Rethinking the rural-urban link to transform the food system

On Tuesday 9 April the Joint Office for Sustainable Food (OCAS) is organising the PATT conference "Rethinking the rural-urban link to transform the food system" in the Cotxeres hall of Palau Robert in Barcelona, bringing together academic and professional experts to discuss the interdependence between rural and urban worlds in the context of the climate emergency and farmers' demands. 

How can we bring the rural-urban pairing closer together and strengthen it? What preconceptions does the urban world hold about the rural one — and vice versa — in the face of the cultural shift in food demand? What bridges can be built between the rural agenda and the metropolitan commitment of tomorrow's Barcelona? How is the relationship articulated between a metropolis concentrating the people to be fed and the productive territories, given the logistical challenges of distribution? What role do farmers play in all this? These are some of the questions the conference "Rethinking the rural-urban link to transform the food system" aims to answer. The meeting will be an opportunity to reflect together on the importance of the rural-urban link in building a more sustainable, healthy and fair food system. The participation of academic and professional experts from the agri-food sector will allow a deeper look at the challenges and opportunities involved in moving towards a food system model that is good for the food chain, people, the territory and the planet.

The opening lecture will be given byEnric Tello Aragay, professor at the University of Barcelona and an expert in the sustainability of agri-food systems and agricultural landscapes. Dr Tello will ask whether we are what we eat and will talk about reconnecting countryside and city to make sustainable food production profitable for farmers. After a breakfast featuring sustainable food, the dialogues will follow — a space for illustrated conversation around the themes of the opening lecture, in a fresh, dynamic format divided into three blocks: cultural framework; urban agenda, rural agenda; production, distribution and consumption. Taking part will be respected voices such as Laia Batalla i Carrera, biologist and director of the Catalan School of Shepherds; Martí Sales i Sariola, writer, translator and musician; Rosa Cerarols Ramírez, geographer, anthropologist, researcher, lecturer at UPF and writer; Albert Puigvert Tuneu, manager of the Catalan Association of Rural Initiatives (ARCA); Irene Navarro Solé, technical officer of the Barcelona Metropolitan Strategic Plan (PEMB); Íngrid Buera Nadal, director of Marketing and Institutional Relations at Mercabarna; Llorenç Llop Manuel, president of the Catalan Federation of Local-Sales Producer Businesses; and Gilad Buzi, organic farmer and co-founder of the Catalan Association of Agroecological Producers, who will share strategies, experiences and good practice in sustainable food, with urban and rural perspectives to encourage a rural-urban dialogue on the challenges set out at the start. If we want a living countryside, we have to eat it; that will be the subject of the closing talk by Neus Monllor Rico, agrosocial consultant at AmaTerra, and Dirk Madriles Helm, shepherd and representative of the Farm Succession Network. 

Moving towards a new food model

The Joint Office for Sustainable Food (OCAS) was created to drive forward public food policies in everything aimed at transforming the food system into a more sustainable model. The Office promotes sustainable food projects framed within the Catalan Food Strategic Plan 2021-2026, the Barcelona 2030 Healthy and Sustainable Food Strategy and the Metropolitan Region Food Charter (PEMB).

What is the PATT

This conference forms part of the Annual Technology Transfer Plan (PATT) of the Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda (DACC), an annual programme of activities generating and transferring knowledge to Catalonia's agri-food and forestry sectors and its natural, rural and maritime environment, organised and run in collaboration with almost 100 organisations linked to the Catalan agri-food system.

Registration:

The conference is free with prior registration, through the registration form (link).