Sustainability in Agriculture and Local Food Systems: A Solution to a Global Crisis

Abstract

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations defines a food system as the entire range of stakeholders and their interlinked valueadding activities involved in the production, distribution and aggregation, processing, marketing, consumption and waste management of food products that originate from agriculture, forestry, and parts of the broader economic, societal and natural environments in which they are embedded (Take and Systems 2015). To be considered sustainable, a food system must deliver food security and nutrition for all in such a way that the economic, social, and environmental bases to generate food security and nutrition for future generations are not compromised (Bassarab et al. 2019; FAO 2017; FAO et al. 2018). A sustainable food system lies at the heart of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Developing a community-based local food system in Will County, Illinois: insights from stakeholders' viewpoints

“…Although the presentation facilitated sharing the stakeholders' vision about Will County's local and community-based food system, many participants pointed out that enacting a profound transformation will require local government to see itself as an agent of radical social and political change, rather than constrained to land-use regulation and program implementation at the county level. This is challenging because, despite the rising political discourse on food issues at the national level in the United States (DePhelps et al, 2019;Hilchey et al, 2006;Gibbons et al, 2020;Low et al, 2015;Martinez, 2016;Okrent et al, 2018), the ongoing food strategy processes at the county level have only recently entered the public debate.…”

“…As it may be observed in the United States, stakeholder assessments help frame winning coalitions that address local, regional, and state food systems priorities through structures, such as food policy councils (FPCs) (Gibbons et al, 2020). These councils reflect the significant role of partnerships and collaborations by backing initiatives for local food processes supported by grassroots efforts, commercial actors in the food chains, and local or state governments (Koski et al, 2016).…”

Evaluation of horticultural practices for tropical squash production and marketing among smallholder youth farmers in Kamuli, Uganda

“…Crop diversity and conservation agriculture using crop management practices like intercropping, mulching and reduced tillage, and improved cultivars have been recommended to improve the productivity, food availability, and resilience to climate change in rural communities of Uganda (CIAT, 2017). Use of improved horticultural management practices and improved seed cultivars has been reported to successfully improve agricultural productivity while reducing food insecurity and poverty (Gibbons et al, 2020;Todaro and Smith, 2015).…”