Feeding spatial planning. Rethinking agriculture as an integral part of the (policies of) city/region

The focus of the paper is the link between urban food strategies and policies at region- al/national level. Related to the UFS, it means consid- er their integrative governance structure as the way that can ensures a balance between top-down and bottom-up elements. Comparing some European food strategies the aim is valuate how an holistic approach and an integrative governance can increase the sus- tainability of the local food system in a regional food system through spatial planning. One of the main instruments that city administrations have to support urban agriculture and changes of food system is the territorial/spatial planning/zoning. Cities can facili- tate local food production by designating land for urban and peri-urban agriculture and gardening. Spatial planning can support short food supply chains and diversity of food retail by planning for areas for independent food retailers or farmers’ markets. Par- ticularly important in this process is the connection of local or city strategies to their rural hinterlands, in terms of policy development but also in terms of reconnecting the food system.