The “Capacity Building Training for Municipalities’ Staff” was organized by CIHEAM Bari as part of the SUrF project – “South Adriatic Urban Food Strategy to support municipalities and favor inclusive, sustainable, and circular urban food policies and operational frameworks”, funded by the European Union under the Interreg IPA South Adriatic Programme 2021-2027.
This training course is aimed at 7 directors and policymakers from the municipalities of Tirana, Ulcinj, Campobasso, and Caprarica di Lecce, involved in the project. The main objective is to share international and national experiences in defining local food policies, drawing inspiration from the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact and the Living Labs model.
The program included visits to Bari and Brindisi to explore best practices such as the school meal service of the Bari Youth and Educational Policies Department, the Corridoni school in Bari, which uses the municipal meals’ service, the Porta Futuro job center, and innovative projects like Avanzi Popolo, which combats food waste and supports vulnerable groups. The itinerary also includes a visit to Buo’ – Crudo, Cotto e Mangiato, a market with a kitchen that promotes social inclusion, and the Brindisi Farmers' Market, an example of a short food supply chain.
The focus on Living Labs, presented by ENoLL, was central in building a participatory governance model and developing a shared action plan for food policies in the four partner cities, which will culminate in the signing of a cross-border action plan. CIHEAM Bari shared its experience on the topic, along with the experience of its Living Lab, both nationally and internationally, as well as the tools that define the MEDILL Living Lab, created by the Institute itself.