The systemic use of urban landscapes for food production is a major step towards more sustainable, liveable and healthier cities. A multitude of initiatives around the World, however fragmented, are prospering, forming a global movement of Edible Cities. Their products, activities and services – the Edible City Solutions (ECS) – empower local communities to overcome social problems by their inclusive and participatory dynamics and to create new green businesses and jobs, and thereby generating local economic growth and fostering social cohesion.
EdiCitNet will leverage the substantial benefits that ECS effect today at local level and catalyse their replication EU- and world-wide by launching a fully open and participatory network of cities, empowering their inhabitants by a common methodology
• to systematically explore the wealth and diversity of existing ECS,
• to adapt, plan and implement successfully proven ECS in their specific urban context.
Activities of the project include:
• Growing a network of edible cities, initiatives, entrepreneurs and enthusiasts.
• Exploring the integration of edible nature-based solutions (edible city solutions) into different cities through Living Labs.
• Co-creating masterplans for future edible cities with diverse local stakeholders.
• Developing strategies for upscaling and mainstreaming of edible nature-based solutions and the maintenance and strengthening of edible city businesses and initiatives.
• Gathering lessons learned and partner expertise on the social, economic, ecological + governance aspects of edible city development into a broad range of learning resources for different target groups.