Integrated planning – municipalities’ and regional actors’ roles and collaborations for resilient regional food systems

The project contributes to research on food security and rural development with focus on regional and local planning, policy and practice. The project explores how municipalities work with the development of regional and local resilient food systems.

The study aims to identify obstacles, opportunities, innovative approaches, and possible ways to strengthen integrated planning - both within municipalities, between municipalities and between municipalities and other regional and local key actors.Today, there is a lack of leadership for a transition to resilient regional and local food systems.

With its many areas of responsibility and authority, Swedish municipalities have the potential to take on that role in collaboration with other key regional actors.

The project will therefore also investigate how collaborations can be created and how existing external projects can be integrated in the work of municipalities.A national study will be conducted on municipalities´ strategies, planning tools and working methods, which is then followed up by in-depth case studies in three selected municipalities.

In parallel, analyzes are made of the work of regional and local key actors.

Co-production of knowledge with these key actors is used to strengthen the municipalities´ capacity to promote resilient food systems at local and regional level.

Through the transdisciplinary approach, the project can address real problems and support the transition to more resilient food systems.