Are local food systems more sustainable?

Gianluca Brunori

This research was funded under the GLAMUR project (Global and Local food chain Assessment: a Multidimensional performance-based approach—http://www.glamur.eu/) as part of the EU 7th Framework Programme (Grant Agreement

No.: 311778).

Multidimensionality of sustainability

Economic Social Environmntal Health

1. Affordability2. Creation and

distribution of added value

3. Economicdevelopment

4. Efficiency5. Profitability6. Resilience

7. Food security8. Consumer behaviour9. Territoriality10. Connection11. Labour relations

12. Resource use13. Pollution14. Biodiversity15. Technologicalinnovation16. Food waste

17. Nutrition18. Food safety19. Traceability

20. Animal welfare 21. Responsibility 22. Fair trade 23. Information and communication 24. Governance

Ethical

What have we learnt?

1. Local is a slippery conceptGlobal :

Feed proteins / global

restaurants

Continental:

Cereals, Retailing

Local:

Milk production

Milk processing

Gruyere cheese

2. Local and global are not separated entities

Attributes

Creation and distrib added value (ADD)

Affordability (AFF)

Biodiversity (BIOD)

Contribution to ec develop (ECON)

Efficiency and Resource Use (EFF)

Pollution (POLL)

Resilience (RESI)

Food safety (SAFE)

Governance (GOV)

Labour relations (LABOUR)

Information and Communication (I&C)

Technological innovation (TI)

Nutrition (NUTR)

Animal welfare (AW)

Territoriality (TERR)

3. Local is not sustainable per se

4. Assessment is a key to sustainability, but science-based assessment is not

enough

• Does not capture multidimensionality

• Does not take into account multiple valuesand multiple interests

• Does not engage people at all levels

What will be the role of local food in food policies?

Scenario 1:Business as usual

• Adjustment of existing regulations• Embodiment of the local into corporate strategies

Scenario 2:Sustainability shapes the food system

• Reengineering food governance• Reengineering skills and data

governance

Market

Civilsociety

State

Scenario 3:Free trade and affordability discourses

prevail

Local food as basis for food movements and niches

Thank you!