Alternative Food Networks (AFN); food governance; Local Food Systems (LFS); reflexive localism; Short Food Supply Chains (SFSC); social learning and resilience; Civic Food Networks (CFN); Values-based Territorial Food Networks (VTFN)
Abstract :
[en] The special issue titled ‘Values-based Territorial Food Networks – Benefits, challenges and controversies’ and this introductory editorial aim to bridge conceptual and disciplinary differences within the literature on alternative agro-food networks and related concepts. In the editorial we outline a new umbrella term, Values-based Territorial Food Networks (VTFNs), which synthesises
the key commonalities that characterise alternatives to the mainstream food system. VTFNs are defined as networks that connect agro-food and related stakeholders within a defined territory that operate according to a coherent set of ethical values centred on social justice and wellbeing, environmental integrity, participatory governance and economic fairness. We discuss how VTFNs
relate to earlier concepts, showing the evolution from ‘alternative’ to ‘values based’, from ‘local’ to ‘territorial’ and from ‘supply chains’ to ‘networks’. The editorial also gives an overview of the empirical case studies in the special issue, which explore 10 place-based food initiatives (from Austria, France, Greece, Germany,The Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Hungary, Australia, Brazil and Japan) and address benefits, challenges, social learning and controversies associated with VTFNs. The cases are grouped into three thematic areas. ‘Social learning and resilience’ focuses on collaboration through diverse partnerships as a necessary condition for social innovation and for understanding new
socio-technical practices. ‘Agency, negotiations and food governance’ explores the socioeconomic struggles, interrelations and negotiated values associated with VTFNs. ‘Sociocultural environments, social capital and reflexive localism’ discusses the interplay between the economic
and sociocultural dimensions related to VTFNs. The transversality of VTFN allows us to think about these dimensions from a systemic perspective, thus advancing debates on the diverse sites and modes of agro-food sustainability.
Research center :
https://food.uni.lu
Disciplines :
Sociology & social sciences Arts & humanities: Multidisciplinary, general & others
Author, co-author :
Nemes, Gusztav; 1Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies (KRTK-ELKH), Budapest, Hungary
Reckinger, Rachel ; University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences (FHSE) > Department of Humanities (DHUM)
Lajos, Veronika; 3Department of Cultural and Visual Anthropology, University of Miskolc, Miskolc, Hungary
Zollet, Simona; 4Department of Academia-Government-Industry Collaboration, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan
External co-authors :
yes
Language :
English
Title :
Editorial: ‘Values-based Territorial Food Networks’ — Benefits, challenges and controversies (editorial of the special issue)
Publication date :
January 2023
Journal title :
Sociologia Ruralis
ISSN :
0038-0199
eISSN :
1467-9523
Publisher :
Wiley, Oxford, United Kingdom
Special issue title :
‘Values-based Territorial Food Networks' – Benefits, challenges and controversies
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