Local food system is becoming less sustainable every day and can be affected by many factors. Nilüfer Municipality encouraged local farmers and producer women to organize in cooperatives and associations, making them stakeholders of the Food Hub model at the center of the food system transformation.
Long abstract:
Nilufer’s food system needs to be improved and transformed because it’s becoming less sustainable (circular) day by day, and can be affected by; population, biodiversity loss, environmental degradation, climate change, pollution etc. Nilufer's local producers, who owned land in rural neighborhoods, needed valid reasons to prevent them from using their properties as residences and to reject the construction offers. Also, empowering women for obtaining their financial freedom in rural neighbourhoods was another driver while providing healthy food accessible for everyone. Nilufer Municipality found a solution; and encouraged the farmers to organize in agricultural development cooperative, and encouraged women to organize in associations to obtain retail products from their own crops. Given many supports from seeds to sales level. Afterwards, the Food Hub model was placed at the center of all this operation. Food Hub has started seasonal production processes and already producing enough for 6 salepoint branches located in urban neighborhoods. Local producers now have a cycle in which they can profit as they produce and safeguard their lands since production in rural areas has value in metropolitan areas. When an economy has been created for local producers, their lands remain as agricultural lands. Food Hub has encouraged women to participate in the workforce. There were women procurement of workforces for all stages. The healthy food (also reliable and made with traditional methods) is more accessible for consumers in Nilufer. Food Hub Model has a key role for creating a winwin between local producers and people of Nilufer (consumers).