Living: Innovation action plan

1. CRFS vision 2030 and challenge statements

The Marseille Living Lab challenges the disparities in access to healthy and sustainable food, as well as the economic fragility of the local urban agriculture ecosystem. This contributes to different policies and programs: 

EU FOOD 2030 policy: nutrition for sustainable and healthy diets. Food systems supporting a healthy planet. Innovation and empowering communities. 

Cities2030 objectives: Stop food poverty and insecurity, ensure access. Enhance circularity and local food belts. Develop food skills, culture and heritage. 

Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis and Pays d'Arles territorial food project (PAT) issues: economy and employment. Nutrition, health and social accessibility. Identity, food, cultural and tourist heritage. 

Vision: In Marseille Living Lab’s vision, in 2030, access to healthy and sustainable food from local production is improved by new ways of distribution, and fostered cooperation between actors of the CRFS. Citizens are re-connected to local, sustainable and healthy food production via new ways of food governance and food distribution. 

2. Collaboration with stakeholders

Marseille Living Lab collaborates with local authorities (city and metropolitan government), the state, civil society and NGOs (VRAC, ADDAP13, Dunes, etc.), the urban agriculture network, social centers and citizens. 

3. Living Lab resources

Marseille Living Lab operates with the CITAG team (project coordinator, project team, communication staff, event coordinator and administration team) to lead the experiments and other actions. CITAG’s urban farm Capri will produce vegetables and host workshops and other learning events. Additional funding will be needed for some experiments and other actions, and is expected from the city of Marseille as well as private foundations. 

4. Living Lab experiments

1. Agenda AU – Marseille’s urban agriculture agenda: Public agenda on urban agriculture in Marseille, containing information about recurring as well as one-time events, such as volunteer work camps, selling points for agricultural products (mainly vegetables) and workshops.

Objectives of the experiment:

• Connect citizens with urban food production and facilitate their participation.
• Develop a public agenda, with both an online and a paper version (regular updates on the online version, 4 paper versions in 2023).
• Mobilise the urban farming network in order to obtain contributions to the agenda (at least 10 contributions per paper release).
• Enhance knowledge of the urban agriculture ecosystem amongst citizens and tourists.
• Reach new participants for events organised by urban famers.
• Reach new customers for urban farmers.

Contribution to Cities2030’ key objectives: 4) Enhance circularity and local food belts, 5) Develop food culture and skills

Association with working groups: 3. Distribution, 5. Consumption

Study question: can a public agenda, both online and on paper, contribute to creating greater awareness for local urban food production in Marseille? Can it raise or stabilise sales of local food producers throughout the year?

Hypothesis:

1. A public agenda can generate greater knowledge of the urban agriculture ecosystem amongst the greater public.
2. A public agenda will not have any measurable effect on the urban agriculture ecosystem.

Assumption: the average public in Marseille is not aware of the multitude of activities related to urban agriculture in the city.

Target group of the experiment: Urban farming network Young adults (18-25 y.), adults (25-60), seniors (+60)

Monitoring system: - Counting the return rates of the paper version that will be distributed in a variety of public places in Marseille. - Survey via social media. - Counting new customers at urban farms.

Time frame: ideate: M21-M24; build: M25-M27; monitor: M28; learn: M29

2. Épicerie mobile – mobile grocery store

Brief description of the experiment: the mobile grocery store provides access to healthy and sustainable foods in deprived areas in Marseille. It is a travelling van that will offer products at affordable prices, locally produced vegetables as well as dried products, adapted to the inhabitants needs and uses.

The experiment will be divided in 5 distinct experiments: 1) sale of urban farm Capri vegetables with consultation on products expected by the inhabitants and qualitative feedback on the farm, 2) adding dried bulk products to the mobile grocery store’s offer, 3) selling vegetables at existing dried food, bulk buying groups in deprived areas, 4) sensibilisation and food transformation workshops for the users of the mobile grocery store, 5) enlarging the variety of products by introducing local food producers to the mobile grocery store and selling their products.

Objectives of the experiment:

• making fresh, healthy, local and sustainable products available for people of deprived areas in Marseille, with an offer adapted to inhabitants needs and uses, 
• adapting the food production of a local farm to the needs and expectations of its neighbourhood’s inhabitants, 
• empowering inhabitants to tend towards a more sustainable food consumption and to waste reduction, 
• establishing a series of regular events in each neighbourhood that contribute to improving the living environment and creating social links, 
• reinforcing the connection between the urban farm Capri and its neighbourhood’s inhabitants, 
• going towards new publics that are not yet familiar with the farm, 
• engaging the urban agriculture network in the matter of fair access to sustainable food. 

Contribution to Cities2030’ key objectives: 1) Secure healthy and sustainable food, 2) Stop food poverty and food insecurity, 4) Enhance circularity and local food belts,

Association with working groups: 3. Distribution, 4. Markets, 5. Consumption, 6. Waste, 9. Livelihood, growth, 10. Inclusion, equity

Study question: Can reaching out to residents via a mobile grocery shop help change the food landscape and consumption habits in neighbourhoods marked by poverty and with little quality local food supply?

Hypothesis:

1. The mobile grocery shop makes it possible to change the food landscape of the neighbourhoods concerned, reinforces access to quality food and changes the food practices of the inhabitants.
2. The format of a mobile grocery store is too distant from inhabitants’ food habits and requires a too long time for appropriation.

Assumption: the inhabitants of the concerned neighbourhoods have little access to sustainable food products, thus the mobile grocery store will change the food landscape of these areas.

Target group of the experiment: Inhabitants (de 0 à +99 ans) of the neighbourhoods surrounding urban farm Capri, and progressively other areas with a similar social and economic structure. Primary targets are households with little income.

Monitoring system: - Quantitative data on sales - Qualitative data via a survey

Time frame:

• 2.1: ideate: M23-M24; build: M25-M27; monitor: M28; learn: M29
• 2.2: ideate: M25-M26; build: M27-M29; monitor: M30; learn: M31
• 2.3: ideate: M28-M29; build: M30-M33; monitor: M31; learn: M32
• 2.4: ideate: M31-M32; build: M33-M36; monitor: M37; learn: M38
• 2.5: ideate: M37-M39; build: M40-M43; monitor: M44; learn: M45

3. Harvesting success: from starter to incubator of CRFS solutions

Since 20212 Inter Made and CITAG have deployed the "nourishing specialization", a dedicated CRFS focused training in the more genral support program for Inter-Made (Starter + Incubator). This specialization is aimed at agricultural production and sustainable food projects: micro-farms, nourishing third places, crafts, agri-food VSEs, etc. After 3 years, CITAG is conducting an impact study on the trajectories of the trainees, the effects of the specialization and how it could evolve into a longer and more efficient program to foster innovative projects in the Marseille CRFS.

Required resources:

• human time (internal + external (to be paid if possible to encourage involvement + coop)
• numerous travel
• support
• trainee
• Wikiflow development

Objective 1: Build and test a support kit for nourishing projects for stakeholders in the South region via feedback and educational engineering

To more widely disseminate their expertise in the field of supporting nourishing projects (Urban Agriculture and Sustainable Food), CITAG would like to offer hybrid training for support staff of entrepreneurship projects in this sector in order to:

• Strengthen consideration of the food system, “from field to plate”, by supporting the acquisition of skills for project facilitators
• Develop the social utility of projects in the needs of the territories and network of initiatives (production, processing, consumption, distribution, etc.)

Contribution to Cities2030’ key objectives: 1) Secure healthy and sustainable food, 4) Enhance circularity and local food belts, 5) develop food culture and skills

Study question: How do agri-food project support systems facilitate the transformation of territorial food systems towards more agri-food justice in the South Region? What are the levers mobilized?

Hypothesis:

1. the impact study of the nourishing specialization of CITAG shows that more project holders launch their activity than through the mainstream program (non-speacialized)
2. mainstream incubators and training programs do not know the specificities of CRFS and innovative projects around the just food transition
3. it is more efficient and impactful to train those trainers than to replicate the nourishing specialization from scratch

Criteria anticipated for the analysis of support systems:

• governance (private, public-private, actors represented in the CA, residents / beneficiaries)
• the economic and legal models of incubators and their articulation within SAT / local food policies.
• the resources mobilized in supporting entrepreneurial projects (human, networks, institutional or private partners, equipment, tools, etc.)
• Eligibility, selection criteria and nature of projects

Monitoring:

# qualitative interviews
with support staff: 10
with PP: 15
with third-party stakeholders (funders, stakeholders participating in the governance of the systems): 10
participation in # events: 5
3 focus groups (1 in each territory)
# professional memberships to the Cité: 10
# test training sessions: 1 (40 hours or approximately 6 days)

Time frame:

• 1: ideate: M40-M42; build: M43-M46; monitor: M47; learn: M48

Objective 2: Re-think the format and governance of the nourishing specialization to train more mature projects, for a longer time, to transform CRFS

The impact study of the Starter Program with nourishing specialization show already great positive effect on the launching and rooting of innovative CRFS projects. It also shows a need for longer, more versatile and tailored training, towards more mature projects, with a specific help towards financing.

Contribution to Cities2030’ key objectives: 1) Secure healthy and sustainable food, 4) Enhance circularity and local food belts, 5) develop food culture and skills

Study question: Can a novel training program fit the needs of the CRFS entrepreneurs and multiply the potential for local CRFS transformation?

Hypothesis:

1. A longer training program (1 year instead of 3 months), can help project holder launch their project and scale-up with more time and serenity
2. With the help of a more mainstream incubator, CITAG can build a program that takes the best out of the business world and out of the CRFS knowledge CITAG has
3. Such an inovative approach to training CRFS transformative projects can multiply their number and their impact

Assumption: a joint venture and appropriate governance between a private incubator (KEDGE Entrepreneurship), a social incubator (Inter-Made) and a specialized CRFS actor (CITAG) can better answer the needs of the most innovative food projects of the territory.

Target group of the experiment: project holders, business angels, private foundations, local public entities

Monitoring:

• opportunity study among project holders
• fundraising for the program among private foundations
• focus groups with local public entities and business angels
• lauching of the program

Time frame:

• 2: ideate: M40-M42; build: M43-M46; monitor: M47; learn: M48

 

4. Entraide pédagogique - mutual aid between pedagological local farms

Brief description of the experiment: a peer-to-peer training cycle for educational animators of urban farms in Marseille that aims at generating synergies between actors of the education on agriculture, food and ecosystems in Marseille. It also aims at creating a better educational program on CRFS related issues directed to children in Marseille.

Objectives of the experiment:

4.1: create peer-to-peer synergies betwen educational animators of urban farms, create common knowledge and cross training of animators in order to better the quality of pedagological activities on the urban farms

4.2: co-create pedagological content with the stakeholders (scientists, teachers, children, urban farmers) on biodiversity in urban farms that can be used and diffused in other urban farms willing to receive public

Contribution to Cities2030’ key objectives: 4) Enhance circularity and local food belts, 5) Develop food culture and skills

Study question: Can a living lab approach be useful in cocreating pedagonogical content in order to help urban farms open to the younger public and diversify their income?

Hypothesis:

1. The meeting and cross training of educational animators of Marseille urban farms is fertile for co-creation and cross training
2. The living lab approach helps better tailor the educational content regarding urban farms and meet stakeholder's demand
3. Creating original educational content for urban farms is a powerful tool to help them open to the younger public and develop an offer towards neighbouring schools and community centers

Assumption: the collective and living lab approach is a powerful tool to make better educational content emerge, in order to be adopted by the participating urban farms and also disseminated to other urban farms in Aix-Marseille and in France.

Target group of the experiment: educational animators in urban farms; teachers; children in schools and community centers; urban farmers.

Monitoring system: - Quantitative data on the number of co-creation workshops, the amount of public welcomed in the farms, the dissemination of the content towards other urban farms - Qualitative data via a the production of educational content.

Time frame: Time frame: M19-M36. 

• 4.1: ideate: M19-M24; build: M25-M34; monitor: M35; learn: M36
• 4.2: ideate: M36-M42; build: M43-M48

5. Putting down roots: Capri farm experiment reshape and transfer towards long term viability

Brief description of the experiment: Following the identification of a suitable site and the completion of an initial feasibility study in 2019, CITAG embarked on the establishment of an experimental urban farm, Capri. Located in the heart of the 15th arrondissement, a neighborhood characterized by very limited access to fresh, local, and healthy produce, the farm aims to address multiple objectives centered on ecological transition and social justice.

In 2024, Capri entered a progressive transition phase with a focus on scaling deep, aiming to ensure the long-term anchoring and sustainability of its impacts for local communities. CITAG does not intend to manage on-the-ground projects in the long run and recognizes the importance of gradually handing over the initiative to locally rooted actors, organizations, and communities. During this transitional period, although agricultural production has slowed significantly, CITAG continues to engage the community through public outreach, workshops, events, and the maintenance of vegetation and soil health. This is critical to prevent the land from returning to a fallow state, which could jeopardize its continued use as a vital green, productive, and restful space.

Simultaneously, CITAG is developing and implementing an innovative methodology to identify, engage, and support local stakeholders to ensure a smooth and successful handover. This new and iterative phase of the Capri experiment – its gradual transition and the necessary technical and social engineering – is being specifically documented as part of the project’s ongoing evaluation and knowledge-sharing efforts.

Objectives of the experiment:

General Objective: Establishing Roots: From Documented Experimentation to Long-Term Local Integration of an Agri-Food Innovation Aiming at a Just Ecological and Food Transition

Specific Objectives:

• Maintain Essential Activities During the Entire Transition Phase: Throughout the transition phase, ensure that core activities—such as public engagement, workshops, harvesting, and soil maintenance—continue to prevent the project from becoming inactive or the site from deteriorating. This will ensure a smooth transition of production for the new project and protect the land from harmful uses.
• Construct a Shared Assessment of the Capri project to date: Based on continuous project evaluation across various dimensions and through collaborative workshops, develop a comprehensive assessment of the project up to date with key stakeholders (local social partners, residents, public actors). The goal is to identify activities that should be continued, strengthened, modified, or discontinued, with a view to ensuring the project's long-term environmental, economic, social viability and sound neighborhood anchoring.
• Design a Methodology for Stakeholder Mobilization: Develop a methodology to identify, select, and engage stakeholders interested in developing a project on part or all of the site.
• Facilitate Collective Dynamics Among Identified Project Leaders: Facilitating collective dynamics between identified project leaders through workshops, fostering a shared vision, supporting the development of operational modalities, and favoring the emergence, refinement, and formalization of a collective organization and governance.
• Ensure Effective Handover and Support for Future Project Leaders: Provide continuous support for future project leaders in terms of operational, economic/financial, and partnership aspects to ensure a smooth handover.
• Ensure Proactive Communication and Mediation with Local Stakeholders: During the transition phase, maintain strong local communication and mediation to ensure continuity of interest, commitment, and visits from residents and local partners, thereby supporting a smooth handover.
• Document the Transition Process: Carefully document this iterative transition phase, rich with lessons for the long-term sustainability of the experiment, to provide insights for future similar projects.

Contribution to Cities2030’ key objectives: 1) Secure healthy and sustainable food, 2) Stop food poverty and food insecurity, 4) Enhance circularity and local food belts, 5) Develop food culture and skills

Study question: How can an agri-food innovation - like the Capri urban farm - ensure long-term ecological, economic, and social viability and impacts on food justice while transitioning leadership to locally rooted stakeholders in an underserved urban area?

Hypotheses: 

• Community involvement and stakeholder engagement will be key to the long-term sustainability of urban farming initiatives.
• Engaging local stakeholders and maintaining community interest during the transition will be essential to the farm's continued success.
• A well-planned, iterative handover process to local stakeholders will lead to successful local ownership and management of the farm.
• The handover process, supported by collective dynamics, shared governance, and stakeholder mobilization, will ensure that the farm remains viable after CITAG's exit.
• Maintaining agricultural activities, workshops, and public outreach during the transition phase will prevent the project from losing momentum and returning the land to a fallow state.
• Continuity of essential activities during the transition will ensure that the site remains productive and community engagement remains strong, protecting it from decay.
• Effective communication and mediation with the local community will foster long-term interest and investment in the project.
• Strong communication strategies with local residents and stakeholders will enhance their commitment and active involvement, ensuring the project’s long-term success.
• Providing ongoing support during and after the handover process—covering operational, technical, economic, and organizational aspects—will be crucial for the new project leaders’ success.
• Accompanying the new local leaders in their operational and managerial development will ensure that they are equipped to maintain the farm’s activities and achieve long-term sustainability.

Assumption: 

• Actors and local stakeholders have the capacity and interest to take over the management of the farm, 
• The project assumes that there are local actors and organizations capable of and interested in managing the site sustainably after CITAG's involvement.
• Urban farming can contribute meaningfully to ecological transition and food justice in disadvantaged neighborhoods.
• The project is based on the belief that urban farms can address both environmental sustainability and social equity in urban areas with limited access to fresh produce.
• The gradual handover of responsibilities to local stakeholders is a feasible strategy for ensuring the farm’s long-term viability.
• It assumes that a gradual, well-supported transition process will lead to effective local leadership and governance without major disruptions to farm operations.
• Public outreach and community engagement are critical for maintaining the farm's relevance and ensuring long-term sustainability.
• The project assumes that continued community involvement is crucial for the farm's success and that the local community will remain engaged throughout the transition phase.

Target group of the experiment: 

• Local Residents and Communities (especially in the 15th arrondissement of Marseille): The farm is located in an underserved urban area with limited access to fresh, healthy, local produce. The project aims to engage the local population by providing affordable food, access to green spaces, and promoting food justice. Activities such as workshops, community events, and public outreach are intended to directly benefit and involve the local residents.
• Community Groups and Organizations: The project engages local social partners and other organizations during its operation and transition phase. These groups could include neighborhood associations, local NGOs, or civil society organizations with shared objectives around ecological transition and social justice.
• Future Project Leaders and Local Stakeholders: During the transition phase, the project focuses on identifying and supporting local actors who could take over management of the farm. These could be local entrepreneurs, cooperatives, or community organizations interested in continuing the farm’s activities.
• Public Actors and Authorities: The project involves coordination with municipal or city authorities, such as the City of Marseille, which has provided the land. These public actors may be stakeholders in the urban planning and ecological transition aspects of the project.
• Researchers and Knowledge-Sharing Networks: Since Capri is also a research and demonstration project, it targets academics, researchers, and practitioners interested in the documentation of the farm’s methodologies and outcomes as part of broader efforts to advance knowledge around urban agriculture and sustainable food systems.

Monitoring system: Data collected via surveys and interviews with community members, stakeholders, and participants.

- Quantitative data

• Number of project leaders and local stakeholders identified and trained for future leadership.
• Number of workshops or training sessions held for future project holders.

- Qualitative data

• Stakeholder feedback on the transition process—how smooth or challenging it has been, and areas for improvement.
• Evaluations from local project leaders on the effectiveness of CITAG’s support during the handover.
• Qualitative assessment of stakeholder engagement—how well the project leaders collaborate and develop shared governance.
• Perception of transition phase by inhabitants and local partners

Time frame:

• ideate: M36-M40; build: M41-M46; monitor: M47; learn: M48

 

5. Other Living Lab's measures

Communication, dissemination and capacity building actions: several events addressed to the greater public and professionals of the food sector.Objectives: capacity building, generating knowledge and discussion on CRFS. Rencontre Tiers-lieux nourriciers (third spaces as actors of the CRFS) M30 

48h de l’agriculture urbaine (dedicated to informing the greater public about urban agriculture and sustainable food production) M32 + M44. 

Creation of a chilli pepper transformation plant (feasability, partnership making, empowerment and project coordination) M40-M48.

 

6. SMART Goals

1. The urban agriculture agenda will contribute to a reconnection between citizens and food production, by enhanced knowledge about the urban agriculture ecosystem. This will be achieved by distributing 250 copies of the urban agenda every three months in 2023, and 500 in 2024, with a return rate below 20% (experiment 1). 
2. Local food producers in Marseille will gain new customers via the urban agriculture agenda. The effect will be measurable by the end of the experiment phase. 
3. The mobile grocery store will contribute to a more inclusive and suitable food offer in deprived areas by allowing citizen participation in the food selection and design of the mobile grocery store. 15+ inhabitants of each target area will participate in workshops during the first semester of 2023 (60+ in total) (experiment 2.1). 
4. By the end of 2023, four neighbourhoods will have weekly access to sustainable and healthy dried food products via the mobile grocery store. They will be six in 2024 (experiment 2.2). 
5. By the end of 2023, four neighbourhoods will have weekly access to locally produced vegetables via the mobile grocery store. They will be six in 2024 (experiment 2.3). 
6. Inhabitants of the areas targeted by the mobile grocery store will gain complementary skills in cooking with seasonal, local vegetables, via a series of transformation workshops conducted during the second semester of 2023. At least 10 inhabitants of each area will participate in these workshops (60+ in total) (experiment 2.4). 
7. By the end of summer 2024, the mobile grocery store will contribute to securing local food production by stabilising or increasing the sales of participating local food producers, compared to the period prior to the experiment (experiment 2.5). 
8. The number of households reached through the mobile grocery store will be stabilised or increased by the end of the first semester of 2024, compared to the start of the experiment (experiment 2). 
9. Cooperation between actors of the urban agriculture ecosystem in Marseille will be enhanced via a peer-to-peer training cycle. 5+ urban farming or gardening projects will participate (other actions). 
10. Global awareness for CRFS related issues in Marseille, especially local food production and food security, will be enhanced via a series of events aiming the general public (e.g. 48h de l’agriculture urbaine in 2023 and 2024), as well as civil society, policy makers and researchers (e.g. JAUM 2023) (other actions). 

 

 

7. Communication, dissemination and exploitation

JAUM 2023: public event targeted at CRFS actors, policy makers, researchers. 1 LinkedIn post per experiment. 2+ Facebook posts per experiment. 5 Instagram stories per experiment. 1 press release per experiment. 

8. Continuity- and scale-up measures

Progressively developing new distribution points and mobilising new local food producers. In the second phase, presenting the mobile grocery store to other cities of the area. 

9. Risk assessment

Low participation of target groups is a medium level risk that can be addressed via the mobilisation of field actors that know local communities. 

Low participation of food producers, a medium risk, will be addressed by demonstrating positive results via first experiment stages. 

Time and resources needed to fully implement the mobile grocery store are important, which can cause delays in execution. This risk can be addressed by good anticipation. 

Difficulty to implement in targeted neighbourhoods with very important poverty and crime, as an alien actor not well know by the population.

The lack of additional fundings is a high risk CITAG will address via research of an alternative business model.