The proposed project ‘Food Planning and Innovation for Sustainable Metropolitan Regions’ (FOODMETRES) thrives to assess both the environmental and the socio-economic impacts of food chains with regard to spatial, logistical and resource dimension of growing food as well as food planning and governance. Recognising that food production and consumption is not only linked via food chains in a physical-logistic way, but above all via value chains in terms of social acceptance, FOODMETRES is designed to combine quantitative and evidence-based research principles with qualitative and discursive methods to address the wider dimensions of food chains around metropolitan agro-systems.The main goals are:- Identify concepts as well as practical examples for food chain innovation in the context of small-scale urban, peri-urban and peri-urban-rural forms of agriculture and food production up to large-scale metropolitan production regimes geared towards feeding urban populations;- Assess the economic, environmental and social impacts of innovative food chain systems from small scale to large scale, making use of the ecological footprint and product life cycle analysis with special emphasis on efficiency, regional competitiveness, cultural identity (landscapes and regional markets) and ecosystem services such as water management, nutrient recycling and biodiversity;- Study and compare technical, logistical, organisational and governance aspects of innovative food chain systems in selected case studies to define best practice when engaging regional stakeholders from both business and policy in sustainable food planning at the level of metropolitan regions.- Supply scenario modeling and impact assessment tools to all stakeholders in urban-peri-urban areas to assist with planning and decision making. This is complemented by active knowledge brokerage to speed up innovation and innovation exchange within the case studies, but also for any other users in urban areas of Europe or developing countries.