Calim8: Lyon’s Innovative Food Fund Tackles Food Insecurity with a Mobile Payment System
The weekly market in Lyon’s Ambroise-Courtois square is bustling with activity as vendors set up their stalls. Among the shoppers is Marie-Marthe Darmet, a pensioner who relies on a unique system to access fresh, local produce: the Calim8 food fund. Instead of using a traditional bank app, Darmet pays for her cream cheese directly through the Calim8 app, selecting the vendor, entering the price, and confirming the transaction. This innovative approach is helping to address food insecurity in the region.
How Calim8 Works: A Community-Based Food Safety Net
Calim8 operates similarly to France’s social security system, but instead of covering healthcare costs, it focuses on ensuring nutritional needs are met. Currently, 158 households, totaling 353 individuals, participate in the program. Participants contribute to the fund based on their financial means and receive a monthly budget of €150 per person. Additional funds are allocated for each additional household member over 14 (€75) and under 14 (€45).
A key aspect of Calim8 is its network of partner businesses. Participants can only spend their allocated funds at shops democratically selected and contractually obligated to the food fund. As of two years after its founding, Calim8 has partnered with over 25 companies, including solidarity grocery stores, organic shops, vegetable box distributors, bakeries, cheese dairies, butchers, fish shops, and even a café.
Benefits for Vendors and Participants
Nicolas Fanjat, a sheep farmer and cheese seller in the Monts du Lyonnais, joined the Calim8 network three months ago. Initially hesitant about the complexity of the payment system, he now appreciates the benefits. “I am happy that everyone has access to our products and that I am paid fairly for my perform,” he stated. The system ensures vendors receive fair compensation while providing access to nutritious food for those in require.
About the Key Players
Marie-Marthe Darmet, born in 1955, is a retired former advisor at Pôle Emploi Scènes Et Images in Lyon, having worked there between 2003, and 2020.
Nicolas Fanjat is a freelance Solutions Architect and Innovation Manager with a background in Computer Science and Electronics from CPE Lyon and Innovation Management from emlyon business school. He is currently a Technical Architect at Enedis, having previously worked at IBM and IBM Interactive.
Looking Ahead
Calim8 represents a promising model for addressing food insecurity through community collaboration and innovative technology. By connecting local producers with individuals in need, the program fosters a more sustainable and equitable food system in Lyon and beyond.