Grassroots Social Innovation for Human Development: An Analysis of Alternative Food Networks in the City of Valencia (Spain)

- This paper is discussing the social innovation represented by the alternative food networks in Italy. With reference to the scientific debate, the analysis is foSummaries cussed on three main issues: the diversity of the networks, their common principles and the strategies of inter-connection among the different networks. These networks are based on the development of direct relationships between producers and consumers and on processes of food re-localisation. They counteract the dominant agro-food system by promoting quality products distributed through short chains. The emerging inter-connection between the various collective practices linked to the question of food production is interpreted as an alternative globalization. Initiatives promoted by peasant organizations of Latin American, African and Asian countries tend to be reinforced by the connection with the alternative practices of food producers and reflexive consumers of Western countries.Key words: social innovation; alternative food networks; peasant agriculture; short chains; critical consumers; inter-connection.

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Social Innovation for Sustainability and the Common Good in Ecosystems of the Fourth Sector: The Case of Distribution Through Alternative Food Networks in Valencia (Spain)

Entrepreneurship in the Fourth Sector - Studies on Entrepreneurship, Structural Change and Industrial Dynamics ◽

10.1007/978-3-030-68390-0_8 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 141-167

Author(s):

Sergio Belda-Miquel ◽

Eugenia Ruiz-Molina ◽

Irene Gil-Saura

Keyword(s):

Common Good ◽

Social Innovation ◽

Alternative Food ◽

Alternative Food Networks ◽

The Common Good ◽

Food Networks ◽

The Common

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Middle Class, Tradition and the Desi-Realm—Discourses of Alternative Food Networks in Bengaluru, India

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12072741 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (7) ◽

pp. 2741

Author(s):

Mirka Erler ◽

Christoph Dittrich

Keyword(s):

Middle Class ◽

Food System ◽

Global South ◽

Traditional Agriculture ◽

Alternative Food ◽

Alternative Food Networks ◽

Expert Interviews ◽

Food Practices ◽

Food Networks ◽

The City

It has repeatedly been claimed that persistent traditional agriculture and marketing in countries of the Global South, such as India, are a fruitful basis for the foundation of alternative food networks (AFNs). However, literature on AFNs in the Global South is scarce and it thus remains uncertain how the appropriation of traditional agri-food practices plays out. We conducted semi-structured expert interviews with representatives of 14 AFNs in Bengaluru, India, in order to explore their aims and approaches. We found that there is a high variety of different AFNs in the city. One salient discourse among the representatives was that the agri-food system can be improved by a revitalization of tradition. In this paper, we discuss the implications of this conviction on representatives of AFNs. Traditionalism, we argue, does rather represent a deflection from achieving the stated goals of the AFN, namely the improvement of the livelihood of Indian farmers.

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