Alternative voices in building a local food policy: Forms of cooperation between civil society organizations and public authorities in and around Toulouse

In the area of Toulouse, the fourth largest city in France, 18 people were interviewed from seven civil society and three public organizations. The data showed an enhanced participation of the civil society in urban food governance. Three types of civil society organizations were identified: community organizations, professional associations, and an advisory board. They develop several forms of cooperation to public policies. Considering also the relationships they adopt with one another, it was possible to highlight the interplay of proximity and distance that enable them to work with and for public organizations while preserving the specificities of their own project.