Dijon Métropole - Marie-Hélène Riamon

Territorial food system facilitation and programme architecture

Dijon Métropole, through Marie-Hélène's role, acts as a facilitator that convenes diverse actors — researchers, civil society, food aid organisations, urban planners, schools, and industries — into a coherent food transition programme. The métropole does not hold direct regulatory authority over food but uses its leverage as an urban planning authority, major employer, and school canteen operator to drive systemic change.

School canteen as demonstration lever for dietary transition

The métropole uses its school canteen network as a visible demonstration of dietary transition — including two vegetarian meals per week — to normalise sustainable eating practices and build consumer trust based on evidence from INRAE research partnerships.

220-hectare Plateau de l'Acra for agricultural and forestry experimentation

The city of Dijon owns 220 hectares of peri-urban land (Plateau de l'Acra) preserved from urbanisation since 2001. Under Marie-Hélène's programme, this land is being developed as a zone for viticultural revival, agroforestry, and sustainable production experiments — an exceptional asset for demonstrating urban-fringe food production at territorial scale.