Policy Briefs

Olivier Lepiller, University of Montpellier, Cirad, UMR MoISA, Montpellier, France Élodie Valette, University of Montpellier, Cirad, UMR ART-Dev, Montpellier, France
Key points The food innovation scaling issue is pivotal in planning more sustainable urban food systems. The scaling capacity—the ability to reach a growing number of food consumers—is tightly linked to the way innovations address social inclusion. Innovations may encounter various pitfalls and unwittingly promote exclusionary (...)

Marion Tharrey, PhD candidate in Nutrition and Public Health, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (Inrae), Montpellier Interdisciplinary research center on Sustainable Agri-food systems (UMR Moisa), Montpellier, France Nicole Darmon, Research Director, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (Inrae), Montpellier Interdisciplinary research center on Sustainable Agri-food systems (UMR Moisa), Montpellier, France
Key points The (...)

In fatherless, low income households in South Africa, single mothers may use food to offset the absence of fathers and material resources...

Key Points The diversification of women’s social roles in Moroccan cities has not reduced their domestic responsibilities and workload. Women—in response to their increased mental workload associated with the management of household food activities—are seizing urban opportunities to change their food practices. They are relying to a greater extent on ready-made foods, particularly for the late afternoon snack, or so-called cascrot, which is becoming increasingly substantial at the expense of (...)

Key Points Food precarity appraisal requires information on five indicator categories. Available statistics only partially shed light on the food precarity concept. Linking socioeconomic precarity with the foodscape may highlight food access inequalities.
Food is still mainly perceived in terms of its biological and nutritional functions, concealing the fact that it is a major source of inequality. The food precarity problem is thus mainly tackled by boosting food distribution to (...)

Key Points Food solidarity is overshadowed by food aid in France. Food precarity is still managed via food aid while not fostering empowerment. Questions were raised during the French National Food Conference on the respect for human dignity in dealing with food precarity and on the widening gap between populations targeted by food aid schemes and those in need.
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A public consultation was conducted in France between July and (...)

Key Points Alternative and conventional agrifood networks are not separate spheres functioning in radically different ways. Alternative agrifood networks are characterised by a promise of difference in the projects of those who promote them. This promise of difference spurs the formulation of specific rules that are interlaced in various ways with conventional rules. Upscaling of alternative agrifood networks does not necessarily lead to their ’conventionalisation’.
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Key points Commercial beverage consumption patterns highlight a divisive generational gap in the livelihoods of Chinese families. Commercial beverage consumption practices vary according to the time of day morning, day and evening), mobility level (sedentary and active) and the type of occasion (ordinary or exceptional). Commercial beverages have imaginary dimensions related to health and symbolism.
China has been veering towards a consumer society since the 1980s. This ongoing trend (...)

Key points Sensory pleasure can be aligned with a healthier diet—neuroscience and marketing show us how the hedonic network is stimulated. Food consumers tend to favour quantity over quality, spurred by the increase in food portion sizes and the high price per kilo of small portions. Eating enjoyment can be maximized by eating less and more slowly (savouring). Hedonic imagery can enhance the anticipation of consumers’ pleasure. The food industry can help make a positive shift towards (...)

Key points Cities are highly dependent on cereals imports. Cereals represent less of the third of the economic value of urban food consumption. Differences between cities reveal that dependence is not inevitable. Animal products, pulses, vegetables, fruits, oils, seasonings and beverages represent two third of the urban household food expenditures and provide largely from local or regional production. Subsistence agriculture turns to commercial food agriculture. Urban Africa creates its own (...)