Gold Seal for Funchal’s food strategy

The Municipal Food Strategy of Funchal (SEMEAR) has been awarded the Gold Seal of Good Practice, the highest distinction granted by the National Network for Balanced and Sustainable Food within the framework of the National Plan for Balanced and Sustainable Food.

This recognition reinforces Funchal’s positioning as a territory committed to the transition towards healthier, more sustainable and inclusive food systems. The municipal strategy integrates food as a structural axis of quality of life, promoting behavioural change, valuing the Mediterranean Diet, advancing food education and supporting local commerce.

Launched in 2023 and structured around five pillars — education, sustainability, inclusion, networking and the local economy — the strategy already has more than half of its planned measures under implementation. It involves schools, parish councils and various partner entities, and has engaged approximately 15,000 participants in food literacy actions and practical initiatives such as live cooking demonstrations.

The distinction highlights the local impact of public policies aligned with national sustainability objectives, demonstrating that transformation of the food system is also a fundamental dimension of territorial sustainability and of the development of the Madeira destination.

Read more here.