Transforming the food system through food security and food sovereignty : comparing the food policies of Istanbul and Izmir metropolitan municipalities in Turkey

Abstract

Urbanization, industrialization, globalization, and the climate crisis are leading to alarming rates of food insecurity within urban contexts, increasing social and ecological inequities. Cities are assuming a leading role in agri-food policymaking due to their potential to offer place-based and targeted solutions and create new spaces for participation. In this context, food security and food sovereignty concepts are increasingly referred to, however, to date, there are only few studies comparing municipal governments’ role in urban food policy making and their transformative potential based on the frameworks of food security and food sovereignty. This study aims to contribute to critical food studies by investigating urban food policies of Istanbul and Izmir Metropolitan Municipalities in Turkey. Based on in-depth interviews with representatives from these two municipalities, producer and consumer cooperatives, scholar-activists, a review of formal municipal documents and participant observation methods, the present study identifies commonalities and differences relevant for the transformation of the food policies in these two cities from the perspective of food security and food sovereignty. The results demonstrate that urban food policies in Istanbul and Izmir mainly focus on small-scale farmer supports and increasing food security of their residents, while the degree of adoption of main food sovereignty principles varies. The findings reveal that even though there are substantial efforts towards more progressive food policy making, both cities are in need of more comprehensive and integrated approaches enabling participation of different stakeholders to operationalize food security and food sovereignty.