A Unique Perspective of Materials, Practices and Structures Within the Food, Energy and Water Nexus of Australian Urban Alternative Food Networks

Abstract

Established and emerging alternative food networks (AFNs) are providing developments to circular economy within the Australian urban food system. In identifying and evaluating areas of AFNs providing positive externalities contributing to circularity, this systematic review provided an engineering and management science perspective on AFNs. Key foci were urban agriculture, emergent technologies, community gardens and prosumer practices and how their use of food, energy and water affect sustainability, ecosystem services and cleaner production in the transition towards a circular economy. Analysis of how flows through the food-energy-water nexus were utilised from food production, consumption and distribution processes was one aspect of this review. Alternative food networks are not always inherently benign; however, efficient and informed use of technologies and best practices have the potential for significant reductions in the current environmental impact of urban agriculture, community gardens, farmers' markets and supply chain advocates. AFNs within the urban food system promote environmental benefits through innovative and diverse incorporation of resources, energy, technologies, practices and structural dependencies. This study reviewed the state-of-the-art of features of AFNs that create value both for the prosumer and for the environment. Concepts identified within this review can pioneer the transition of the food network from the current high-impact state into a low-impact future in a predominantly productivist system. In creating value in AFNs by lowering associated economic, energy, area and resource costs, and making AFN systems more resilient, self-sufficient and localised, a circular economy can be grown, even from one's very own backyard.

Modelling the Benefits and Impacts of Urban Agriculture: Employment, Economy of Scale and Carbon Dioxide Emissions

“…Moreover, past research showed the contribution of fuel emissions as only a relatively small fraction (7%) of total emission, with a much larger proportion of emissions generated from activities like energy use during irrigation, production and postharvest activities, pesticide and fertiliser use, further investigation is needed in the UA context to understand and quantify these emissions, particularly to determine if they are the same, higher or lower than large scale commercial agriculture per unit of produce. A study of the circular economy benefits of Alternative Food Networks (AFNs) in Australia showed the potential to reduce environmental problems [79]. The results of this study suggest that conventional approaches (e.g., distributing to centralised markets) may not deliver the intended outcomes, and future studies may include the impacts of such alternative movements (such as AFNs), which may create overall economic, environmental and social benefits from more localised distribution chains.…”

How Does the Concept of Guanxi-circle Contribute to Community Building in Alternative Food Networks? Six Case Studies from China

“…Alternative food networks (AFNs) have emerged in response to these glaring challenges. Activists have mapped out different ways of addressing these challenges by creating new spaces for the production, consumption and trading of food, whose alternative ethical features (e.g., organic, fair trade, local, quality, slow) distinguish them from conventional products [ 3 , 4 ]).…”