EUROHEALTH – Realising food democracy by tackling ‘fear of the masses’ in public debates

Samuele Tonello, EuroHealthNet Senior Research Coordinator, and Anant Jani, a research fellow at the Heidelberg Institute of Global Health and the University of Oxford, have published an article in EUROHEALTH titled Realising Food Democracy by Tackling “Fear of the Masses” in Public Debates.

A summary of the article

The European Union’s Farm to Fork Strategy set out to make Europe’s food system more sustainable but ultimately failed, exposing a gap between ambitious policy strategies and adequate implementation. This outcome underlines a pressing need for ‘food democracy’, where citizens are actively involved in shaping the future of their food systems. Yet, progress toward food democracy remains slow, often held back by ‘ochlophobia’, the fear of the masses in public debate. Moving forward, it is essential to overcome this hesitation and reduce the influence of wealth on food policy. A shift toward a more democratic food system would require empowering citizens, promoting transparency in food governance, and ensuring that public interest prevails over corporate control. This approach could pave the way for a food system that not only serves sustainability goals but also respects the needs of citizens.

Read the full article here.