Urban and Peri-urban Food Systems: Exploring Proximity and Care in Alternative Food Networks

Basing on the European and Milanese context, the paper develops and presents a preliminary reflection on urban food systems, specifically related to local Alternative Food Networks (ANFs) and how their relational and geographical proximity might facilitate or prevent forms of care through collaboration. The authors introduce the Food System Matrix that analyses 16 case studies to investigate the main issues connected to the territorial scope and the purpose of the selected cases. Finally, the paper proposes the concepts of 'proximity' and 'care' as a framework for understanding systemic and sustainable change in food-related services, emphasizing relationships, inclusiveness, and resilience. This work lays the foundation for future investigations into AFNs for sustainable food systems, highlighting the role of design and collaboration in promoting positive social impact.