scholarly journals Improving Food Systems: A Participatory Consultation Exercise to Determine Priority Research and Action Areas in Viet Nam

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trang Nguyen ◽  
Marrit van den Berg ◽  
Jessica E. Raneri ◽  
Tuyen Huynh
Keyword(s):  
Priority Setting ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Local Food System ◽  
Systems Research ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Multi Stakeholder

With increased burden of malnutrition on global health, there is a need to set clear and transparent priorities for action in food systems at a global and local level. While priority settings methods are available for several adjacent domains, such as nutrition and health policies, setting priorities for food system research has not been documented and streamlined. The challenges involve food systems' multisector, multi-stakeholder and multi-outcome nature. Where data exists, it is not easy to aggregate data from across food system dimensions and stakeholders to make an informed analysis of the overall picture of the food system, as well as current and potential food system trade-offs to inform research and policy. Once research priorities are set, they risk staying on paper and never make their ways to concrete outputs and outcomes. In this paper, we documented and assessed the inclusive process of setting research priorities for a local food system, taking Vietnamese food systems as a case study. From this exercise, we examined how priority setting for food systems research could learn from and improve upon earlier priority setting research practices in other domains. We discussed the lessons for research and policies in local food systems, such as the need for a concrete follow-up plan accompanying the priority setting process.

scholarly journals Framing a Sustainable Local Food System—How Smaller Cities in Southern Germany Are Facing a New Policy Issue

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1712 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Baldy
Keyword(s):  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Policy Issue ◽  
Local Food Systems ◽  
System Transformation ◽  
Agenda 21 ◽  
Southern Germany ◽  
Local Food System

Since Agenda 21, the local level has become important in terms of facing global challenges through local action. One of these is ensuring the sustainability of the food system. In German politics, this is a relatively new issue even at the local level. Nevertheless, two smaller cities in southern Germany have decided to change their local food systems towards sustainability. Hence, this paper deals with questions of how local actors are framing the food system and what this means for increasing sustainability. The analysis of qualitative interviews and participant observations based on frame analysis provides deeper insights into understandings of local food systems by actors. This paper aims to explore how framings of problems, solutions and motivations provide or restrict opportunities to increase local food system sustainability. Terms like sustainability or awareness are framed differently. Using the same term to mean different things can have negative effects on the acceptance of policymaking referring to food system transformation. Besides, this paper shows that omissions within the framing counteract the development of sustainable local food policy. Hence, it is important to reflect the political implications of absent framings as well to facilitate mutual understanding and consequently, food system change.

scholarly journals Making Food-Systems Policy for Local Interests and Common Good

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colene J. Lind ◽  
Monica L. Reeves
Keyword(s):  
State Government ◽  
Common Good ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
Local Food System ◽  
Rhetorical Argumentation

The unjust distribution of poor health outcomes produced via current United States food systems indicates the need for inclusive and innovative policymaking at the local level. Public health and environmental organizers are seeking to improve food environments from the ground up with locally driven policy initiatives but since 2010 have increasingly met resistance via state-government preemption of local policymaking power. This analysis seeks to understand how political actors on both sides of preemption debates use rhetorical argumentation. In doing so, we offer insights to the meaning-making process specific to food systems. We argue that advocates for local food-system innovations are forwarding understandings of food and community that contradict the policy goals they seek. We offer suggestions for local food and environmental advocates for adjusting their arguments.

The public plate in the transnational city: Tensions among food procurement, global trade and local legislation

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-42
Author(s):  
Jennifer Sumner ◽  
Hayley Lapalme
Keyword(s):  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Public Institutions ◽  
Local Food Systems ◽  
Global Trade ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Local Food System ◽  
Playing Field

Local food systems are crucial to sustainability, and one of the most effective ways to develop them is to harness the buying power of large public institutions, such as hospitals and universities.  Steering public funds toward local food systems, however, is not as easy as it might appear.  Institutions must navigate a maze of regulations that can become significant barriers to effecting change.  In Ontario, for example, public institutions are squeezed between two contradictory policies: the Broader Public Sector Directive, which mandates a level playing field and prohibits preferential buying based on geography, and the Local Food Act, which aims to increase the consumption of local food (with a specific focus on procurement in Ontario public institutions) and to foster successful and resilient local food economies and systems.  Adding to this tension, global trade treaties are drilling down to the local level, proscribing preferential procurement of local food as “protectionist” and a barrier to trade.    Public institutions are caught in the middle, wanting to purchase more local products but unwilling to risk reprisals.  This paper investigates these tensions by reporting on a recent study of institutional buyers and government officials in the Toronto area to understand more thoroughly these barriers to operationalizing a local food system, while recognizing that sustainable food systems require a judicious combination of ‘local and green’ and ‘global and fair’ (Morgan 2008).

Social enterprise, sustainability and community in post-earthquake Christchurch

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracy Berno
Keyword(s):  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Community Resilience ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Local Food System ◽  
Building Community ◽  
Post Disaster

Purpose Since 4 September 2010, the greater Christchurch region has endured a series of destructive earthquakes. As a result, food resilience, as a component of community resilience, has become highly relevant. This paper aims to explore the role of social entrepreneurs and the local food system in building community resilience. Design/methodology/approach Using a quasi-case study method, four social enterprise food initiatives are presented to illustrate conceptually how these local food systems contribute to community resilience in the post-earthquake context in Christchurch. Findings The results suggest that a generation of social entrepreneurs have emerged, giving rise to networked local food system initiatives that share the common goals of building multiple and unique forms of capital (human, social, natural, financial and physical). In doing so, they have contributed to creating conditions that support community resilience as both a process and an outcome in post-earthquake Christchurch. Research limitations/implications This research included only four enterprises as the case study, all located in central Christchurch. As such, the results are indicative and may not represent those found in other contexts. Practical implications The research suggests that social entrepreneurs make a significant contribution to both enhancing food security and building community resilience post-disaster. How policy infrastructure can empower and enable entrepreneurs’ post-disaster warrants further consideration. Social implications Collectively, the four enterprises included in the research were found to have created local solutions in response to local problems. This embeddedness with and responsiveness to the community is a characteristic of resilient communities. Originality/value Post-earthquake Christchurch is a living laboratory in relation to understanding community resilience. The processes by which it is occurring, how it is sustained over time and the shapes it will take in the future in such a dynamic environment are not yet understood. This paper contributes to understanding local food systems as part of this process.

scholarly journals A REPLICABLE MODEL FOR VALUING LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS

2015 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 441-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
STEVEN R. MILLER ◽  
JOHN MANN ◽  
JUDITH BARRY ◽  
TOM KALCHIK ◽  
RICH PIROG ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Simulation Model ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Local Food Systems ◽  
Processed Foods ◽  
Local Food System ◽  
Economic Contribution ◽  
Consistent Approach

AbstractWe use the underlying data of the IMPLAN Pro 3.0 regional economic simulation model to estimate the current economic contribution of Michigan's local food system and explore the chain of transactions giving rise to consumption of locally sourced goods from producer to processor to consumption. The proposed methodology includes both unprocessed and processed foods in the estimation of the local food system's economic value. The model also provides a replicable and consistent approach to estimating the value of local food systems within regional and state economies.

scholarly journals Food hubs play an essential role in the COVID-19 response in Hawai‘i

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Saleh Azizi Fardkhales ◽  
Noa Lincoln
Keyword(s):  
Food Systems ◽  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Food System ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Community Food Security ◽  
Local Food System ◽  
Food Hubs ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
System Resilience ◽  
Multiple Challenges

Community food security and food systems resili­ence have received much emphasis in the last two decades, at least partially in response to mounting challenges and pressures on the global food system. While empirical research shows strong evidence that direct-to-consumer relationships in the food system predominantly serve affluent commu­nities, during the COVID-19 pandemic local food providers have become a necessity through their provision of essential services, such as hunger relief and home deliveries for vulnerable populations. In this paper, we examine the challenges and opportunities of food hubs—innovations in local food systems that help connect small farmers with local markets—during the COVID-19 pandemic using quantitative and qualitative data from practitioners on the ground. The hubs were not necessarily equipped or experienced in the response needed, but they quickly adapted to the situation and demonstrated success during the pandemic, as illustrated by 200–300% growth in performance metrics such as revenues generated, employees retained, customers served, and farmers supported. The performance of the hubs in response to the multiple challenges accompanying the pandemic demonstrates their key role in food system resilience through features of diversity, functional redundancy, and connectivity, suggesting that disaster preparation should consider local food hubs a necessary service. We provide policy suggestions for supporting their role in local food system resilience beyond the pandemic.

scholarly journals Women’s participation in the local food system and implications for their dietary quality in rural Northern Ghana: A qualitative study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sawudatu Zakariah-Akoto ◽  
Richhmond Aryeetey ◽  
◽  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Inductive Reasoning ◽  
Dietary Quality ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Cultural Norms ◽  
Local Food System

Abstract Background Women’s activities within local food systems are linked with their dietary quality. Their ability to achieve a nutritious diet is often limited by socio-cultural norms, which have not been adequately studied. This study examined socio-cultural norms linked with rural food systems and their adverse effects on women’s diets. Methods The study was conducted in two rural communities, Yilkpene and Kpachilo, in Northern Ghana between May and July 2016. Sixteen key informant interviews (KII) with community and institutional leaders, and eleven focus group discussions (FGDs) with community members were used to explore the nature of the food system, (production, processing, distribution, preparation and consumption), and how it is influenced by socio-cultural norms. Transcribed interviews were coded and analysed thematically, using inductive reasoning. Results The components of the food system in both communities were constructed, primarily, around men. Quantities, quality, and varieties of produce, distribution/marketing, and intra-household allocation were strongly dominated by male perceptions and practices about access and ownership of productive resources, and roles and responsibilities of household members. Men dominated in the production of cereals, and legumes, while women mainly produced/harvested vegetables and fruits, and limited quantities of legumes that have low economic value. Men sell their produce at higher market prices, at urban markets; women rarely sell their vegetables; it is preserved and stored for home consumption. Women’s produce were often sold at farm gates or local markets at lower prices, for income to supplement household diets. Men are responsible for allocating staple foods used in the household for meal preparation to women; women are expected to provide other ingredients needed to accompany the supply of staple food provided by men. Although women prepare household meals, men receive lion’s share of nutrient-dense portions of meals. Conclusion The local food system is heavily dominated by gender-driven socio-cultural norms, which constitute a barrier to women achieving dietary adequacy. Interventions are needed to improve women’s diets; such interventions should deliberately address these culturally-established barriers, in contexts where subsistence farming is the main source of livelihood.

scholarly journals THE ROLE OF SMALL FARMS IN LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS

2019 ◽  
Vol XXI (4) ◽  
pp. 600-611
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Żmija ◽  
Marta Czekaj ◽  
Dariusz Żmija
Keyword(s):  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Local Food Systems ◽  
Small Farms ◽  
Safety Control ◽  
Local Food System ◽  
Food Quality And Safety ◽  
Oriented Activity

The goal of this paper is to recognize the desired prospective role of small farms in local food systems as well as identify the directions of future-oriented activity for its implementation. The empirical data for the study was provided as a result of workshops hosted in the Rzeszowski subregion in 2019, attended by the stakeholders of the local food system. The methodology of the studies was based on the concept of foresight research, using the backcasting technique. For the purpose of formulating the visions of the desired prospective role of small farms in local food systems, the workshops participants determined their potential future roles in the subsystem of production, processing and consumption of food in the subregion, while, above all, recognizing them in reference to production, processing and providing the consumer with food of the highest quality. The aforementioned roles have been determined as being under-implemented. The recommended areas of activities for increasing the share of small farms in local food systems were identified as: legislation, institutional conditions, consultancy, financial support and farm cooperation, food quality and safety control, promotion of local food products and consumer education.

scholarly journals Valuation of Country Food in Nunavut Based on Energy and Protein Replacement

ARCTIC ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 355-371
Author(s):  
Duncan W. Warltier ◽  
Manuelle Landry-Cuerrier ◽  
Murray M. Humphries
Keyword(s):  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Nutritional Composition ◽  
High Price ◽  
The People ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Versus Protein ◽  
Country Food

Communicating value across the pluralities of Indigenous Peoples’ food systems requires attention to economy and environment, food and wildlife, and the health of the people and that of the land. Valuation of distinct entities is always difficult but often essential to describe collective wealth and well-being, to quantify trade-offs, and to consider compensation when one is compromised for another. Here we estimate the replacement value of Nunavut country food by combining information on the amount and nutritional composition of harvested country food with the nutritional content and local price of store-bought food. Comparing the five-year average of energy and protein available in reported harvest to recommended dietary allowances indicates that 17 of 21 Nunavut communities harvest enough country food to satisfy the protein requirements of all community members. Nunavut’s country food system annually harvests five million kg of protein-rich food from across the territory, which would cost $198 million to purchase as store-bought protein, with a replacement value between $13.19 and $39.67 per kg depending on energy versus protein replacement and the inclusion versus exclusion of store-bought food subsidies. These valuations are higher than most previous estimates of local food value because they are more reflective of the energy and nutrient richness of country food and the high price of store-bought food in northern communities. The country food system is priceless in many, profound ways; better awareness of its energy and protein cost of replacement, together with the breadth of its nutritional and cultural value, may help to ensure local food systems are prioritized in northern food security and economic development initiatives. 

scholarly journals Activating the local food system in emergency food response

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Andy Ollove ◽  
Samiha Hamdi
Keyword(s):  
Food Access ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Local Food Systems ◽  
Small Farmers ◽  
Local Food System ◽  
Food Response ◽  
History Of ◽  
Local Farmers

Resilient local food systems are a necessary component to keep our communities healthy, especially during times of emergency. With a history of supporting local farmers and food access in less-resourced communities, Fresh Approach was in a prime position at the time of shelter-in-place orders to pivot our efforts to emergency food relief in this time of uncertainty. By collaborating and mobilizing resources, Fresh Approach was able to strengthen existing connections with small farmers, build new relationships with other food access nonprofits, and support families in need by providing them with farm-fresh, local, and healthy produce. We outline how these partnerships and collective efforts have fortified a resilient and transformative food system in our area.

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