Transforming urban food systems: could food democracy and food citizenship be advanced by the personal and community impacts of co-production processes?

For complex challenges like food systems transformation, some scholars suggest co-production involving multiple actors including citizens is essential. Additionally, some argue the desirability of moving towards ‘food democracy’, aligning with participatory approaches gaining popularity more broadly. Urban food policy initiatives are examples of innovation in food democracy and food citizenship, but questions around delivery of participation and engagement remain. For example, delivering authentic participation is an ongoing challenge and the impacts on those engaged have rarely been studied. Furthermore, personal transformations are essential for collective action on urban food system transformation and similarly receive minimal focus. The need for development in these areas is reflected in the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP) goals including enhancing stakeholder participation (action 2) and enhancing food knowledge and action through participatory education, training and research (action 19). We report the experiences of 12 individuals engaged as community food researchers (CFRs) within transdisciplinary food system research in UK urban settings (FoodSEqual). Creative methods were used, including participatory mapping, collage, and poetic inquiry; alongside utilising assemblage theory concepts. We found CFRs developed relationships within and beyond their communities, expanded their food system knowledge and hope for change, and gained advocacy-related skills and beliefs. Our unique contribution demonstrates how personal outcomes from engagement in participatory research could support urban food systems transformation by creating conditions and capacities for active food citizenship and food democracy alongside personal transformations. This also suggests the CFR model could contribute to delivery of MUFPP goals, particularly actions 2 and 19 (described above).