The need for policy to address the food system lock-in: A case study of the Finnish context

Kuokkanen, Anna; Mikkilä, Mirja; Kuisma, Miia; Kahiluoto, Helena; Linnanen, Lassi

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.06.171

Cited by 61 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…The perspectives used in the reviewed papers can be related to the four dimensions of food security: availability, access, use and stability. In general, it is assumed that sustainability transitions in agri-food systems affect, either negatively or positively, food availability/supply [188,[220][221][222][223][224][225], food affordability/economic accessibility [201,222], food utilization [220,221,226,227], and/or agri-food system stability and resilience [175]. The debate on the connection between food security (as well as nutrition) and agri-food system sustainability often means scrutinizing the role played by innovation and/or emerging alternative, niche paradigms and models of agriculture and food systems, such as agroecology [225] or aquaponics [228][229][230][231].…”

Section: Characterization Of Agri-food Sustainability Transitions Resmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, El Bilali [219] points out that the three perspectives of Garnett [16] are often used in the same paper, thus far from being mutually exclusive. Indeed, many scholars [222,295] highlight that it is essential to link consumption and production, and put forward that only an interactive, balanced relation between consumers and producers can foster agri-food sustainability transitions. Thus, they highpoint, at least tacitly, that it is important to adopt a 'food system' approach [175,220,222,259,296,297] when tackling issues such as food and nutrition security, and sustainability.…”

Section: Pathways To Sustainability In Agriculture and Food Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Indeed, firms and businesses can use their assets and resources (e.g., financial capital, market contacts and relations, human capital, production units) to hinder change. Referring to the food arena in Finland, Kuokkanen et al [222] put that "the current food system is locked-in by three increasing returns processes that all reinforce each other. These processes occur in production, in agro-food policy and in the food supply chain" (p. 937) so that a genuine agri-food transition "implies changes in the inputs and farming practices used at farm level and regional levels, changes in the supply chain structures, and changes in the political and market institutions" (p. 938).…”

Section: Markets In the Literature On Agri-food Sustainability Transimentioning

confidence: 99%

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Agri-Food Markets towards Sustainable Patterns

2020

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In recent decades, the confluence of different global and domestic drivers has led to progressive and unpredictable changes in the functioning and structure of agri-food markets worldwide. Given the unsustainability of the current agri-food production, processing, distribution and consumption patterns, and the inadequate governance of the whole food system, the transition to sustainable agriculture and food systems has become crucial to effectively manage a global agri-food market able in supporting expected population growth and ensuring universal access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food for all. Based on a critical review of the existing international literature, the paper seeks to understand the evolutionary paths of sustainability issues within agri-food markets by analyzing their drivers and trends. An extensive analysis was conducted highlighting the development and importance of the body of knowledge on the most important sustainability transition frameworks, focusing mainly on the relationship between markets, trade, food and nutrition security, and other emerging issues within agri-food markets. Finally, the study makes suggestions to extend the research in order to improve basic knowledge and to identify opportunities to design meaningful actions that can shape agri-food markets and foster their transition to sustainability.

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Section: Characterization Of Agri-food Sustainability Transitions Resmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Pathways To Sustainability In Agriculture and Food Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Markets In the Literature On Agri-food Sustainability Transimentioning

confidence: 99%

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Agri-Food Markets towards Sustainable Patterns

2020

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“…See headed sections below for mechanism descriptions. Environment Agency, 2016; IPES-Food, 2016; Kuokkanen et al, 2017). Such fragmentation is hindering the development of co-ordinated solutions.…”

Section: Unlocking Undesirable Resilience To Achieve Food System Tranmentioning

confidence: 99%

Overcoming undesirable resilience in the global food system

et al. 2018

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Non-technical summaryOur current global food system – from food production to consumption, including manufacture, packaging, transport, retail and associated businesses – is responsible for extensive negative social and environmental impacts which threaten the long-term well-being of society. This has led to increasing calls from science–policy organizations for major reform and transformation of the global food system. However, our knowledge regarding food system transformations is fragmented and this is hindering the development of co-ordinated solutions. Here, we collate recent research across several academic disciplines and sectors in order to better understand the mechanisms that ‘lock-in’ food systems in unsustainable states.

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“…Following an initial paper from Cowan and Gunby [21], many researchers have applied this set of ideas in empirical studies demonstrating the locked-in nature of agricultural sociotechnical systems. For example, supply chain organization, genetic selection, research and public support policies act in a convergent way and create an unfavorable context for the adoption of fungicide-resistant wheat varieties [22] or the reduction in the use of chemical fertilizers [23]. Production standards [24][25][26][27] orient pathways of production and consumption.…”

Section: Changes In Trajectories May Face a Logic Of Inertia Inherentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lock-Ins and Agency: Towards an Embedded Approach of Individual Pathways in the Walloon Dairy Sector

2019

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As the 2009 dairy crisis drew attention to the situation of dairy farmers in Europe, the extent of strategical power left to farmers in dairy cooperatives of increasing size is a frequently raised issue. Four dairy cooperatives collect 97% of the milk in the Walloon Region (in the southern part of Belgium). Two of them integrated agro-food multinationals. We decided to analyze the trajectories of Walloon dairy farmers exploring alternatives to the delivery of milk to these mainstream dairy cooperatives. We focused on the territories situated to the east of the Walloon Region, where dairy farming represents 75% of farming revenues. Alternatives consist either of processing milk on farm or in concluding a contract with a cheese processor collecting milk directly from farmers. Our objective was to understand the issues faced in these alternative trajectories and the reason why these alternatives remained marginal. We designed a qualitative case study based on interviews with farmers and local cheese processors. We mobilized evolutionary approaches on the stability and transitions of systems and approaches of change at the farmer level. It appears that the alternative trajectories remain embedded in a broader dairy context. The lock-ins emerging from this context determine the evolution of the farming model towards intensification and the individual identity and capabilities of farmers. We present a model of interconnected and embedded lock-ins, from the organizational frame of the regime to the individual frame. This model illustrates how the agency articulates with structural dynamics. We propose structural measures in the organization of agricultural education and in terms of support to alternative supply chains that will enhance agency in favor of a change.

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The need for policy to address the food system lock-in: A case study of the Finnish context

Cited by 61 publications

References 45 publications

Agri-Food Markets towards Sustainable Patterns

Agri-Food Markets towards Sustainable Patterns

Overcoming undesirable resilience in the global food system

Lock-Ins and Agency: Towards an Embedded Approach of Individual Pathways in the Walloon Dairy Sector

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