Giampiero Mazzocchi from the (CREA) joined the FS 504 Food Policy course to discuss the landmark passing of Rome鈥檚 first last April. in which he participated as part of several civil society organizations and researchers.
Coinciding with the master cohort鈥檚 study on multi-level governance in food and agriculture, Mazzocchi鈥檚 lecture expertly contextualized Rome鈥檚 local food system within wider national and global policies. In his view, urban food policies are the remedy to reconnect nature and city, or as in the , civilization and wilderness. Relying on the tale of this ancient, Mesopotamian king who embarked on a journey to rediscover the land outside his walled city, Mazzocchi creatively referenced the long-enduring divide between urban and rural. 听
In听听a modern-day context, he noted the increasing trend of urbanization as the backdrop for emerging food policies, highlighting 2015 as a particularly stand-out year: the first that the global urban population exceeded the rural. Given this shift in demographics, politicians have begun to conceptualize ways of feeding a growing urban population. Yet, the complexity of developing a food policy for the city lies in the need to connect multiple sectors. A comprehensive policy must consider the role of agriculture, economics, politics, and involved stakeholders. Only then will it succeed in incorporating the local into the urban, while best supporting health, sustainability, and the land.
Mazzocchi reflected on Moragues-Faus鈥� 2013 conception of urban food policies as 鈥渁 process consisting of how a city envisions change in its food system, and how it strives toward this change,鈥� to explain his own efforts as a member of Rome鈥檚 Food Policy Council. From this assembly, and with a vision of change in mind, the process to transform Rome鈥檚 food system began in 2018.
The Council was intended to be participatory and composed of a range of members from diverse professional backgrounds. Inspired by the, they formed as a grassroots initiative with the aim of revitalizing Rome鈥檚 urban food systems. A particular focus on how to deal with the issue of the 鈥渓ocal鈥� emerged in conversation. For many, Mazzocchi included, the local remains an undefined concept that could encompass geographic distance between producer and consumer, but one that also carries political and economic weight. Ultimately, acknowledging the intricacy and interwoven nature of rural areas within urban systems allows for more successful policy advancements.
Pride in the third sector鈥攃ivil society鈥攔ang through in Mazzocchi鈥檚 account of their more than three-year process. Ultimately, the impact of their persistent work was celebrated and codified in the passing of the 2021 Rome Food Policy, whose current working groups directly reflect the priorities suggested by the Council itself. Mazzochi鈥檚 efforts speak to civil society鈥檚 power in bridging the gap between individuals and administrations. More than anything, it serves as a call to action for all those with a passion to inform and improve local governance around salient issues, like the source of our food.
Michaela Colangelo
Graduate Student Assistant
MA Food Studies