ICLEI World Secretariat and ICLEI South America, in close collaboration with FAO, have recently launched the Latin American version of the City Practitioners: Circular Food Systems Handbook. The Handbook is designed to help city practitioners new to the topic integrate circularity principles into their food systems to support food security and sustainability.
On June 7th 2023, the Latin American version of the Circular Food Systems Handbook (available in Portuguese here) was presented at ICLEI South America’s National Event in the City of Palmas, Brazil. Together with FAO Brasil, the Brazilian Ministry of Social Development and Combating Hunger, Instituto Comida do Amanhã, and the Brazilian cities of Salvador, Curitiba, Rio de Janeiro and Pindamonhangaba, ICLEI outlined the necessary strategies for the transition to sustainable and circular food systems in the face of growing economic inequality and food insecurity in the region.
To support this transition, ICLEI and FAO have collaborated to provide local governments with concrete tools and practical guidance that city practitioners can utilize to promote sustainable and resilient food systems through the lens of circularity. From engaging stakeholders to designing effective policies, this Handbook presents region-specific case studies and showcases innovative approaches that have helped embed circularity in local food systems.
Who is the Circular Food Systems Handbook for?
The Handbook is primarily targeted at city practitioners in local governments wanting to learn more about how circularity can support the resilience and sustainability of their food systems. It recognizes that various departments, such as social education, environment, urban planning, human rights, health, or economic development, may initiate action on food systems and emphasizes the importance of intersectoral and integrated approaches. The Handbook is designed in an easy-to-present format, allowing direct use in dissemination materials for interested stakeholders and promoting collaboration between different departments.
What will I find in the Circular Food Systems Handbook?
The Handbook provides hands-on guidance to help city practitioners identify practical circular interventions in collaboration with business, academia, and civil society, among other stakeholders. The publication showcases a wide range of good practices, providing inspiration for city practitioners to adapt and implement context-specific approaches.
About the City Practitioners Handbook series
The City Practitioners Handbook series aims to support local governments that have already identified priority sectors or materials to which they wish to apply circular development principles. The series provides sector-specific guidance to help city practitioners identify practical circular economy interventions in collaboration with business, academia, and civil society, among other stakeholders. The Circular Food Systems in Latin America Handbook is the first adaptation of the City Practitioners Handbook: Circular Food Systems. If you are interested in adapting the handbook to a specific country or region, please contact us at: circular.development@iclei.org
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