Abstract
Facing the continuous loss of family-run farms across Europe, farmers are seeking new pathways to sustainability. One such pathway is involvement in local food supply systems. Often, this requires new forms of cooperation among farmers and with consumers. Little is known, however, about how this cooperation works in practice and how it might be better fostered. This paper aims to illustrate various forms of cooperation in relation to small-scale farming and the establishment of local food supply. It sheds light on challenges farmers are facing and on the potential measures they can adopt to tackle these challenges. By means of an Austrian case study, researchers applied a participatory method (Social Multi-Criteria Evaluation) and conducted workshops with farmers. Research shows that local production, processing and distribution infrastructure becomes more affordable when farmers collaborate with each other and with consumers and institutions. Furthermore, sharing and collectively developing know-how helps to optimise local farming and food supply systems. However, farmers often lack the knowledge and time to establish new collaborations and to re-organise labour, logistics and communication processes. They would benefit from the availability of cooperative schemes that help facilitate such processes and innovations.
Highlights
The sense that the food system is in crisis [1] has brought the rules governing the current food industry to the forefront of discussion
This paper aims to illustrate various forms of cooperation in relation to small-scale farming and the establishment of local food supply
We brought together farmers from six Austrian farms. These farms were not representative of the “average” Austrian family-run farm but were selected because they were involved in local food networks and already collaborating formally and informally with consumers, institutions and other farmers. They represented the farmers typically involved in newly emerging Austrian local food networks and their activities demonstrated the different types of farmer cooperation being practiced [37]
Summary
The sense that the food system is in crisis [1] has brought the rules governing the current food industry to the forefront of discussion. The shared objective is to establish and strengthen local, regional and national food networks that are able to provide healthy, affordable, ecologically sound and culturally diverse foods. These networks should allow for democratic participation, social equity, and cultural and natural diversity. They should engender a more resilient and regenerative natural environment in which renewable energies are used Such an approach adheres to the 2009 report of the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology of Development [7]. This stressed the multifunctional role of agriculture and the centrality of small and medium-sized farms which apply agro-ecological farming methods to the reduction of environmental degradation, global warming, poverty and social inequality
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
