FOOD SYSTEMS & ZERO HUNGER

Preamble

United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), the global organization of local and regional governments, together with civil society partners and global stakeholders, addresses the escalating crisis of hunger and food insecurity as a critical component of equitable, inclusive, and sustainable development. Through partnerships with grassroots organizations, advocacy networks, and multilateral institutions, and contributions to research and training UCLG fosters a collective approach to achieving food justice and promoting territorial food systems.

Healthy and nutritious food is a fundamental human right and a cornerstone for community well-being and resilience. UCLG advances this right by promoting renewed territorial food systems, co-managed across all spheres of governments as the cornerstone to ensure food security, sovereignty, and resilience, and the universal access to nutritious food for all.

This collaborative effort leverages the expertise of local governments, the insights of civil society, and the active participation of communities to co-create solutions that uphold the right to food and nutrition and the fight against hunger, placing it at the center of a renewed global social contract grounded on care, equality, and human rights.

About this process

➜ The first letter addressing the Food Systems & Zero Hunger thematic pillar of the Covenant is provided below (and can also be downloaded here in PDF format):

📝 Our assessment

Food insecurity is a pressing global challenge, exacerbated by growing inequalities, climate crises, inflation, and overconsumption of resources. These systemic issues reveal the limitations of the global agro-industrial system, which, while successful in meeting high-volume food production goals, has significant drawbacks that threaten environmental sustainability and public health, deepening territorial and socioeconomic inequalities. Furthermore, the lack of a proactive response from key actors, including the private sector, contributes to these imbalances by perpetuating systems that prioritize profit over the well-being of communities and ecosystems. Nearly one in ten people worldwide are undernourished, with marginalized groups—such as women, youth, displaced individuals, and the elderly—facing significant barriers to accessing sustainable, nutritious, and affordable food.

The intensification of extreme climatic events, including droughts, floods, and rising temperatures, has severely disrupted food production and supply chains, while conflicts and geopolitical instability have further destabilized global food systems. Urban areas, heavily reliant on fragile supply networks, and rural regions, grappling with resource scarcity, are particularly vulnerable.

The growing demand for emergency food assistance underscores the urgency of addressing food insecurity beyond immediate relief by fundamentally reshaping food systems. This includes improving preparedness for crises, reinforcing local food resilience, and shifting towards more equitable and sustainable approaches to food production and distribution. Without systemic change, food insecurity will continue to undermine social cohesion, deepen inequalities, and obstruct inclusive development, leaving millions without access to the basic human right to food.

🤝 Our commitment

Local and regional governments are uniquely positioned to advance territorial food systems as a foundation for food security, sovereignty, and resilience. Their proximity to communities, coupled with their capacity to coordinate across all levels of government, positions local and regional governments as central actors in ensuring access to nutritious food for all. Through integrating territorial food systems with local public service provision such as public meals, waste management and health systems, local and regional governments pledge to promote food systems that are sustainable, resilient, and inclusive, while ensuring that food is treated as a fundamental human right and the fight against hunger as a top political priority.

Right to food as a human right: Upholding food as an unconditional human right requires making high-quality, nutritious food accessible to all and understanding food as part of the commons. Local and regional governments play a crucial role in strengthening robust local food systems and addressing the multifaceted drivers of food insecurity through local public service provision, in particular to support vulnerable populations. This entails promoting economic opportunities, youth participation and community engagement, but also ensuring food safety nets and enabling active participation in food choices. Giving opportunities for all in the transition towards a sustainable and localized food systems foster inclusion, protect dignity and contribute to place food security as an essential infrastructure for inclusive and caring cities and regions.
Proximity-based territorial food systems: Building resilient food systems in the face of climate change requires prioritizing local and regional approaches that enhance sustainable local food production and localized consumption. Local and regional governments play a central role by integrating disaster risk reduction strategies, promoting sustainable and income-generating agriculture practices, and leveraging green financing mechanisms to safeguard food production and distribution. Strengthening urban-rural linkages and climate-resilient infrastructure ensures equitable access to nutritious food, while reducing environmental impacts and creating inclusive, community-driven food systems.
Empowered local industries against hunger and unhealthy eating: Strengthening urban-rural linkages is essential to fighting hunger and promoting healthy diets. Local and regional governments are central in fostering local food industries by effectively ensuring local public service provision and the use of existing public infrastructure to structure local agricultural sectors and localize added value. This approach generates economic opportunities, supports local producers and guarantees equitable access to healthy nutritious food while giving opportunities to all. Such efforts towards sustainable and localized food systems contribute to healthier communities, bridge territorial disparities, and advance food security as a foundation for sustainable and inclusive development.

📢 Our call

Strengthen Decentralized Governance and Resource Allocation: We call for stronger decentralized governance and financial mechanisms that empower local governments to implement tailored solutions aligned with community needs. This includes granting municipalities greater control over resources and decision-making, particularly in areas such as public food procurement, school meal programs, and agricultural support. Local and regional governments must also be granted greater legal competencies to act effectively and to advance policies that preserve farmers, safeguard agricultural environments, and promote healthy eating.
Foster Policy Coherence and Multi-Level Collaboration: We urge national governments and international institutions to align local food system initiatives with broader national and global food security strategies. This requires engaging local governments in policy design processes to ensure that their on-the-ground expertise informs global and national decision-making.
Embed food security in national and global agendas: We call on national governments and international institutions to recognize food security as a fundamental human right. This shift entails embedding territorial food systems in national and global policies to create more resilient and inclusive communities to face the growing challenges of climate change and urbanization.
Localize trade and subsidy regulatory frameworks: We advocate for a transformation of international trade and subsidy policies to better support equitable and sustainable food systems. This includes revising global trade rules to ensure they create opportunities for local food systems as a direct path to sustainable consumption and production, and recalibrating subsidies from the global agro-industrial system to benefit diverse, sustainable local agricultural practices.