Values-based Territorial Food Networks'-Benefits, challenges and controversies

Bibliographic Data

ID4446797
AuthorsGusztáv Nemes (0000-0003-1461-4794, Institute of Economics Centre for Economic and Regional Studies (KRTK‐ELKH) Budapest Hungary, corresponding author), Rachel Reckinger (0000-0001-6760-1650, Department of Humanities, Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences University of Luxembourg Esch‐sur‐Alzette Luxembourg), Veronika Lajos (0000-0002-0767-8426, Department of Cultural and Visual Anthropology University of Miskolc Miskolc Hungary), Simona Zollet (0000-0002-9269-6804, Department of Academia‐Government‐Industry Collaboration Hiroshima University Higashi‐Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture Japan)
Year2023
Volume63
Issue1
Pages3-19
Publication date2023-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSociologia Ruralis (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0038-0199 • E-ISSN: 1467-9523
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/soru.12419
OpenAlexW4318310966
LanguageEN
Citations received15
References cited93

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 (see Reckinger 2022 for a more detailed analysis). 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

Agency (philosophy) · Agriculture · Corporate governance · Economics · Food security · Food systems · Geography · Political science · Public relations · Reflexivity · Social science · Sociocultural evolution · Sociology · Agriculture Sustainability and Environmental Impact · Food Waste Reduction and Sustainability · Organic Food and Agriculture

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