Multi-level food governance plays a crucial role in determining whether cities and local governments are able to effectively address food systems challenges at local level and contribute to food systems transformation.

Urban food governance mechanisms are inclusive multi-stakeholders process of interaction and decision making which brings together food systems actors, civil society organization, private sector, academic institutions and local governments. The food governance mechanism can act as a consultative forum and advice local governments on structures and integrated urban food systems actions. In most of the cases, the successful integration of food systems in urban policy and plans is strongly connected to the existence of multi-stakeholder and multi-sectorial food governance mechanisms at the level of the local-municipal governments (e.g. Food Policy Councils or similar entities) for promoting structured and interconnected actions including those in cases of emergency, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

The establishment of food governance mechanisms at local level promotes vertical integration across the various level of governments as long as coordination between local stakeholders, especially considering that factors shaping the food system extend well beyond food. The ultimate goal of these platforms is to support local governments in developing holistic food strategies and in integrating food systems into local plans.  

The Project Feeding Urbanization explores the opportunity of establishing integrated governance systems among Small Cities