Food for the cities programme

Review of existing data

The snapshot of the local context and the CRFS scan can be based on literature reviews, interviews and focus groups.  A likely finding will be that there is a lack of comprehensive information and data in the public domain, especially on the level of the city region and in cities. This is a key finding in itself and helps steer further data collection efforts. Data sources and assumptions made should be indicated. Retrieval locations of data sources need to be  indicated and hard and soft copies collected for further use. Where no data/information are available on the wider food system, sample stakeholder interviews may be used to gather information.

To guide data collection, a CRFS Data Framework has been developed, following the key research questions asked as part of the CRFS scan. It uses a whole food system approach and covers the areas of food production, processing, wholesale and distribution, retail and catering, consumption and waste. It also considers different sustainability dimensions of the CRFS. It gives an extensive overview of relevant data for each of these areas that may help respond to the key questions that help characterizing the CRFS. Its aim is not to collect information on all data listed. It rather provides guidance on what data to possibly look for, where to find that data and the type of surveys that could be used to collect information through interviews with key stakeholders to help fill data gaps. A specific selection of 44 of the most common areas for research, identified by the CRFS project partner cities is provided.

Project tools and examples

Selection of key areas for CRFS research

This tool provides a selection of 44 of the most common areas for research identified by the CRFS project cities.

Literature Review Table for Toronto

This table provides a list of all the identified available data sources for the Greater Golden Horseshoe and Toronto as well as some national level information.

Literature review in Lusaka, Kitwe and Colombo

Literature review aims at collecting secondary data. In Colombo, Kitwe and Lusaka, it was used to develop an overall view and description of the local context and to start characterising the city region food system.