Yuna Chiffoleau – Research Director, Sociologist, INRAE(testimonial from the dossier “Food and territories: INRAE scientists in support of territorial food projects” – 2023)
“Since 2005, I have been interested in short food circuits as collective actions that help to build a more ecological, democratic and inclusive economy in local areas. This work helped to define the contours and objectives of the “territorial food projects” introduced in the 2014 law on the future of agriculture. Since then, I have been interested in their deployment and evaluation in support of public policies and local stakeholders. For example, as part of the TERRALIM programme, a study of 12 food projects in the Massif Central has enabled us to produce 2 best practice guides for TAP promoters. They suggest, for example, involving consumers in defining and monitoring specifications for supermarkets offering local vegetables, an action implemented in the PAT supported by Greater Clermont and the Livradois-Forez Regional Nature Park. Although the TAPs have great potential, they often involve the same types of players. At best, citizens are consulted, but rarely take part in decision-making. Rethinking the governance of TAPs is a fundamental challenge if we are to co-construct innovations tailored to local areas and accelerate the transition of food systems.
Testimonial from our thematic dossier
Thematic dossier
Food and regions: INRAE scientists support regional food projects
Over the last 60 years, the places where food is produced, processed and consumed have gradually moved further apart: from farm to fork, the distances have increased. Faced with this phenomenon, local authorities have gradually demanded that they ‘reclaim’ their agri-food systems. INRAE scientists have been working closely with local players on these issues, in particular the ACT department, which has been conducting research into territorial dynamics for almost 40 years. In 2014, the deployment of ‘territorial food projects’, a new tool in local food policy, called on a wide range of scientific knowledge and methods, now involving several INRAE departments. This dossier is an initial look at the involvement of INRAE scientists in the implementation of local food projects.
