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Short food chains in France, an overview of practical,
research and policy issues
Yuna Chiffoleau
To cite this version:
Yuna Chiffoleau. Short food chains in France, an overview of practical, research and policy issues.
Food from here: critical perspectives on short food chains in Europe, Centre for Agroecology and Food
Security (CASF). Coventry, GBR., Jul 2013, Coventry, United Kingdom. [Non paginé]. �hal-02746293�
“ Food From Here”
Critical Perspectives on
Short Food Chains in Europe
Introduction
The Food From Here Conference was hosted by the
Centre for Agroecology and Food Security (CAFS)
at Coventry University on Wednesday 3rd July
2013. Delegates were welcomed to the conference
by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Madeleine Atkins,
who introduced the Centre’s ambitious mission of
creating more resilient food systems both at home
and throughout the world, through a programme
of research and events such as this one. She
encouraged delegates to contact the Centre
to explore avenues of collaboration around the
themes of ‘Food and Communities’, ‘Stabilisation
Agriculture’, ‘Agroecological Technologies’ and
‘Policies and Institutions for Food Security’
[for further details please see back page].
The aim of the conference was to prompt
discussion about the policy tools and practical
actions that are needed to support short food
supply chains and in particular encourage
innovation in the light of recent food scares and
the consistent interest in sourcing ‘local’ foods.
Acknowledging that many cities have developed
policies to promote short food chains and that the
European Commission is interested in the potential
of this sector to improve small farmer incomes and
deliver high quality foods, the conference included
speakers who could share experiences from a
range of European countries.
The conference attracted over 90 delegates
representing several different countries and
consisted of a programme of speeches, panel
discussions and workshops all designed to
facilitate critical debate amongst a variety of
stakeholders from the research, policy, business,
campaigning and community sectors. These
proceedings provide a short synopsis of the day
summarising the papers given, discussions held
and workshop outcomes. More information on the
conference, work of CAFS and future activities can
be found on the following website:
Michel Pimbert:
Director of the Centre for Agroecology
and Food Security, Coventry University
An agricultural ecologist by training, Michel previously worked at the UK-based International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) before joining Coventry University in 2013. Dr Pimbert has been a board member of several international organisations working on food sovereignty, sustainable agriculture, environment and human rights. His research interests include: agroecology and food sovereignty, the political ecology of natural resource and biodiversity management, participatory action research, and deliberative democratic processes. Michel welcomed everyone to the Food From Here Conference and reflected in his opening speech on a number of issues pertinent to the conference event. Firstly, the growing public and policy interest in short food supply chains which has gained significant momentum since the late 1990s, driven by a consumer interest in the environmental impact of food systems and notably the concept of food miles and carbon footprints. Using the example of Tomato Ketchup , Michel illustrated the linear and increasingly globalised structure of industrial food chains recognising that it takes over 150 processes and transport steps to produce such a popular food commodity and that in the case of many short food supply chains a paradigm shift is beginning to emerge focusing on more circular systems perspectives which potentially can create more resilient and equitable food systems.
Michel then went on to discuss the ongoing reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy and in particular noted the recent conversations that the EU has been having in relation to supporting short food supply chains and small farmers. It is in light of this renewed European policy interest that researchers at CAFS have been working on projects relating to short food supply chains and local food systems over the past 18 months; much of the material to be discussed at the conference has emanated from this work. Michel also acknowledged that this experience gained recently has convinced CAFS that much is to be learned from sharing lessons from different geographical contexts, and thus a key ambition of the conference is to begin to promote an exchange of lessons learnt.
Moya Kneafsey:
Short Food Chains in Europe: Trends, Evidence
and Business Models.
Moya is a Reader in Human Geography at Coventry University and her research examines the ‘reconnection’ of consumers, producers and food through ‘alternative’, local and short food supply chains. Her focus has been on quality products, rural development and community participation in food production and she has also conducted research on consumer perceptions of food security. Recently she has begun research on planning and innovation for sustainable agriculture through the EU-funded FOODMETRES project.
Moya’s presentation reported on a study funded by the European Commission and co-authored by Coventry researchers and colleagues from Garden Organic, Innovative Futures Research, and St Istvan University. It examined the state-of-play of short food chains and local food systems in the EU and reflected on the policy tools required to support such chains. The study consisted of an extensive literature review, the creation of a database of examples of short food chains from every EU member state and three in depth case studies from France, Austria and Hungary. Overall the study offers significant insights into the evolving characteristics and structures of short food supply
chains. For example, it shows that the social benefits of such initiatives are often emphasized more than the economic and environmental benefits, by the actors involved, as well as published studies. It also suggests that a distinction can be drawn between ‘traditional’ and ‘neo-traditional’ types. ‘Traditional’ short food chains are mainly farm based and farmer-driven enterprises, whereas ‘neo-traditional’ ones are more complex structures, which may well draw on traditional and artisan skills and knowledge, but consist of new producer-consumer partnerships, and sometimes do not even involve farmers directly. Interestingly this classification received mixed reviews when discussed in the question and answer session as it was felt by some to be inappropriate for describing the differences. The suggestion was that alternative terms could be sourced via means of a future workshop aimed at identifying and reflecting upon the differences between the many different types of short food chains, one of which could be the nature of the power relationships at play. This was raised by delegates as being of particular interest considering current models of seed ownership and provision. Others mentioned the need to acknowledge differing motivations for involvement in various types (on the part of producers and consumers) for example in terms of political motives, as well as the diverse social functions that such schemes potentially have, namely community cohesion which goes beyond a food provisioning function. The report from the study has been published by the European Commission and can be accessed here: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/jrc/ index.cfm?id=1410&dt_code=NWS&obj_id=17030&ori=RSS
Damian Maye:
Short Food Chains: New Drivers and Challenges
Damian is Reader in Agri-Food Studies, at the Countryside and Community Research Institute, University of Gloucestershire. He has worked on short food supply chains and local and alternative food networks for a number of years. He is currently working on two EU-funded projects: SUPURBFOOD which is examining short-chain activities in city-region contexts and GLAMUR, which is developing methods to measure global and local food chain performance. Damian’s paper reflected on a number of recent developments in food chain research and offered several thoughts on the possible future directions of relevant research. Utilising the notion of ‘food shocks’, Damian referenced the recent Horsemeat Scandal and Food Price Inflation as being indicative of the recurring crises that plague the food sector. Whilst often casting a negative shadow over the industry, such shocks were acknowledged as being the ‘instances’ which redefine the concept of short food supply chains and allow for a re-valuing of their common traits and strengths. Yet such reviews commonly use an all-too-narrow definition of value, positioning SFSCS as niche, rural ventures capable of protecting rural livelihoods. In Maye’s most recent work along with colleagues from CCRI, the focus has been on reviewing the transition pathways and demonstrating that SFSCs create value beyond the ‘rural-local’ domain acknowledging the community-orientated perspective and ability of schemes to mobilise community action. Much of the evidence for this has come from an on-going evaluation of the Local Food programme, which was a £60 million programme which distributed funds to local food projects aimed at making locally grown food more accessible and affordable to local communities. The evaluation will be completed by March 2014. Also of note from this work is that many examples of producer-consumer relationships within SFSCs go beyond merely food provisioning but use food as a catalyst for delivering several other community and social values and often in urban and peri-urban settings.
Branka Tome:
EU Policy Tools for Short Food Chains and
Local Food Systems
Branka is an economist and started her career at the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and now works for the European Commission, Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development working on agricultural quality policy. In particular she is engaged in policies for the protection of geographical indications of agricultural products and foodstuffs, and in the development of quality schemes for mountain products and products of local agriculture.
In her paper, Branka outlined the policy background which led the Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development to commission the Short Food Chain and Local Food System study completed by Dr Moya Kneafsey and her team, namely the need to collect evidence about the scope, scale and significance of the short food chain sector. Whilst the report has demonstrated that short food chains have clear benefits to farmers (i.e. less intermediaries, better margins on sale prices and opportunities for diversification) and for consumers (i.e. ability to source local food, know where food has come from) the commission still lacks ‘hard evidence’ namely financial and economic data as definitions vary greatly and measuring such benefits is fraught with difficulties.
Nevertheless, Branka explained that the European Commission does recognise the importance of local food and that Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 has asked the Commission to present a report on the case for a new local farming and direct sales labelling scheme. In addition to this report, Branka also discussed the development of two new strands in the CAP 2014-2020 which could contribute to the development of short supply chains; 1) the possibility of creating a new sub-programme in the rural development programme, and 2) the new ‘cooperation’ measure which offers local actors the opportunity to co-operate in informing and promoting short food chains and local markets. Both of these new developments are in addition to the other measures already in EU rural development policy such as support to training or investment.
Branka asked the conference directly what their views were on the EU introducing a new labelling scheme and shared with them some of the complexities in terms of defining the products it could be used on, the geographical limits and choosing a name. It is fair to say that the Commission is still in the development stage, but a report is due to be published in January 20142.
During questions, delegates raised a number of points in relation to the possibility of such a label and suggestions were given in terms of the EU reviewing the FairTrade logo and Organic Labels. However, concern was raised about the costs for producers of meeting label requirements and the need to balance costs for the producer with achieving credibility for the consumer. In other words, costs for producers should not be prohibitive but consumers will demand something that they can believe in. In response, Branka confirmed that the Commission had considered creating a ‘light’ framework and that such a scheme would not follow the classical EU scheme and could instead be an ‘optional quality term’ where Member States decide on the best method for controls and checks.
1In fact, the report was published early, on 6th December 2013 and can be viewed at
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality/local-farming-direct-sales/index_en.htm
Balint Balazs:
Local food systems and short food supply chains –
principles, policies and practices:
reflections from Hungary
Balint is a lecturer in Environmental Sociology at the Department of Environmental Economics, Institute of Environmental and Landscape Management, St. Istvan University, Hungary. Balint is a Senior Research Fellow of ESSRG, a small research and development enterprise involved in alternative agro-food systems research and policy development, including local food systems development and conserving and promoting agro-biodiversity in Hungary.
Balint’s paper examined local food system development pathways in the context of recent regulatory reforms in Hungary which have been implemented with the intention of promoting local product sales and short food supply chains. Drawing on his own empirical research, Balint demonstrated how new types of short supply chains are now present in Hungary which share common and increasing traits – that of being developed and managed by non-farmers in an attempt to enable people to source local food.
Research with these groups has shown that many schemes are promoting or trying to enact a change in the supply structures to allow for more sustainable food supply and that in many cases the socio-geographical context plays a significant role in shaping and forming these groups. Notably, such schemes are recruiting from higher income groups and that participants’ motives are centred on obtaining artisan, local and fresh food and as such within Hungary there is a new type of emerging urban civic food network.
Questions and discussion after Balint’s paper focused on the motivations for participation and why it is that the degree of cooperation appears to differ across types of short food chain? Yet if the Cooperation measure that Branka highlighted is to succeed in this sector then more needs to be done to join up the often isolated, individualistic enterprises frequently engaged in short food chains.
Jan Willen van der Schans:
Short food chains in the Netherlands
Jan is a Senior Researcher in markets and supply chains at the Agricultural Economics Research Institute of Wageningen University, Netherlands. He is focussed on making food supply chains more sustainable, both with the larger scale conventional players as well as with the smaller scale alternative food supply chain players. Jan is also currently involved in SUPURBFOOD, a European project involving several city regions, studying food, waste and multifunctional land use. Jan’s paper was a visual feast of examples of short food chains and alternative food systems currently operating and thriving in the Netherlands, a country which is predominantly export-orientated. Jan’s research with these organisations has shown that whilst alternative and conventional systems are often analysed as binary opposites with clear differences, that (from a transition perspective) the most interesting initiatives are those that try to bridge the gap. In particular Jan
highlighted a number of examples which are attempting to combine the engagement of urban consumers (often engaged in alternative systems) with the scale and efficiency of the conventional chains.
On a practical note, whilst Jan acknowledges that there are increasing numbers of people engaged with the alternative systems, he points out that large groups of consumers do not have the motivation or time to be engaged in short food chains and yet they still want good quality, sustainably produced food at affordable prices. Finally by showing an image of a motorway with the large lorry containing non-local produce next to the small van transporting local produce, Jan points out that if short food chains exist, and compete with long chains that food miles will likely increase and not decrease. Taking this idea further, Jan argued that both long and short logistical systems should work together and use each other in order to increase responsiveness and reduce food miles and costs.
Comments and questions from the floor were plentiful in this session and various themes emerged as demanding further exploration if we are to understand further the significance and potential of the short food chain sector not least the need for researchers to conduct more analysis on motivations and the people involved in such schemes. One delegate noted that during the course of the morning various terms including: activists, entrepreneurs, opportunists, intellectuals and social innovators had been used to describe the people involved in local food systems. This leads to the question, if schemes are increasingly being driven by non-farmers and/or collectives of communities then who are these facilitators, reconnectors and intermediaries and what are their aspirations and ambitions?
Nicola Reece,
Proprietor of Farmers Fayre, award winning
local food retailer, UK.
Nicola founded Farmers Fayre in 2000 after working in the food industry as a Quality Assurance Scheme Manager. Having gained a Diploma in Agriculture from Warwickshire College, Nicola understands the agricultural industry and the importance of using local produce and ensuring animal welfare. Farmers Fayre specialises in farm shops and prides itself on sourcing local and natural produce.
Prior to the conference lunch, which was supplied by Nicola’s company, Nicola gave delegates an insight in to how she set up Farmers Fayre, their locations, ethos and future business plans. To hear Nicola talking about this, click here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FjHdJnZR0o
Yuna Chiffoleau,
Short Food Chains in France - An Overview of
Practical, Research and Policy Issues.
Yuna Chiffoleau, is a leading researcher from INRA, the French National Institute for Agricultural Research. From 2009-11 she lead the agriculture and food group of the French Rural Network and she has published extensively on short food chains, rural development and consumer behaviour2. Yuna provided an overview of current research
themes and issues relating to short food chains in France. Clearly, such chains have a long history in France, but that interest in them has renewed since the 2000s due to food scares, new societal trends and producers’ initiatives. In 2009 the Ministry of Agriculture implemented a working group to agree a definition of short food chains or ‘circuits courts,’ and also to prepare an action plan for their development. The definition refers to a food chain consisting of no more than one intermediary between producers and consumers, whatever the geographical distance between them. Since 2009 short food chains have been promoted through several different policies. For example, a development plan was designed on the basis of a participatory process amongst stakeholders, and includes initiatives for the production and diffusion of knowledge about short food chains. Data collection about short food chains has been integrated into the agricultural census, and they are also being promoted through the French Rural Network, as well as the National Food Programme and the Agricultural Modernisation Law. Short food chains are considered as tools for local territorial development and Yuna argued that the ‘official’ definition and recognition of the concept of short food chains has created a new window for producers and local authorities to promote their development. In fact, the latest agricultural census showed that short food chains are used by 20% of farms and that over 20 types of short food chains structure have been identified in France. Yuna noted that despite this diversity, short food chains they are often associated with direct sales but that the role of chains with one intermediary is important, particularly for more remote producers. She suggested that there are perhaps too many expectations around short food chains in France with regard to their ability to deliver sustainable development. In her view, studies have tended to be biased - being either too idealistic and clichéd, or too critical. She argued that there is a need for more and better research, especially on the social dimensions of short food chains, and noted that a large scale survey (over 6oo cases of short food chains!) is currently underway in France, as well as the new EU FP7 Project ‘GLAMUR’. She also made the critical point that low income consumers often do not have access (financial and physical) to short food chains and may possibly even be excluded from them. Yet, she noted that short food chains are not systematically more expensive than long food chains if you compare ‘like for like’. One reason for the
lack of participation of low income consumers may be that short food chains are often perceived as “organic = ‘bobo’ = not for me”. She also observed a growing competition between short food chains and between short food chains and longer chains and identified a need for territorial governance strategies involving producers, consumers, and governance structures in order to address the many challenges facing short food chains in France.
2Yuna stepped in to present at the very last minute because our original speaker, Sylvere
Gonza lvez was forced to cancel his participation due to unavoidable circumstances just hours before the conference began. The conference organisers remain indebted to Yuna for presenting at such short notice.
Keynote Speech:
Tim Lang, Professor of Food Policy, City University
and President of Garden Organic
Tim Lang has been Professor of Food Policy at City University London’s Centre for Food Policy since 2002. After a PhD in Social Psychology at Leeds University he became a hill farmer in the 1970s which shifted his attention to food policy, where it has been ever since. For over 35 years he’s engaged in academic and public research and debate about its direction, locally to globally. His abiding interest is how policy addresses the environment, health, social justice and citizens.
In his keynote speech, Tim shared with the conference a number of points of discussion which he considered were pertinent to understanding and subsequently being able to influence the growth and development of future food chains. Listed as a series of points, Tim raised issues for further review and discussion and questions:
1. We have different versions of short food chains /local foods – need to understand the differences and diversity.
2. What is the point of food? What is it for? 3. What’s the state of food thinking in Britain today?
4. Where are we at a global level – policy gives us no alternative to the productionist paradigm – do we choose sustainable intensification? 5. CAP has been successful; an agricultural policy that is constantly
modified, needs now to be a Food Policy
6. UK Food Policy based on ‘Leave it to Tesco’ cannot continue 7. Industry is now worried – some of the largest global companies
are researching water consumption, energy and waste cycles after recognising their vested interests in our future resources
8. Consumers are locked in to cheap food and squeezed incomes. Local food is a tricky message for consumers as it means more expensive
9. Look up as well as down – what are the big players in the food industry doing? We shouldn’t just look at communities and local level.
10. We ask our students to consider what they would say if they had 3 Minutes with the policymakers, large organisations, these would be my key points:
a. What is a sustainable diet? Good for health, environment – done by EU – translate at national and local level as will mean different things in different places
b. The Sustainable Diet Index should be linked to incomes/pensions – linking food to available means
c. Stop talking about agriculture and start talking about horticulture – what the land is used for, we know the public health evidence. d. Much more effort on employment – quality of jobs and wages e. Skills – we are all deskilled
Participants –
David Pearson (Food Matters Program, Cranberra)
Margi Lenarrtsson – Garden Organic
Ed Dowding – FoodTrade HQ
Following on from Tim Lang’s talk, the panel discussed key issues and questions raised by the talks and presentations. The format involved an open floor question and answer session. Below follows a summary of the main questions and discussion points.
• All of the presentations have in one way or another have referred to the importance of mindset, although none have explicitly mentioned this. But what appears to be clear is that communities involved in local food schemes appear to share a particular mindset or set of common ideas, be this around food safety, health issues, wanting to know more about growing food.
• There are now over 4000 farmshops and 800 Farmers Markets in the UK, which shows the growing demand for ‘Real’ food, which cannot be substituted by the large retailers but its necessary to re-engage people (especially children) in cooking, growing and eating food. • Are short food supply chains and local food systems about
‘fitting’ with the dominant agro-food system or are they about transformation? There are 12 million farmers in Europe, 3% of whom own 50% of the land – this demonstrates the major barrier to entry for many people aspiring to use the land to grow food. Is it about ‘fitting and conforming’ or ‘transforming’?
• Short food supply chains and local food systems are the seedbed for higher up the food chain, they are the social laboratory for developments in the future. As a result the food system should support small, medium and large enterprises.
• The Sustainable Development Commission published a report called ‘Looking Back, Looking Forward ‘that looked at some of the issues being discussed in particular issues about quality, social value, health, environment, economy and Government policies within the food supply chain.
• The Institute of Grocery Distribution and WRAP have a project looking at Life Cycle Analysis approaches and metrics in the food supply chain, due to be launched in October.
• Another aspect being reviewed is something called ‘choice-editing’ and changing consumer behaviour to make informed decisions with regards to food purchasing, but this is only part of the picture and discussions about a sustainable diet, as perhaps some products just should not be eaten?
• Big question is what skills do we need for short food supply chains? There is a clear need to create a more robust evidence base and for this to inform education and skills provision - Could colleges offer more Horticulture and Land-based courses, what would these courses include and look like?
• Labelling is vital, but shouldn’t we focus on labelling the ‘bad’ rather than the ‘good’?
• We need to recognize different needs in the urban and rural sectors. A community garden in London has different needs to a farmer in rural Warwickshire, for example.
Food From Here Conference –
Discussion Panel Notes
During the afternoon of the conference, delegates were split into smaller workshops of approximately 25 participants and asked to consider 4 questions:
1. What social, environmental, economic and ethical issues can be addressed through SFSCs?
2. What are the roadblocks to SFSCs?
3. What policy tools are needed to support SFSCs? 4. What research questions remain unanswered?
Each workshop consisted of a number of small round table groups and each table was asked to write down their comments, answers and suggestions in relation to each question on flipchart paper which was then rotated around the group tables.
Question 1:
What social, environmental, economic and ethical
issues can be addressed through SFSCs?
This generated considerable responses in all three workshops and the responses have been grouped in relation to the distinct elements of the question as this is how most of the groups answered the question. Clearly, some comments transcend the categorisation but we have been careful to represent how comments and connections were made by participants on the actual flipcharts.
SOCIAL • New ways of accessing food
• Health and increased wellbeing, self esteem, improved mental health • Intergenerational and intercultural interaction
• Empowerment
• Community cohesion/inclusion/resilience • Cooking skills/trying new foods/increased diversity • Reconnection/civic engagement
• Encouraging behavioural change
• Reconnection with farming community and cycles • Diversity of foods/ethnic foods/choice
• Social capital
• Addressing lifestyles and obesity
• Celebrating food within communities/socials and gatherings • Inspiring people and children
• Creating and celebrating a sense of place • New cultural meanings and identities • Sense of solidarity
• New social innovations
ENVIRONMENTAL • Reducing foodmiles and carbon footprints • Reutilising redundant land
• Reclaiming urban landscapes • Benefits to wildlife
• Addressing and responding to climate change • Edible landscaping
• Resource efficiency and less waste • Less use of oil and gas
• Increasing seed diversity and genetic diversity of cropping
ECONOMIC • Enabling people to enter farming and agriculture • Reskilling
• Adding value • Local multiplier effect
• Knowledge sharing and exchange
• Farm diversification/first step for entrepreneurs • Profit retention for farmers/producers • Providing career opportunities/jobs • New business models
ETHICAL • Trust, transparency and traceability • Animal welfare
• Fairer, freer access to land and resources • Fair trade starts locally
• Short supply chains are exemplars for other retail supply chains (e.g clothing, energy)
• Decentralised governance
• Reducing food fraud – increasing accountability through visibility
Question 2:
What are the roadblocks to SFSCs?
All three workshops similarly produced a varied set of responses to this question which the conference team have attempted to subsequently arrange in to a set of thematic areas. There are several answers which have been subjectively placed in certain categories, but which may have relevance and pertinence to one or more of the other categories – we have indicated with a
*
where we believe this to be the case.HUMAN/SOCIAL • Perceptions of local food
• Gender Bias – who controls money, who buys, who cooks • Need for education – e.g. seasonality
• Consumer knowledge – how to use this • Knowledge of demand
• Knowledge of available supply/production origins • People’s expectations of food/year round supply/availability • Time constraints for farmers
• Ability to change and diversify* • Lack of consumer convenience
• Range of skills required of farmer/lack of training/lack of business skills • Lack of champions
• Gap between current diet and what it would need to be to eat locally STRUCTURAL
• Logistics • Multiple suppliers
• Consistency of supply and demand • Huge diversity of schemes • Uneven marketplace
• Lack of intermediaries (economy has hollowed out local processing)* • Available localised infrastructure
• Private and public procurement policies • Consistency of supply quality and quantity • Small volumes means risks are too high* • How to change scale from micro to meso
POLITICAL • Regulatory bodies
• Heavy non-sliding scale – legislation • Food standards uniform one assize fits all • WTO trade policy and international regulations • Political clout of large agri-food businesses
• CAP works against SFSC and favours industrial model • Neoliberal polemic paradigm
• Planning regulations
NATURAL / PHYSICAL • Geography – Topography
• Change of land use – how to, who to inform, who controls FINANCIAL
• Access to capital
• Some organic farmers absorb extra cost, others don’t • High barriers to entry due to costs and economies of scale,
creates uneven market place*
• Marketing budgets of large companies – impossible to compete • Lack of financial capital models
• % of income spend on food and % needed to eat from SFSCs
Question 3:
What policy tools are needed to support SFSCs?
Once more the categories used to summarise responses were not provided to delegates at the conference but have instead been devised on the basis of responses provided as we did not want to sway opinion or influence the views of delegates.
INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES • Life Cycle analysis on global food labelling
EUROPEAN UNION / COMMISSION • Develop a simple food label
• Clarity on EU rules on procurement, buying standards to support sustainable food
• Taxation – carbon tax to internalise externals NATIONAL GOVERNMENT • Limit Tesco expansion via policy
• Land to be made more available via planning policy • Adapt regulation and policy in favour of SFSCs • Light touch regulatory framework
• Effective implementation on existing regulations (Social Value Act 2013) • Review education policy and training win horticulture
• Embed food growing in national curriculum • Food literacy in health policy
• Local enterprise partnerships to support SFSCs INDUSTRY • Label pesticides and all inputs on products • LCA on all food products
• Labels to contain place of origin, no. of intermediaries • True cost accounting in production and consumption • Code of practice for producers and retailers
ACADEMICS • Review what are the dimensions of real food • Educate policymakers about ecological timebomb • Adapt Life Cycle Analysis for SFSC
COMMUNITIES
• Link urban and rural knowledge – short term tenancies and how SFSCs can link traditional and neo-traditional working
• Create and support incubator schemes to train farmers and growers • Engage or initiate local food councils, food charters, food platforms
and partnerships
Question 4:
What research questions remain unanswered?
The responses to this question were many and varied. On this basis we have tried to present the suggestions put forward on the basis of time; from those we consider as short term priorities requiring minimal input and action to medium and longer term priorities which potentially require more commitment, resources and people to be involved.
SHORT TERM
• How can we integrate food more in to the urban and rural environment? E.g. edible landscaping
• Clear definition of short food supply chains so measuring the same thing • Systematic studies, qualitative and quantitative
• More studies on identity and motivation to inform policymaking • Who are the intermediaries and their role
• Constructive engagement with existing players • What is the optimum for SFSCs
• What are the principles/values we want to capture in SFSCs • What is the role of new media – how should we understand
these networks • What data already exists
• What are the indirect impacts of SFSCs
• Workshop session on local and its definitions is neo-traditional correct • What effect does land concentration have
• Co-creation – how do consumers get involved and influence development MEDIUM TERM
• How can political will drive SFSC development in public sector organisations
• Understanding and developing metrics to measure the wider ‘capitals’ than just economics
• How to negotiate local-national-EU tensions in SFSC relationships • Market research as conducted by the multiples
• What qualities are in the relationships where food provisioning is successful
• What are the coordination forms permitting people to organise themselves and impact on territories
• Scenario planning and impact assessments • What does local mean, is it sustainable
• New cooperative forms between growers and consumers- identify and spread successful models
• Study of political attitudes and informal networks between businesses and policymakers
• Understanding behavioural economics and consumer choice in SFSCs • How do shareholder attitudes affect potential investment and possible
change in the food industry
LONG TERM
• What is the role of self-growing in relation to food security • How big is the market for SFSCs, consumer studies, tracking
and benchmarking
• Why do people move away from conventional chains to alternatives, what creates and sustains change?
Whilst the conference was well attended, the organisers were eager to give people who couldn’t be in Coventry on the day the opportunity to still get involved in the discussions. A twitter feed was set up - #foodfromhere - with the intention of engaging members of the social media community in conversations about local food and short food supply chains. A live twitter feed was presented alongside the main stage for delegates to keep up to date with the ‘online’ conversations.
A few examples of the tweets on #foodfromhere:
Future foodscape - more ethically and fair minded multiple retailers or an expansion of SFSC to a dominant market position? #foodfromhere ‘Sustainable diet’ needs to be defined at EU, national and local level #foodfromhere
Can engagement in food production be beneficial within the health service? Viewing consumers as a bigger part of the system #foodfromhere We need to stop talking about agriculture and start talking about
horticulture’ says @ProfTimLang #foodfromhere - we need fruit & veg Great second session on EU policy and practice. There is a clear need for more quantitative evidence on the benefits of SFSCs #foodfromhere If SFSCs represent 2% of food supply, are policies to address food security really a threat to its development? #foodfromhere Problem with labelling local & sustainable food is it’ll create MORE confusion in an already confusing and misleading arena #foodfromhere SFSCs are localism, organic production and rural development rolled into one - too niche to address food safety or security? #foodfromhere Searching out sust. local food helps create a much-needed and currently lacking consumer/producer connection. #foodfromhere
An EU local foods systems label risks adding cost to those who are already doing more than their share. Label bads not goods. #foodfromhere
Are ‘Traditional’ and ‘Neo-traditional’ the right terms for short food chains in EU? Is ‘Neo-Traditional’ the same as ‘civic’? #foodfromhere
The conference speeches were engaging and thought-provoking.
The workshop generated some useful discussions
The conference has widened my knowledge and thinking on the subject of SFSCs.
The conference has been valuable and I have made some useful contacts.
What should we do better next time? Here’s what you said...
Start later
Have a microphone
Allow more time for the panel discussion Have less meat in the meal
Make sure the website includes the Techno Centre
It’s always the small but important things that trip us up, but we’ll try harder next time!
What you said about the conference...
Lovely new experience, liked meeting up with like minded people Fantastic! One of the best conferences I’ve been to. I particularly like the multi-country focus, inclusion of academics
I’m so pleased that you are here flying the flag for SFSC/AFNs and not just following the productivisst model of food security. Great that you are working with Garden Organic too!
Great food - well done for walking the talk. Great mix of people - good for broad/deep conversations
What was the main thing you took away from the conference?
Important to reconnect the local with the global, keeping in mind that trust and transparency are essential.
Diversity of issues that emerged
Coventry University focus on Agroecology
Range of stakeholders and their key interests in working together Overview of the relevant discourse amongst researchers. Contacts to help me develop my project.
Overview of political landscape
Research reports, info on EU/EC priorities/ shared info on projects across Europe.
What should happen next? Here are your suggestions...
Look to build on collaborations as highlighted by VC. Copy of slides presented.
Discuss traditional and neo-traditional. Do more local research.
We need to look at citizenship, and food webs rather than food chains, and the role the internet and social media can play in facilitating this. I’d also love to see a summary of all the materials generated by the conference e.g. discussion notes, videos and speaker presentations. Need a broad-based food discussion forum
Another such conference in two years time. Review progress. A report (which I expect there will be?). Send report to policy makers, lobby for change
Policy out put. A vision document. Call for partnerships. Serious funding for key actors to work together.
Lobby public sector procurement, help business
Make a report of conference. Keep contact also to develop EU proposals
More workshops, conferences please. Community of practice - action-research community with growers, action-researchers and policy people - how to keep in touch? Online forum? Twitter?
Would like summary of discussions to be circulated to delegates. Collaborate to lobby better Government and EU having clarified our agreements.
Conference Feedback
■ Strongly agree ■ Agree ■ Neutral ■ Disagree ■ Strongly disagree ■ Strongly agree ■ Agree ■ Neutral ■ Disagree ■ Strongly disagree ■ Strongly agree ■ Agree ■ Neutral ■ Disagree ■ Strongly disagree ■ Strongly agree ■ Agree ■ Neutral ■ Disagree ■ Strongly disagreeFor more information, please contact:
Centre for Agroecology and Food Security, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
Direct line:
+44 (0) 24 7765 9079 Email: cafs@coventry.ac.uk
12303-13 © Coventry University. All rights reserved.
The Centre for Agroecology and Food Security (CAFS) is driven by the challenge of how to build resilient food systems worldwide. One of several Grand Challenge Initiatives of Coventry University, it partners with Garden Organic to provide over fifty years of combined experience in UK and international applied research and development on sustainable farming and food systems. The Centre also offers education and training at postgraduate and professional development levels, and consulting services to the public and private sector.
The Centre’s four overarching themes reflect the contemporary issues that lead to solving the challenge of building resilient food systems. These are:
Food and Communities: this theme is about the relationship between
people and food. What does food mean to people and how can people organize themselves collectively in order to develop more sustainable food systems?
Agroecological Technologies: this theme examines the technologies
that sustain yields, whilst ensuring that nutritional security and ecosystems health are maintained and improved.
Stabilisation Agriculture: building the ecological and social resilience of
agriculture to withstand and respond to natural and man-made disasters.
Policies and Institutions for Food Security: this theme focuses on
how, and under what conditions, citizens can encourage the development of policies and institutions for agroecology and food security.
Our interdisciplinary team has a proven track record in the UK, Europe, Africa, South America and Asia. This expertise covers agricultural and horticultural production, soil fertility and conservation, pest and disease management, plant genetic resources, participatory plant breeding, local, national and international marketing and trade including certified organic, Fair Trade and regional speciality foods, consumer behaviour patterns, local food systems, disaster management and stressed environments, human health, nutrition and HIV/AIDs, rangeland and environmental management, climate change mitigation, rainwater harvesting and dryland systems, agricultural extension education, agroforestry, permaculture, food security, participatory methodologies, monitoring and evaluation, and training and capacity building of agricultural professionals worldwide.
For more information, please contact:
Centre for Agroecology and Food Security, Coventry University, Priory Street,
Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
Direct line: +44 (0) 24 7765 9079 Email: cafs@coventry.ac.uk
