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The Re.Food Project
Re.Food is a multilateral programme, launched in the wake of the commitment made by Italy during the United Nations Food Systems Summit. Funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) through the Directorate-General for Development Cooperation (DGCS), the project is underpinned by a complex institutional framework that combines political diplomacy with applied scientific research.
Technical, administrative and scientific management for the two-year period 2025–2026 is entrusted to a partnership between the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa and CIHEAM Bari, alongside EStà – Economy and Sustainability.
The main mission of this coalition is to provide operational support to the Resilient Local Food Supply Chain Alliance (RLFSC Alliance), by co-designing agricultural and urban policies capable of making local food systems fairer, more efficient and more resilient.
The objectives
The project was launched in response to recent global crises, such as the pandemic and severe geopolitical tensions, which have laid bare the fragility of global markets and hyper-industrialised production. The Re.Food project refocuses attention on the relationship between food and local areas, where food regains its deep connection with the land and communities, supporting small-scale producers and safeguarding local biodiversity.
The expected macro-outcomes are:
- Strengthening the institutional capacity and advocacy capabilities of the RLFSC Alliance.
- Mapping and systematising best practices in food relocalisation.
- Implementation of five exploratory missions in five target African countries, as a preparatory step towards drafting five territorial action plans, two related pilot projects and the specialist training of ten African experts through the ‘Living Labs’ approach, laying the foundations for a future African Observatory.
EStà’s role
In this project, EStà contributes its expertise as the lead scientific and methodological partner. Thanks to the action research carried out in recent years on local food policies in major Italian cities, we are able to act as a bridge between the various stakeholders. Our task is to facilitate processes, translating the broad guidelines of international cooperation into practical tools for use in the field. We therefore position ourselves at the intersection between those who provide scientific coordination for the project and those receiving training and technical assistance, ensuring that every step is inclusive, participatory and non-hierarchical.
