success.

• Example: Antwerp’s food policy council, organised as a “commons” by Commonslab, is entirely independent from the city government. Its meetings are open and self-managed, with officials participating informally. In Leuven and Ghent, the food policy councils have more formal structures. Both cities have found that clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of these councils is essential.  

Key recommendations

Over 200 cities worldwide have already signed the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, committing to sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems. The experiences of Antwerp, Ghent, and Leuven can provide valuable guidelines for when they want to implement their own food strategy:  

• Embed the food strategy across all city departments to ensure continuity.  

• Invest in dedicated staff to coordinate strategies and access funding.  

• Support and scale successful pilot initiatives through policy frameworks  

• Support and empower food policy councils with clear roles and resources.

• Foster collaboration beyond city boundaries for regional impact.