Local Food Systems Research Articles

Reflecting on the Concept of Local Agroecological Food Systems

Despite the extensive literature on Local Agro-food Systems (LAFS), which involves research on local food identity and organisational proximity, the environmental sustainability of these systems has rarely been addressed. This paper develops a new concept called Local Agroecological Food Systems (LAEFS), which focuses the research not only on local food identity, but also on agroecological principles. We aim to conduct a reflexive review of the literature on the conceptual factors attempting to describe the particular characteristics of LAEFS (distinguishing these from LAFS). We explore five axes of analysis: (a) to establish a compromise at the local level between agro-food sectoral specialisation on the one hand and greater cultivated biodiversity and a more diversified economic structure on the other; (b) to geographically and commercially shorten food channels to the fullest extent; (c) to construct new institutional formulae in the fields of logistics, distribution and public procurement for the scaling up of sustainable food; (d) to develop a participatory, bottom-up, multi-stakeholder and multi-level territorial governance; and (e) to reduce the metabolic profile of food systems by reorganising rural-urban linkages. One of the principal objectives of LAEFS should involve redesigning agricultural and food systems at a scale greater than that of the farm (territory or landscape). This requires both a major public policy push and sustainable territorial governance that incorporate an approach based on territory, food systems and agroecology.

Practicing ecological citizenship through community supported agriculture: Opportunities, challenges, and social justice concerns

AbstractGreen political theorists often highlight local food systems as an exemplar of ecological citizenship. Nevertheless, the topic has received scant systematic and critical treatment within green political theory. Although local food initiatives generally tend to be environmentally friendly, not all such initiatives lead to better environmental outcomes, nor can they be essentially characterized as citizenship practices that foster social justice. This article argues that a situated analysis is necessary to understand how a particular local food initiative promotes ecological citizenship. Through a qualitative study of community supported agriculture (CSA) participants in the greater Edmonton region of Canada, this article analyzes the civic virtues nurtured by this community and interrogates the extent to which their everyday practices resemble ecological citizenship. It concludes that discursive and structural limitations prevent the Edmonton CSA community from achieving meaningful diversity and addressing social justice concerns within its realm.

World Heritage, Hydropower, and Earth’s Largest Freshwater Fish

The Mekong River is one of the most biodiverse, productive rivers in the world, supporting more than 1000 fish species and the livelihoods of tens of millions of people. The spatial dynamics and population status of many Mekong fish species, especially megafishes, are poorly understood. Therefore, this information is rarely incorporated into environmental risk assessments for large infrastructure projects, such as mainstream hydropower developments, which have been accelerating rapidly in the Mekong Basin. In this study, we present initial findings from the ongoing, collaborative, transnational acoustic telemetry monitoring of nearly 300 tagged fishes representing 27 species, which yield important insights into the potential impacts that proposed hydropower dams would have on populations of ecologically and economically important fish species. Included in these data are more than ten months of hydrophone records tracking the location of a 300 kg giant freshwater stingray, Urogymnus polylepis (Bleeker, 1852), currently the world’s largest known freshwater fish, used to detect its migration behavior and distribution patterns. The telemetry data, combined with fisher surveys used to gather local ecological knowledge, provide evidence that the proposed dams would fragment the existing populations of this iconic species as well as those of other fish species that support river food web balance and local food systems. Furthermore, the existence of giant freshwater stringray populations and other unique megafauna reinforces the universal natural heritage value of the stretch of the Mekong River between the Lao People’s Democratic Republic/Cambodia border and the city of Kratie. This stretch of river is located between two proposed megadams, the 900 MW Stung Treng Dam and the 2300 MW Sambor Dam. However, the Cambodian Ministry of Environment has also proposed this area for designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Biosphere Reserve). The documentation of the movement of migratory fishes through this reach of the river using acoustic telemetry, the surprising discovery of the world’s largest freshwater fish, the potential threat posed by dam construction, and the management ramifications of UNESCO World Heritage Site designation underscore the importance of scientific research and community involvement in landscape-scale development decisions. The decisions made today will affect the fate of this global biodiversity hotspot, the world’s most productive inland fisheries, and the livelihoods of millions of people throughout the Lower Mekong Basin.

Adaptations in the transformation of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz; Euphorbiaceae) for consumption in the dietary management of diabetes: the case of Palikur, or Parikwene People, from French Guiana.

In the French overseas department of French Guiana, in South America, nutrition therapy for the management of diabetes is based on French guidelines. However, this region is demographically diverse and includes several populations of Indigenous Peoples, Parikwene among others, also called Palikur. Due to socio-economical, cultural, and geographical differences, along with distinctions in the local food system, dietary recommendations, which many consider in the context of post-colonial power dynamics, are not well suited to local populations. In the absence of suitable recommendations, it is hypothesized that local populations will adapt their dietary practices considering diabetes as an emerging health problem. Seventy-five interviews were conducted with community members and Elders, as well as healthcare professionals and administrators providing services to the Parikwene population of Macouria and Saint-Georges de l'Oyapock communes. Data regarding the representation of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) consumption and diabetes were collected via semi-structured interviews and participant observation (i.e., observation and participation in community activities), namely via participating in activities related to the transformation of cassava tubers at swidden and fallow fields. Parikwene have adapted the transformation of cassava tubers for their consumption in the management of diabetes.The importance of cassava tubers as a staple and core food to the Parikwene food system was established by identifying it as a cultural keystone species. Narratives illustrated conflicting perceptions regarding the implication of cassava consumption in the development of diabetes. Adaptations to the operational sequence involved in the transformation of cassava tubers led to the production of distinct cassava roasted semolina (i.e., couac), based on organoleptic properties (i.e., sweet, and acidic couac). Preferences for the consumption of acidic couac were grounded in the Parikwene knowledge system, as well as attention to diabetes related symptoms and glucometer readings. These results provide important insights related to knowledge, attitudes, and practices in developing locally and culturally adapted approaches to providing dietary recommendations in the treatment of diabetes.

Inclusive diets within planetary boundaries

Inclusive diets within planetary boundaries

The motivations, challenges and needs of small- and medium-scale beginning farmers in the midwestern United States

Beginning farmers are increasingly recognized as important agricultural actors in the United States. Efforts to help interested individuals enter agriculture have increased; however, there is still a substantial knowledge gap regarding beginning farmers’ characteristics, motivations to farm, challenges, and information and resource needs, particularly among those who operate small or medium-sized farms. In this research, we collected and analyzed survey data in Indiana to gain a better understanding of small- and medium-scale beginning farmers in the midwestern United States. We found that small- and medium-scale beginning farmers were motivated by their desire for a farming lifestyle and to support local food and agroecological farming systems on a landscape dominated by commodity crops. They relied substantially on off-farm income and faced related challenges including limited access to labor and difficulty balancing their on-farm and off-farm responsibilities. Finding effective marketing strategies also challenged this group of farmers, as they were not well-integrated into existing agricultural programs, and many had limited interactions with agricultural agencies and organizations. Instead, the majority of small- and medium-scale beginning farmers relied heavily on their own internet research and informal interactions with other farmers to learn and obtain help for their farms. Together, our results contribute to a better understanding of small- and medium-scale beginning farmers’ characteristics, motivations, and farming practices, as well as the challenges they face and the support they need to address these challenges. Because beginning farmers often differ from their more established counterparts who operate larger farms, the results of this research can be used to inform tailored agricultural programs and technical assistance that address small- and medium-scale beginning farmers’ specific needs and challenges in order to increase their likelihood of success to not only start but also sustain a small- or medium-scale farm over time.

Farm to Food Bank: Exploring the Ties between Local Food Producers and Charitable Food Assistance☆

AbstractThis research explores the dependencies between community food security and local food movements. We use a mixed methods approach that includes: analysis of 2.97 million pounds of food bank donations from 296 organizations, network analysis of the local food system with 77 farms and 439 market connections, and 24 interviews with food bank donors and staff. We find strong ties between the food bank and local food producers, particularly producers that are organic and sell directly to the public. Nearly half the donating farms also sold to local markets; and together supplied the majority of locally produced food (296,090 pounds) distributed by the food bank. Yet, both movements operate within capitalist systems, even when the food is decommodified. Producer motivations for donating are not purely based on social responsibility to feed the hungry but also acknowledge the financial and marketing benefits of donating in terms of receiving tax credits, participating in procurement programs, and improving public relations. Our findings suggest that research and policy focused on local food systems or food security should consider such ties and their implications for growing or maintaining resulting practices.

The potential of local food, energy, and water production systems on urban rooftops considering consumption patterns and urban morphology

The external resource dependency of urban areas results in the externalization of environmental and socioeconomic impacts. Implementing food, energy and water production systems on urban rooftops (roof mosaics) can potentially help cities become more self-sufficient but depends on the city's urban morphology. We studied the supply potential and impacts of four roof mosaic scenarios for different urban forms in Cerdanyola, a 58 thousand-inhabitant town in the metropolitan area of Barcelona. We combined spatial analysis of potential rooftops, metabolism analysis, and social and environmental impacts. The municipality has an average rooftop/household potential of 31 m2 on which to implement any of the mosaic scenarios, with the highest potential in the single-family housing typology. The highest level of vegetable self-sufficiency was found in housing estates (32%), and the lowest in originary fabrics (28%). Regarding electricity and water self-sufficiency, the highest self-sufficiency level was found in the single-family housing typology (51% and 14%, respectively) and the lowest in housing estates (26% and 8%, respectively). Regarding impacts, the implementation of the electricity and rainwater harvesting systems depicts the most positive indicators in single-family housing areas. However, for housing estates and originary fabrics typologies, the best performance is shown to be in the implementation of rooftop farming systems.

Declining potential of local food supplies to satisfy urban demand during 1990‒2015 and the resulting implications for urban food security

ABSTRACT This study developed the two new indexes, the distance to the nearest cropland (DTNC) of urban residents and the foodshed radius of urban residents (FRUR), to evaluate the potential of China's local food system to sustainably meet urban food needs. The results found that the per-capita DTNC increased by 53% over 1990−2015, with a total increase of 8.2 × 106 km on a national scale; the FRUR estimated on a “business-as-usual” basis was estimated to be 10.1 km. This study further predicted that stress on local food supplies will continue increasing until the 2040s, particularly in mega-urban areas. Appropriate spatial planning regarding the distribution of cropland and urban areas is necessary for mega-urban regions to cope with crisis situations when the external food supply is restricted. Such planning will ultimately ensure the long-term sustainability of urban areas.

Transforming a local food system to address food and nutrition insecurity in an urban informal settlement area: A study in Umlazi Township in Durban, South Africa

Informal settlements in South Africa are facing diverse challenges such as land inaccessibility for food production, poverty, unemployment, malnutrition, and climate change attributing to food insecurity. This paper considered income sources, employment status, household food budget, agricultural production, and anthropometrics as indicators in reviewing the status of this study area. Evaluating geographic dimensions of food accessibility and acceptability locally whilst subsequently determining measures that will promote viable land utilisation options as an intervention within this peri-urban township food environment, required a systematic approach. A general household survey measuring factors contributing to food access was used also evaluating production and consumption patterns of adaptable indigenous crops (n = 200 households). Anthropometric data measured body mass index (BMI) kg/m2, waist circumference (WC) and waist to height ratio (WHtR) to determine levels of malnutrition and health risk factors. Supporting data included a survey from local street vendors and spaza shop owners (n = 25) to determine food items that were frequently accessible and consumed, then compared with the national urban food basket. Land ecotope data was collected to determine if the soil type/s, soil texture, and planting depth are appropriate for effective crop yields in the study area. Secondary data were sourced from the Geographic Information System (GIS) utilised by municipal services and national statistical data. The survey indicated that more than 67.0% of informal dwellers were unemployed and survived on a highly restricted household food budget (<US$115.1 or R2000.00 per month) for a mean average of 3.2 (SD ± 0.9) people living in each household. Land accessibility for food production was restricted as 73.0% of households had no access to land for cultivation. Collaborative adaptation measures must include urgent demarcation and fence existing vacant municipal land for food production, involvement of nearby industries and schools for urban agriculture initiatives to improve food security and local economic development.

Postharvest handling practice in the South Pacific and its implications on local food systems

Postharvest handling practice in the South Pacific and its implications on local food systems

Blue Food Sovereignty Benefits Social-Ecological Resilience: A Case Study of Small-Scale Fisheries Co-Management and Mariculture in Samoa

“Blue” (aquatic) food systems have a vital role in providing nutrition, livelihoods, and food security for coastal communities, but addressing and evaluating issues of equity and social resilience continue to challenge small-scale fisheries management. We examine how marine aquaculture and co-management approaches that integrate traditional institutions can support food sovereignty for more equitable blue food systems. Interviews with stakeholders in 11 fishing communities in Samoa indicate that several benefits associated with food sovereignty are derived from co-managed village fish reserves. Reserves support biodiversity health and are a source of culturally valued seafoods that build food security, social capital, and sustainable livelihood opportunities for women. Local values, food systems, providers, and consumers are centered, though traditional hierarchies present challenges for equitable decision-making. Our findings demonstrate how incorporating food sovereignty into the operation and evaluation of fisheries co-management can aid in addressing equity and resilience.

The contribution of aquaculture systems to global aquaculture production

AbstractSince 2000, aquaculture became well‐integrated into the global food system. Aquaculture systems are highly diverse, producing globally equal amounts of fed and extractive species. In Asia and Africa, inland aquaculture provides the bulk of aquaculture production, while in the Americas, Europe, and Oceania, marine aquaculture dominates. The realized growth of annual production since 2000 is due to intensification, the use of more and better feeds, improved production management, and increased attention to biosecurity. Fed and extractive aquaculture, both need to pay more attention to scaling, site selection, and the health of the wider production environment. In terms of land use, aquaculture is more efficient than terrestrial animal production. Still, water use remains a challenge. More attention should be given to water recycling in land‐based systems, reducing water consumption and facilitating nutrient recovery and reuse. Future development should focus on making aquaculture climate neutral and on reducing environmental impacts, both inland and at sea. More attention must be given to making aquaculture an important part of local food systems on all continents, as is the case in Asia today. Integration of aquaculture into local nutrition‐sensitive, circular, and sustainable food systems should become the major driver for future aquaculture system development.

Social entrepreneurship in agri-food systems: the case of food hubs

Abstract Food hubs are nascent organizational innovations in local and regional food systems. Although the number of food hubs in the U.S. has grown over the past decade, their purpose in the food system is still debated. There is a lack of clarity in whether food hubs primarily pursue a social mission, economic value creation, or both simultaneously. To better understand the purpose of food hubs in the food system, this study draws from social entrepreneurship literature and examines the entrepreneurial processes by which food hubs were formed. By employing a comparative case study research method, the study examines four food hubs with different organizational models in the U.S. state of Michigan. The results show that food hubs are social enterprises aimed to simultaneously create social and economic value. Social value proposition, however, can be multifaceted and differs by food hub type. The key differences in food hub models stem from their legal business status, markets they serve, scope and scale of both mobilized resources and economic activities in ‘farm to fork’ supply chains.

Co-designing innovative plantain cropping systems to support the diversity of agroecological pathways in Guadeloupe

In the French West Indies, and particularly in Guadeloupe, agricultural policies mainly support the banana and sugarcane export sectors. However, driven by consumer demand, policy-makers are increasingly interested in developing local and agroecological food systems. Plantain (Musa spp., AAB), cultivated by a wide range of farmers, plays a key role in the diversification of local production and food systems, contributing to food security. However, important gaps in knowledge about plantain cropping systems are hindering the understanding of their contribution to the agroecological transition of farms. Farmers are also requesting more guidance from technical advisers and research. The aim of the work, presented in this article, was to co-design agroecological plantain cropping systems with farmers in order to fill this knowledge gap and to support local food systems. The co-design process was based on the characterization of the diversity of plantain farming systems, the evaluation of changes in practices implemented between 2017 and 2019, and the co-design of a system experiment. We identified six types of plantain farming systems defined by the role of plantain in the production strategy of the farm and a gradient of agroecology in plantain management practices. Our results also show progress toward agroecology between 2017 and 2019. Four innovative plantain cropping systems were designed based on a combination of existing knowledge held by farmers from the six types of farming systems. These results confirm that plantain cropping systems are contributing to the agroecological transition of farms in Guadeloupe and highlight that there are multiple possible agroecological transition pathways for plantain farmers. These results also provide a concrete example of integration of academic and non-academic knowledge for the co-design of agroecological systems.

Exploring the motivations, satisfactions, and well-being of agricultural intentional community residents

Intentional communities have long provided an alternative living solution for those wanting to live with a group of others who share their values. Intentional community residents throughout the U.S. were surveyed to discover their intrinsic satis­factions and motivations, and community features they envision in their futures, as well as to investi­gate their psychological well-being and if they experience or search for personal meaning. Of the 204 U.S. communities identified with a gardening or agricultural focus, 83 agreed to be surveyed, gar­nering 259 responses. It was found that engage­ment in local food systems elicits intrinsic satisfac­tion in the areas of community food (such as growing and sharing food with neighbors) and participation (such as contributing to a larger goal or purpose). However, local food system engagement does not strongly increase psychological well-being, suggest­ing that those living in agricultural communities may have their well-being supported in other life­style areas. Recommendations for communication and recruitment are then addressed: it is important to emphasize communitarian and social values when advertising intentional communities to inter­ested parties. Secondary values, such as environ­mentalism, and the intrinsic satisfaction associated with participation can also be successfully used in communication, especially when paired with future-oriented envisioning of their communities.

Connectivity and racial equity in responding to COVID-19 impacts in the Chicago regional food system

The COVID-19 outbreak led to major disruptions in food systems across the globe. In the United States’ Chicago region, the outbreak created immediate concerns around increased hunger, food insecurity, supply chain disruptions, and loss of local liveli­hoods. This was especially evident in communities of color, which faced disproportionate impacts from the pandemic. In March 2020, the Chicago Food Policy Action Council (CFPAC) coordinated a Rapid Response Effort that convened people in working groups related to emergency food assis­tance, local food producers, small businesses, and food system workers to address urgent needs that arose due to the pandemic. Each working group met regularly through virtual calls. This effort has persisted throughout the pandemic in various forms. For this study, we interviewed CFPAC staff members and participants in these calls to create narratives that document respondents’ perceptions of the Rapid Response Effort’s evolution, benefits, challenges, and potential for long-term impacts. Thematic analysis conducted across these narra­tives revealed the importance of network connec­tions to overcoming food system disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our analysis also underscored challenges associated with racism in efforts to strengthen local and regional food sys­tems. These findings indicate a need for research and practice that intentionally attend to power dis­parities related to race within collaborative net­works in order to structure local and regional food systems to achieve greater racial equity and resili­ence to future shocks.

Review of First we eat: Food sovereignty north of 60

Suzanne Crocker’s 2020 film First we eat documents her and her family’s efforts to spend an entire year eating only food that can be grown, gathered, and hunted around Dawson City, Yukon, in the traditional territory of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in. Living 300 km south of the Arctic Circle, Crocker’s experiment was spurred by a landslide that disrupted the supply of imported foods into the territory, serving as a wake-up call to food system vulnerability, including increasing and unpredictable climate impacts. First we eat offers an educational glimpse into local northern food systems and food sovereignty that generates reflection on the importance of connecting and learning through communal food networks. In addition to community food connections, the food literacy, self-sufficiency, creativity, change, and challenge involved in eating locally for one year reflect the disconnect between consumers, producers, and land in contemporary food systems. The Crocker family learns a great deal about food harvesting, production, processing, and storage, much of which reflects the knowledge embedded in local and Indigenous food practices. First we eat serves as a starting point for discussions about food security, localizing food systems, and food sovereignty, as well as critical reflection on how Indigenous land, food sovereignty, and knowledge are central to these discussions. Crocker’s ambition to eat entirely locally for one year inspires reconnection with food, land, and community, encouraging viewers to explore how they might become more engaged with their local food system.

Applying emerging core competencies to extension training courses for local food system practitioners

In 2019, a national group of local food system educators and practitioners identified over 140 foundational core competencies critical to local food system development work and began to identify existing educational resources related to these competencies. This process resulted in a new aggregated resource: the Local Food System Practitioner and Educational Resource Database. Included in this database is a core competency matrix that distinguishes three levels of learning for each competency so that practitioners can identify learning opportunities most closely tailored to their educational needs. It also serves as a framework and competency matrix for educators to use to help assess and communicate the learn­ing out­comes of their curricula. This framework is the overall concept for understanding the compe­ten­cies, and the matrix is the tool developed to assess and evaluate the level at which an educa­tional resource teaches a competency. In this article we apply the newly create core competency matrix to two existing local food system develop­ment courses. We share lessons learned from applying the matrix and insights gained from com­paring two introductory level courses. We con­clude with recommendations for improving the resource database and matrix to a more user-friendly model for educators and local food system practitioners.

Environmental Assessment of Local Food Policies through a Territorial Life Cycle Approach

Sub-national governments play a vital role in achieving food-related sustainability goals through the re-territorialization of agriculture. While the environmental impact of such policies cannot be reduced to decreased food miles, multiple methodological bottlenecks prevent seizing their entire potential. In this paper, a territorial life cycle analysis is adapted and used to comprehend the cradle-to-grave impact of local food policies. This is conducted by assessing the impact of a territory’s food-producing and consuming activities before and after the local food policies implementation. To evaluate the feasibility of the methodology, the municipality of Mouans-Sartoux (southeast France), engaged in local food policies for twenty years, is chosen. Four impact categories are modeled: global warming, fossil resource depletion, water consumption, and land use. The findings show that local food policies drive direct and indirect changes in farming and retail practices, but a more significant transformation is achieved by inhabitants, mostly by decreasing meat and ultra-processed product consumption. All actions summed up decrease the local food system’s impact by between 7 and 19%. These results demonstrate the efficiency of the method to provide a holistic environmental assessment at a mesoscale as well as the environmental efficacity of the local authority’s intervention in food-related matters.