Abstract
Modern food systems generate social inequalities in the access to healthy food, but some families maintain behaviors that provide an alternative to these systems. Agroecological consumers (ACs) and non-agroecological direct market consumers (DMCs) are key actors in alternative food systems. We assessed the characteristics of ACs and DMCs using data from a representative sample of households in Ibarra, Quito and Riobamba (n = 2914). We also deepened the exploration of motivations for adopting these practices through mini-ethnographies with families who were identified as ACs or DMCs (n = 15). We found motivations related to personal health problems, food quality (e.g., taste, freshness), and safety (e.g., avoiding pesticides) to be key. Other motivations were price and community solidarity with farmers. Barriers included inconvenience, lack of awareness, and insecurity of market location. Using Chi-square tests, we found differences between ACs and DMCs on place of residence, education, employment, health, and diet. Controlling for socioeconomic and health variables using logistic regressions, we found DMC dietary habits to be similar to the remainder of the study population, except that they were less likely to eat processed foods less frequently (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.6, 95% confidence interval 0.4–0.9). In contrast, ACs were more likely than the remainder of the study population to control their salt intake (3.2, 1.9–5.2) and have greater knowledge of nutrition labels (2.8, 1.7–4.6). They were more likely to eat traditional foods frequently (1.9, 1.1–3.3), fruit and vegetables daily (1.6, 1.0–2.8), and processed foods less frequently (2.7, 1.5–4.8). Hence, these two types of alternative food provisioning practices (AC and DMC) were adopted by different types of consumers, with heterogenous motivations and food consumption practices. These findings have implications for public health initiatives aiming to scale up the nutrition and ecological potential of alternative food systems.
Highlights
The industrialization of food and the globalization of food economies are primary contributors to the environmental, social, and nutritional disturbances that burden public health [1]
Compared to the rest of the population, the two groups of direct market consumers were less likely to be young adults and more likely to be in households with two or more adults and living in Riobamba
Agroecological consumers (ACs) were no less likely than others to reside in Quito, contrary to what was observed among direct market consumers (DMCs)
Summary
The industrialization of food and the globalization of food economies are primary contributors to the environmental, social, and nutritional disturbances that burden public health [1]. Local and ecological food systems are recognized and strongly promoted as a better choice by international public health bodies, and by many farmers, consumers, and some governments [3]. Agroecology is a system of agri-food harvesting and processing that builds on existing local resources and strengthens the ecosystem in which it takes place, oriented toward ecological and equitable methods of food distribution, consumption, and disposal [17]. It tends to be associated with an internal collaborative monitoring process called the “sistema participativo de Garantía” (SPG), which is an alternative to a third-party certification process. It is based on the principles of participation, transparency, and trust among both consumers and producers [18]
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