In late September, a diverse group of researchers, community organizations, policymakers, and citizens gathered in Montpellier, France, to share learnings from projects and research inspired by “food solidarities”. Hosted by the UNESCO Chair in World Food Systems, the two-day event focused on the intersection of research and local action to reimagine local food systems.
LDFP coordinator Nancy joined the conference to see what we can learn about food democracy and justice – French style.
Read on to see how these insights could nourish our approach in Lewes District.
Shared Challenges, Different Approaches
The conference kicked off with a keynote address by Marie-Aleth from ATD Quart Monde, highlighting the striking similarities between the challenges faced by communities in France and the UK. Rising prices, inadequate welfare payments, and increasing job insecurity have pushed millions into poverty on both sides of the Channel.
ATD Quart Monde work with people with experiences of living with poverty to shed light on often-overlooked aspects of deprivation. Their campaign against “institutional mistreatment” (maltraitance institutionnelle) particularly resonated, aligning with our work as part of the Alliance for Dignified Food Support to address the trauma associated with accessing emergency food support
Whilst the challenges were familiar, there was also lots to learn from the different perspectives and approaches that have emerged to address them. With speakers hailing from Spain, Mexico, Brazil and Quebec, as well as France, the conference centred opportunities to learn from and with actors in different national contexts.
To unpick these opportunities, we’ve put together some key learnings from the French context that could inspire action in Lewes District and beyond.
- The Concept of “Food Solidarities”
The French concept of “solidarités alimentaires” – translating to “food solidarities” – offers a fresh perspective on ideas more familiar to UK food systems, such as food justice and food democracy. At its core, food solidarity is built upon the fundamental values of dignity, participation, and equity – principles that resonate with our own core values at Lewes District Food Partnership (LDFP). This approach goes beyond merely addressing food insecurity; it reimagines our entire relationship with food and community.
Food solidarity emphasizes collective action and shared responsibility. It encourages communities to come together to reflect, plan, and act on food-related issues. In this framework, community spaces & civil society are valued as places where people can reimagine and reshape their local food systems. What sets food solidarity apart is its emphasis on the qualitative aspects of community interaction. It places significant importance on “taking care of” and spending “time with” one another – subtle yet profoundly impactful elements that foster a sense of belonging and mutual support.
Could food solidarity form a useful part of our vocabulary in our work to create more inclusive, participatory, and caring local food systems in Lewes District and beyond?
- National Policy: “Better Food for All”
Emergency food provision in France is underpinned by state-funded purchases of items from a European market specifically focussed on food aid. Whilst this set-up provides French food support projects with the kind of stability that the majority of UK projects can only dream of, this centralised system means leaves projects – and the people that access them – with limited choice. It also feeds into the exclusion of people experiencing food insecurity from participating in local food systems on connection to the land and local producers, which has been a key part of French food culture.
Announced by the Prime Minister in late 2022, the initiative “Better Food for All” (“mieux manger pour tous”) aims to address this by making funds accessible for projects for the purchase of locally grown and/or organic food. This has been used by projects to support local producers as well as enable people accessing emergency food to participate in the choice of provisions and connections developed with local food. Whilst there was general consensus amongst conference delegates that the funds available didn’t go nearly far enough, this is nonetheless an important step towards realising food democracy at a local level.
- Local Innovation: Montpellier’s Common Food Fund
Imagine if our National Insurance Contributions went towards ensuring that every citizen, irrespective of background, could access healthy, sustainably and fairly produced food. After all, like healthcare, a nourishing diet is essential to community and individual wellbeing. This concept – “social security for food” – has been gaining traction in France.
Montpellier’s Common Food Fund (Caisse Alimentaire Commune de Montpellier) offers a small-scale test of this approach. Members contribute to the fund based on self-selected criteria. The funds are then evenly redistributed as a special “food currency.” A citizens’ assembly determines where the currency can be spent. Currently, 500 members can use their “MonA” at over 50 establishments, enabling people with different incomes and backgrounds to codevelop values for a local food culture, as well as supporting the development of a local good food economy.
This model exemplifies food solidarity in action, prioritizing equity and participation. Whilst anchored in very French understandings of solidarity and social security, we could have a lot to gain from translating the principles of “social security for food” to the UK context. Projects inspired by common food funds could have huge opportunities for improving the health and wellbeing of our communities, developing a local food infrastructure and empowering communities to have a say in their local food system.
With thanks to the UNESCO Chair in World Food Systems for hosting such a thought-provoking and wide-reaching conference.
