LOCAL MARKETS – Transforming urban food systems through food markets

This session focuses on the role of local and traditional farmers' markets as entry points for locally led, just food systems transformation, offering multiple socio-economic and environmental levers for change. They connect urban consumers with producers, through short supply chains.

Food often “travels’’ through industrialized and global supply chains to reach our tables. These chains are dominated by major corporate actors; resulting in the disenfranchisement of producers, MSMEs, wholesalers and formal and informal fresh food market retailers and influencing what foods are accessible to consumers.

Cities will share how they are leveraging municipal, farmers and other markets operators to help nourish communities including those most vulnerable to food insecurity and malnutrition, and to support  livelihoods and local economic development, social protection, and fair revenue to smallholder, indigenous and family farmers and vendors, alongside promoting sustainable food systems. 

In particular, the session highlights the role of farmers' markets in ensuring a fair income for farmers, in promoting the consumption of local and healthy food, preserving biodiversity and supporting family farming, and of municipal markets, building on key insights from the CityFood Market Handbook for Healthy and Resilient Cities.

Agenda