Localizing Global Food

Localizing Global Food
Author: Agni Kalfagianni
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 303
Release: 2018-11-05
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0429830211

Short food supply chains (SFSCs) rely primarily on local production and processing practices for the provision of food and are, in principle, more sustainable in social, economic and environmental terms than supply chains where production and consumption are widely separated. This book reviews and assesses recent initiatives on this topic from an interdisciplinary perspective. In theoretical terms it draws on and advances two key concepts, namely, place (particularly embeddedness in local economic networks and communities) and governance (particularly in addressing sustainability concerns in an inclusive and socially just manner). Empirically, the book examines a diverse set of SFSCs such as small-scale entrepreneurship, farmers’ markets, community supported agriculture and grassroots and solidarity networks. The main examples discussed are from Europe and North America, but the issues are applicable in a global context. The book is of interest to advanced students, researchers and professionals in food studies, sociology, geography, planning, politics and environmental studies.

This Organic Life

This Organic Life
Author: Joan Dye Gussow
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing
Total Pages: 290
Release: 2001
Genre: Gardening
ISBN: 1931498245

In this bestselling combination memoir, polemic, and gardening manual, Gussow discusses the joys and challenges of growing organic produce in her own New York garden. This work offers encouragement to urban and suburban gardeners who want to grow at least some of their own produce. 30 recipes.

A Small Farm Future

A Small Farm Future
Author: Chris Smaje
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing
Total Pages: 322
Release: 2020-10-22
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1603589031

A modern classic of the new agrarianism "Chris Smaje...shows that the choice is clear. Either we have a small farm future, or we face collapse and extinction."—Vandana Shiva "Every young person should read this book."—Richard Heinberg In a groundbreaking debut, farmer and social scientist Chris Smaje argues that organizing society around small-scale farming offers the soundest, sanest and most reasonable response to climate change and other crises of civilisation—and will yield humanity’s best chance at survival. Drawing on a vast range of sources from across a multitude of disciplines, A Small Farm Future analyses the complex forces that make societal change inevitable; explains how low-carbon, locally self-reliant agrarian communities can empower us to successfully confront these changes head on; and explores the pathways for delivering this vision politically. Challenging both conventional wisdom and utopian blueprints, A Small Farm Future offers rigorous original analysis of wicked problems and hidden opportunities in a way that illuminates the path toward functional local economies, effective self-provisioning, agricultural diversity and a shared earth. Perfect for readers of both Wendell Berry and Thomas Piketty, A Small Farm Future is a refreshing, new outlook on a way forward for society—and a vital resource for activists, students, policy makers, and anyone looking to enact change.

Localization

Localization
Author: Colin Hines
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 288
Release: 2013-10-11
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1134191057

Localization is a manifesto to unite all those who recognize the importance of cultural, social and ecological diversity for our future - and who do not aspire to a monolithic global consumer culture. It is a passionate and persuasive polemic, challenging the claims that we have to be 'internationally competitive' to survive and describing the destructive consequences of globalization. This book is unique in going beyond simply criticizing free trade and globalization trends. It details self-reinforcing policies to create local self-sufficiency and shows clearly that there is an alternative to globalization - to protect the local, globally.

Localization

Localization
Author: Colin Hines
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 305
Release: 2013-10-11
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1134190980

Localization is a manifesto to unite all those who recognize the importance of cultural, social and ecological diversity for our future - and who do not aspire to a monolithic global consumer culture. It is a passionate and persuasive polemic, challenging the claims that we have to be 'internationally competitive' to survive and describing the destructive consequences of globalization. This book is unique in going beyond simply criticizing free trade and globalization trends. It details self-reinforcing policies to create local self-sufficiency and shows clearly that there is an alternative to globalization - to protect the local, globally.

Eating Culture

Eating Culture
Author: Gillian Crowther
Publisher: University of Toronto Press
Total Pages: 393
Release: 2018-05-15
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1487593295

From ingredients and recipes to meals and menus across time and space, Eating Culture is a highly engaging overview that illustrates the important role that anthropology and anthropologists have played in understanding food, as well as the key role that food plays in the study of culture. The new edition, now with a full-color interior, introduces discussions about nomadism, commercializing food, food security, and ethical consumption, including treatment of animals and the long-term environmental and health consequences of meat consumption. "Grist to the Mill" sections at the end of each chapter provide further readings and "Food for Thought" case studies and exercises help to highlight anthropological methods and approaches. By considering the concept of cuisine and public discourse, this practical guide brings order and insight to our changing relationship with food.

Bringing the Food Economy Home

Bringing the Food Economy Home
Author: Helena Norberg-Hodge
Publisher: Zed Books
Total Pages: 164
Release: 2002-10
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9781842772331

Norberg-Hodge, Todd Merrifield, and Steven Gorelick of the International Society for Ecology and Culture discuss how a shift towards local food economies would protect and rebuild the agricultural diversity that has been lost in the current specialized, capital intensive, technology-based global environment. Coverage includes the history of this change in emphasis from local to global; the ecology of food marketing and production; food and health, the economy, and the community; food security; and changing direction. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Sustainability of European Food Quality Schemes

Sustainability of European Food Quality Schemes
Author: Filippo Arfini
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 559
Release: 2019-11-15
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 3030275086

This edited volume evaluates recent EU quality policy, focusing on the structure, governance, technical specifications and performances – economic, environmental and social – of Food Quality Schemes (FQS) in the European Union and South East Asia. The intended benefits of FQS include generating a fair return for farmers and producers, and enabling consumers to make better‐informed purchasing choices through effective labeling. In addition, policy makers now consider FQS as a means of guaranteeing not only quality in food production, but also sustainability. Despite these potential benefits, the economic performance of the FQS (e.g. PDO, PGI, organic) has been variable. While some support significant value‐added production, with substantial benefits to producers, consumers and wider economies, many others have failed to become economically sustainable. In addition, the environmental and social performance of FQS remains largely unexamined, with the exception of the environmental performance of organic products. The editors examine these discrepancies and offer a nuanced evaluation of the effectiveness of such policies. Several unique features make this volume a key resource for those interested in FQS and in the sustainability of food products. The editors provide a concise description of the value chain, the governance and the technical specifications of 27 FQS in Europe and South East Asia. The editors also provide a sustainability assessment of each of these FQS, and support or question the view that FQS are moving from “quality” to “sustainability.” Finally, the volume serves as a repository of key data on these FQS. Readers have access to the raw data necessary to compute the indicators used in the sustainability assessment (eg. value added, number of jobs, quantity of fertilizers, etc), allowing them to conduct novel re-analysis. The book is designed for an interdisciplinary audience of academics, policy makers, and stakeholders. The compilation of FQS case studies makes it a useful reference for researchers and students of food policy, geography, food anthropology, local and rural development, local agri-food systems and agri-food chains. Stakeholders such as national and European regulators, entities responsible for FQS technical specifications, and embassy staff will also find the information relevant. Additionally, individuals helping to implement food quality schemes, including auditors, producers, and consumer associates, as well as stakeholders in the sustainability of food products, including farmers, farmer's associations, and environmental NGOs, will also find the information relevant and important for their work.

Transitioning From Globalized to Localized and Self-Reliant Economies

Transitioning From Globalized to Localized and Self-Reliant Economies
Author: Gupta, Ruchika
Publisher: IGI Global
Total Pages: 256
Release: 2021-12-17
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1799887073

The outbreak of COVID-19 had a profound impact on global economic growth. Global trade has transformed drastically and will only continue to do so as countries vote on export and import decisions based on global competition. Many countries would be compelled to reconsider multi-country trade deals as internal interests will push and dictate them. More important than ever, it is imperative that self-reliant economies be investigated specifically in the post-COVID-19 era in order to understand the impacts made on international ties and trade agreements. Transitioning From Globalized to Localized and Self-Reliant Economies is a comprehensive reference source that looks at how economies are now moving towards becoming self-reliant, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Covering topics such as digitalization, technological innovation, and personal finance, this is a beneficial resource for economists, executives, managers, government officials, policymakers, entrepreneurs, IT departments, human resource managers, CEOs, students, researchers, and academicians.

The Localization Reader

The Localization Reader
Author: Raymond De Young
Publisher: MIT Press
Total Pages: 373
Release: 2012-02-10
Genre: Science
ISBN: 026251687X

Readings that point the way to a peaceful, democratic, and ecologically resilient transition to an era of localization, limits, and societal opportunities. Energy supplies are tightening. Persistent pollutants are accumulating. Food security is declining. There is no going back to the days of reckless consumption, but there is a possibility—already being realized in communities across North America and around the world—of localizing, of living well as we learn to live well within immutable constraints. This book maps the transition to a more localized world. Society is shifting from the centrifugal forces of globalization (cheap and abundant raw materials and energy, intensive commercialization, concentrated economic and political power) to the centripetal forces of localization: distributed authority and leadership, sustainable use of nearby natural resources, community self-reliance and cohesion (with crucial regional, national, and international dimensions). This collection, offering classic texts by such writers as Wendell Berry, M. King Hubbert, and Ernst F. Schumacher, as well as new work by authors including Karen Litfin and David Hess, shows how localization—a process of affirmative social change—can enable psychologically meaningful and fulfilling lives while promoting ecological and social sustainability. Topics range from energy dynamics to philosophies of limits, from the governance of place-based communities to the discovery of positive personal engagement. Together they point the way to a transition that can be peaceful, democratic, just, and environmentally resilient.