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Innovation in Territorial Food Systems: Collaboration is Key Professor Moya Kneafsey at the Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience discusses the importance of The COACH project, which aims to facilitate collaboration between farmers, consumers, local governments and other actors to ‘scale up’ short agri-food chains which rebalance farmers’ position, create win-wins for producers and consumers and drive innovation in territorial food systems. This is becoming increasingly necessary as the crisis in food systems is being intensified by global issues such as the war in Ukraine, hot on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, which are all affecting globalised food supply chains. Additionally, Europe’s energy price crisis will contribute to rising global food prices, as well as the damaging effects of climate change which are being felt by farmers all around the world. Looking at territorial food systems as an alternative to the globalised, energy-intensive food systems which have benefited from the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy for many years, these systems can operate at a scale at which it is possible to coordinate multiple actors in order to improve public health, regenerate environmental resources and deliver fair incomes for farmers and food workers as well as quality food for consumers.

Food justice represents an evolving framework that puts social justice at the center of debates on how to achieve sustainable food systems. Food justice has largely been examined in community-level projects and activism outside the UK. This paper uses food justice as a framework through which to analyze food policy discourse in the UK. Our analysis presents an approach to “reading for social justice” by using the twin pillars of “distributive” (how benefits and risks are shared) and “procedural” justice (who is included) as analytical lenses. We apply critical discourse analysis to 20 policy documents published since the 2016 “Brexit” referendum. Our analysis finds that elements of both distributive and procedural justice are present, but underdeveloped or ignored across the documents. The lack of direct attention to social justice issues in the papers was not for lack of actual social justice issues, which were implicit within the discourse. The post-Brexit discourse reproduced existing power imbalances and despite occurring at a juncture where the potential for change was high, marginalized and vulnerable voices remain underrepresented. In the context of post-Brexit Britain, as well as in any political context, we argue that if food policy-making and governance are to enable a more just and sustainable food system, a more systematic approach to incorporating social justice needs to be developed. To this end, we offer a five-part approach to “reading for social justice” when scrutinizing food and farming policy. See the press release for this article.

Food security is high on the global agenda. Two factors make it particularly pressing: the continuing rise in the global population, and the failure to adequately feed the current one. An area that has been the focus of much recent attention has been food waste; the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that as much as a third of all food is lost or wasted. This paper argues that by taking a food system approach that accounts for yields as well as loss and waste in distribution and consumption, we can compare the contribution of different food systems to food security. A novel concept of “net yield efficiency” (NYE) is introduced that accounts for this. We present an illustrative case study of the levels of fresh vegetable and salad waste in the supermarket-controlled food system compared with a commu­nity supported agriculture (CSA) scheme. This case study explores whether the CSA and its members are less wasteful than the supermarket system. The study found that when all stages of the food system were measured for waste, the CSA dramatically outperformed the supermarket system, wasting only 6.71% by weight compared to 40.7–47.7%. Even accounting for difficulties in estimating waste, the findings underline the differences between these systems. On this basis, the paper argues that the NYE measure provides a more accurate picture of food system performance than current measures, which tend to focus on yield alone. See the press release for this article.

The debate on urban resilience and metabolism has directed increasing attention to the ecological footprint of food consumption, self-sufficiency as a means of food security, and regionalisation of food systems for shortening supply chains. Recently, metropolitan regions have proposed food policies that aim to foster local food systems connected to their cities. Our research thus focused on the relationship between urban food demand and metropolitan land use. We have developed the Metropolitan Foodshed and Self-sufficiency Scenario (MFSS) model, which combines regional food consumption and agricultural production parameters in a data-driven approach to assess the spatial extent of foodsheds as well as the theoretical self-sufficiency of the communities they serve. The model differentiates between food groups, food production systems, levels of food loss and waste as well as food origin. With regard to future urban growth, we applied the model to current and future population projections. Results show substantial variations in the spatial extent of metropolitan foodsheds and self-sufficiency levels between the case study regions London, Berlin, Milan and Rotterdam, depending on population density and distribution, geographical factors and proximity to neighbouring urban agglomerations. The application of the model as a food planning tool offers a new perspective on the potential role of metropolitan regions for strengthening urban self-sufficiency. It also enables the ex-ante assessment of spatial consequences of changes within metropolitan food systems, on both demand and supply sides. In particular, we discuss possible dietary and consumption changes, but also production and supply chain alternatives.

Geographical Indications (GIs) are regarded as important endogenous rural development mechanisms by the European Union. GIs have proven successful for some producers in some regions, delivering higher added value and safeguarding a product’s identity and heritage through the notion of terroir. Within the context of a gradual “greening” of GIs, this paper opens up questions about what potential they might have for transitions to agroecology territories, which are spaces engaged in a transition process towards sustainable agri-food systems. Using the Food and Agricultural Organization’s 10 elements of agroecology as a lens, we discuss whether GIs can serve as levers in delivering sustainable agri-food transitions, drawing on the case of the devolved nation of Wales. We base our narrative on a content analysis of GI product specification documents and data from interviews with GI stakeholders. Our case study illustrates that the discourse within the regulatory framework of some Welsh GIs has shifted from one of technicality towards the integration of some agroecology elements in more recent GI product specifications. In this respect, we argue that there is evidence of a “first generation” and “second generation” assortment of GIs in Wales. However, any potential for levering an overall transition within this scheme towards an agroecology territory remains constrained by the piecemeal embedding of agroecology. The incorporation of agroecology is emerging primarily from the ground-up—driven by independent organizational and place-based collective action, but unaccompanied, as yet, by any parallel shift amongst supporting administrative and regulatory authorities. We also discuss the importance of reflexive governance if GIs are to be viable pathways for sustainability transitions. As such, the capacity for GIs to facilitate quality-led place-based food systems that enhance increasingly threatened environmental resources is contingent upon stakeholders adopting a territorial, reflexive governance approach.

Urban gardening is not a new phenomenon but it has received considerably more practical and academic interest in recent years. Studies on economic aspects such as crop yields, inputs and outputs of production, productivity, gross margins and the contribution to home economics are rare, especially in Europe. While urban gardening plays an important role in the Global South, its role in Western Europe for food productivity and home economics is currently under-researched. The aim of this study is to analyse European urban gardeners’ economic performance and self-sufficiency on a household level, as well as to reach a better understanding of their contribution to food self-provision and food security in the metropolitan areas. In a study carried out in 2014 with on-site personal and with online questionnaires participated 180 urban gardeners from three case study cities (Ljubljana, Milan, and London). Results from the economic analysis showed that although for most urban gardeners, profit is not their main motivation, the economic calculation shows that productivity in small urban plots can be comparable to market garden production. Urban gardeners are saving money, especially when, compared to retail prices for regular produce or organic produce, their input is included in the gross margin calculation. We conclude that, in the case-study cities, the self-provisional potential of urban gardeners’ households to adequately cover the annual vegetable need of five-a-day servings can be met under three conditions: (1) sufficient garden size; (2) increased area productivity, and (3) sufficient labour-hour inputs.

Greater London has a vibrant food scene comprising of many different types of urban and peri-urban ‘short food supply chains’ (SFSCs). This paper reports on exploratory research, which used examples of SFSCs from London to build a more detailed understanding of different types of urban SFSC and their relative performance compared to each other. To do this, we undertook a participatory sustainability impact assessment (SIA) in which local food system stakeholders were asked to rank the perceived impacts of five different urban and peri-urban SFSCs compared with the current ‘mainstream’ food supply system (defined as supermarkets retailing mass-produced, standardized food products). The SFSCs ranked were: (1) urban gardening (self-supply), (2) urban gardening (commercial), (3) community supported agriculture (CSA), (4) direct sale (on-farm) and (5) direct sale (off-farm). Results from the SIA showed that CSAs were regarded as delivering the highest overall social, economic and environmental benefits, followed by urban gardening (commercial), urban gardening (self-supply) and direct sales (off-farm). The lowest overall rating was for the supply chain direct sales (on-farm). All five SFSCs were ranked highest on the social aspects of sustainability. Following the participatory SIA of perceived sustainability, we next developed a questionnaire in order to test the feasibility of measuring the specific (rather than ‘perceived’) impacts of an urban SFSC. We applied the test at a community-led local food market in South London, where we conducted face-to-face interviews with all market stallholders (18 respondents) and a random sample of consumers (51 respondents). Results from the community-led market were similar to those acquired at the SIA workshop, with greater agreement about the social benefits of the market, compared with economic and environmental impacts. The results also suggest that producers underestimated consumers’ willingness to share the risks that the producers face and we identify this as an important aspect for future research. The paper concludes with reflections on the strengths and weaknesses of the SIA methodology.

This paper discusses the extent to which charity-led initiatives can contribute to capacity building for food justice in England. The paper draws on evaluations of two projects run by the charity Garden Organic: the Master Gardener Programme, operating a network of volunteers who mentor households, schools and community groups to support local food growing, and the Sowing New Seeds programme, which engages “Seed Stewards” to work with communities to encourage the growing and cooking of “exotic” crops. Based on qualitative data about peoples’ motivations for participation and the benefits that are experienced, we interpret these projects as examples of capacity building for food justice. We suggest that whilst currently depoliticised, the “quiet” process of reskilling and awareness raising that occurs through shared gardening projects could have transformative potential for people’s relationship with food. Finally, we use our findings to raise critical questions and propose future research about fo...

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the ability of the Chinese geographical indications (GI) system to offer extra guarantees on food safety.Design/methodology/approach– Based on a network approach, the research includes a literature review and takes a sample of GI products in Jiangxi Province as a means of exploring the ability of the GI system to enhance food safety in China.Findings– The safety level of Chinese GI food products is not automatically ensured by GI schemes alone. The Chinese Government appears to be using GI labels more as a promotional tool to enhance farmers’ incomes rather than as a means of reducing safety concerns and is thus missing an opportunity to enhance food safety in tandem with adding value.Originality/value– This research is of academic value and of value to policy makers. The results suggest an urgent need to encourage producers to attend GI management programmes, to generate appropriate GI standards, to be actively involved in GI issuing processes, and thus to provide “safe” GI products. Meanwhile, with weak government enforcement, there is also a need to build an effective food safety regulatory system to ensure food safety and protect consumers’ rights.

Contents: Geographies of rural cultures and societies: introduction, Lewis Holloway and Moya Kneafsey. Part I: Thinking Ruralities: Obese and pornographic ruralities: further cultural twists for rural geography?, Martin Phillips Spatial stories: preliminary notes on the idea of narrative style in rural studies, Rob Fish (Re)positioning power in rural studies: from organic community to political society, Graham Gardner Constructing multiple ruralities: practices and values of rural dwellers, Hanne Kirstine Adriansen and Lene MA,ller Madsen. Part II: Rural Societies: Inclusions and Exclusions: Politics and protest in the contemporary countryside, Michael Woods Geographies of invisibility: the 'hidden' lives of rural lone parents, Annie Hughes Constable countryside? police perspectives on rural Britain, Richard Yarwood and Caroline Cozens. Part III: Community and Governance: Mobilizing the local: community, participation and governance, Bill Edwards and Michael Woods A sense of place: rural development, tourism and place promotion in the Republic of Ireland, David Storey 'Community'-based strategies for environmental protection in rural areas: towards a new form of participatory rural governance?, Susanne Seymour. Part IV: Cultures of Farming and Food: Lost words, lost worlds? Cultural geographies of agriculture, Carol Morris Producing-consuming food: closeness, connectedness and rurality in four 'alternative' food networks, Lewis Holloway and Moya Kneafsey Winners and losers? rural restructuring, economic status and masculine identities among young farmers in South-West Ireland, CaitrA-ona NA- Laoire Index.

In this chapter, the authors explore some key ideas and relationships associated with what they categorize as 'alternative' food production-consumption networks. They outline some key currents of debate surrounding contemporary agro-food networks. The authors utilize various case studies to take different perspectives on the key issues of closeness and connectedness in particular forms of alternative food production-consumption networks. The 'turn' to quality is associated with the proliferation of 'alternative' food networks operating at the margins of mainstream industrial food production. Farmers' Markets (FM) have become something of a cause celebre in the UK and USA, seen as a potential solution to the problems of economic marginality faced by small-scale food producers, and means of generating local food economies and cultures. However, FM can be understood as part of a more radical agenda for the reshaping of rural space, involving the transformation of food supply systems on the basis of small-scale farming, ecological sustainability, local production-consumption, etc.

The unglamorous leek is an everyday foodstuff in a British supermarket, but its meaning is constructed through the interplay of a range of non-human materialities including the plant, its packaging and its information dense labels. This chapter examines the variations in the ways in which leeks are marketed in different supermarkets, with a particular focus on how they can be traced back to their roots in British fields. We examine the ways in which non-human and virtual entities ‘bring to life’ the human producers of the leeks in a bid to mimic the reconnection that is sought through local food systems. We use the example of the leeks to explore what is happening to food supply chains, urban-rural connections and rural representations as farmers and retailers build new modes of working and as social media tools open up virtual access to the people growing our food.

Food quality problems have frequently been in the news in China leading to growing concerns amongst consumers. Within this context, Geographical Indications (GIs), as an indicator of quality, are becoming increasingly important in the Chinese agrifood market. However, in the face of a number of GI agrifood scandals reported in the last decade, the effectiveness of contemporary Chinese GI schemes in terms of enhancing agrifood quality is becoming questionable. To discover the underlying reasons for this, the paper first provides an overview of Chinese GI schemes and conceptualises ‘agrifood quality’ using ideas drawn from socio-economic theory and network approaches, with a particular focus on the role of power relationships. It then applies the conceptual framework to case studies examining quality forming processes in three GI networks in Jiangxi Province. The research indicates that the development of Chinese GI networks is driven primarily by the government's intention to increase farmers' and rural incomes, and that the GI schemes examined in this study are characterised by low or basic standards, inappropriate GI issuing procedures and weak government quality inspection programmes. Therefore, the overall conclusion is that the quality of Chinese agrifood products may not be enhanced by GI schemes as currently implemented.

Provoked by concerns about climate change, resource depletion and economic recession, the concept of food security has experienced a renaissance in international policy and research agendas. Despite this interest, the problem of food insecurity in wealthy countries has still not received enough attention. We argue that it is worthy of research and policy focus, because by examining the experiences and perceptions of food security amongst the 'global rich', we can develop more critical understandings of the implications of neoliberal constructions of the consumer as a driving force in moves towards more secure food systems. The paper draws on empirical data from shoppers in the United Kingdom to make three key arguments. First, it is important to retain the issue of economic access to food at the heart of discussions of food security, so that the concept is not reduced to the problem of how to increase agricultural productivity. Second, it is necessary to recognize the importance of food quality to consumer perceptions of household food security. Third, consumers do not necessarily share the neoliberal view that consumer choice is the engine for sustainability and food security. On the contrary, consumers in our research were well aware that food prices and the choices made available are shaped by forces beyond the control of individual shoppers. Overall, they expressed uncertainty about what food security means, about the causes of problems in the food system and about who should be responsible for ensuring access to affordable food for healthy living, for all.

Book synopsis: Reconnecting so-called alternative food geographies back to the mainstream food system - especially in light of the discursive and material 'transgressions' currently happening between alternative and conventional food networks, this volume critically interrogates and evaluates what stands for 'food politics' in these spaces of transgression now and in the near future and addresses questions such as:\ud \ud What constitutes 'alternative' food politics specifically and food politics more generally when organic and other 'quality' foods have become mainstreamed?\ud \ud What has been the contribution so far of an 'alternative food movement' and its potential to leverage further progressive change and/or make further inroads into conventional systems?\ud \ud What are the empirical and theoretical bases for understanding the established and growing 'transgressions' between conventional and alternative food networks? \ud \ud Offering a better understanding of the evolving position of the corporate food system vis a vis alternative food networks, this book considers the prospects for economic, social, cultural and material transformations led by an increasingly powerful and legitimated alternative food network.

Urban cultural heritage festivals have a long tradition of contributing to the cultural and economic development of towns and cities around the world. Moreover, the increasing role of culture in city making has rendered them spaces of consumption, entertainment, pleasure, and festivity. Large European events such as London’s Notting Hill Carnival, Berlin’s Carnival of Cultures, and the Rotterdam Summer Carnival attract huge global audiences. Despite being mass gatherings where representations can be extreme, virtual, and somewhat fleeting, the intensity and intimacy of social interactions generated at festivals can induce a sense of belonging. Festivals are thus sites where community values, identity and cultural continuity are performed. In this sense, they are connected to cultures and to places, can help bind people to their communities, foster and reinforce group identity, and are central to the transmission of tradition. The ephemerality of festivals, as well as the inconvenience, expense, and gentrification-effects to which such large scale events can contribute, has led to questions about their ability to sustain community cohesion and socio-economic wellbeing. Drawing on the example of London’s Notting Hill Carnival, this chapter explores the extent to which urban cultural heritage festivals can be regarded as catalysts in the promotion of community cohesion. Findings from this exploratory study suggest that the event promotes a sense of belonging and cohesion in an urban space, particularly amongst younger age groups in the community, as well as festivalgoers more generally.

Dirt - and our rituals to eradicate it - is as much a part of our everyday lives as eating, breathing and sleeping. Yet this very fact means that we seldom stop to question what we mean by dirt. What do our attitudes to dirt and cleanliness tell us about ourselves and the societies we live in? Exploring a wide variety of settings - domestic, urban, suburban and rural - the contributors expose how our ideas about dirt are intimately bound up with issues of race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality and the body. The result is a a rich and challenging work that extends our understanding of historical and contemporary cultural manifestations of dirt and cleanliness.

'Food security' has recently gained policy salience in the UK and internationally. Definitions\ud vary, but the term is generally used by policy makers to imply sustained access by all\ud consumers to sufficient food that is affordable, safe, nutritious and appropriate for an active\ud and healthy life. Recent attention partly reflects anxiety over possible resource and\ud environmental instabilities within the food system and the effects of economic recession. Food prices are often used to signal potential food insecurity; prices have risen recently in\ud Britain as elsewhere, along with increased fuel costs and significant financial and job\ud insecurities. All of these factors are likely to have differential effects on food management in\ud households living in different social and economic circumstances. Recent research using a\ud mixed methods approach explored some of these complexities by engaging with UK\ud consumers to examine people's reactions to increasing food prices, and their views on\ud responsibility for 'food security'. Well aware of increased food costs, most could identify\ud key commodities, and many cited increased oil and input prices as causes; some made links\ud to the larger financial crisis. Few knew the term 'food security'; though most initially\ud interpreted it as food safety and quality, the idea that affordable, healthy food should be\ud available and accessible for all was widely recognised. Many saw this as increasingly\ud difficult for themselves and others in current circumstances and, while acknowledging\ud commercial realities, look to government primarily to secure nutrition and food security for\ud all.

There has been an explosion of interest in 're-localized' and 're-connected' modes of food provision, which could provide solutions to the socio-economic and environmental problems associated with food production and consumption. Within this context, this paper aims to critically review the significance of the 'region' for debates about future food systems. It identifies three cross-cutting impulses towards the (re)-regionalization of food: re-scaling, re-spacing and re-connection, but stresses that the ways these are played out is contingent on the interplay of diverse social, political and bio-physical processes. The paper concludes by proposing several further research agendas to develop a more rigorous understanding of the potential for regional food networks to address growing demands for the sustainable and fair provision of food. Copyright 2010, Oxford University Press.

Direct marketing strategies of different kinds are often central to so-called “alternative food networks”, which tend to be underpinned by a central principle of somehow “reconnecting” food producers and consumers. This paper uses a case study of a community-supported agriculture project in Scotland to examine the motivations behind producers' and consumers' participation in such schemes. It shows the range of motivations and philosophies that consumers bring to the scheme and reflects on how these work with the more limited stated aims of the scheme organisers. It argues that communication within direct marketing schemes can be important for two reasons. First effective communication between producers and consumers can underpin the kind of understanding that leads to long-term commitment and tolerance amongst consumers. Second, communication between consumers can spur them to consider their wider behaviour and practices, perhaps leading to more radical changes to production–consumption relations...

This paper investigates the perceptions of tourists and gatekeepers (such as tour operators and destination marketing organizations) on integrated rural tourism (IRT), noting their role in consuming and marketing the more recently acknowledged qualities of rurality, such as food processing, creativity and the arts, heritage and outdoor recreation. The focus is on the potential for IRT development in the England–Wales border region, an atypical tourist destination, peripheral in character and lacking a consolidated tradition of well-established destinations. Results from tourist questionnaires suggest that their overall experience in the region is positive, but one that can improve further with progress on the key dimensions of IRT. Findings also indicate that, while the national border presents a unique opportunity for cooperative branding and marketing efforts, only a few gatekeepers are capitalizing on the brand of the ‘Marches’ (the border) to promote the market and visual presence of the regi...

This paper focuses on a case study of an ‘alternative’ food network based in the Abruzzo National Park, Italy, to explore how ideas of sustainable farmland management can be expressed through broader understandings of developing networks of care concerned with local economies and societies, high-quality specialist food products, particular ‘traditional’ farming practices and livestock breeds, as well as the ecology of a farmed landscape. The scheme allows customers, internationally as well as in Italy, to ‘adopt’ a milking sheep on a large mountain farm. In return, adopters are sent food products from the farm. The adoption scheme is inter-twined with an agri-tourism project which provides accommodation, runs a restaurant and engages in educational activities. The scheme is the result of the individual initiative of its founder, and is associated with a strongly expressed ethical position concerning the value of sustaining valued local rural landscapes and lifestyles, and the importance of ‘reconnecting’ urban dwellers with rural areas, farming and ‘quality’ food production. Yet the localness of the scheme is sustained through wider national and international networks: volunteer and paid workers are drawn from several European countries, funding has been acquired from the EU LEADER programme, and internet and transport technologies are essential in connecting with and supplying an international customer base. The broader economy of care instanced in this case study draws attention to a need to develop strategies for sustainable farmland management constructed around wider programmes of social, economic and cultural, as well as environmental, concern.

Recent European literature on 'alternative' food networks (AFNs) draws heavily upon an apparently accessible and diverse body of non-conventional food networks in the agro-food sector and whilst researchers frequently refer to individual examples of farmers markets, box schemes, producer cooperatives and community-supported agriculture projects, less attention is given to the methodological processes that facilitate the identification and examination of these networks. From the preliminary stages of a research project focusing on examples of AFNs,(2) this paper examines the process of operationalizing AFNs research and reviews the difficulties associated with identifying, comparing and characterizing AFNs.\ud

Ricketts Hein J., Ilbery B. and Kneafsey M. (2006) Distribution of local food activity in England and Wales: an Index of Food Relocalization, Regional Studies 40, 289–301. Despite much interest in the relocalization of the food supply chain in England and Wales, it is unclear whether local food systems are more developed in some areas than others. The aim is to identify current areas of local food activity in England and Wales through the application of an Index of Food Relocalization. The Index is developed by using indicators related to the production and marketing of local food products and results suggest a complex geography associated with such activities. Ricketts Hein J., Ilbery B. et Kneafsey M. (2006) La distribution de la production alimentaire locale en Angleterre et au Pays de Galles: une indice de la relocalisation alimentaire, Regional Studies 40, 289–301. Malgre un vif interet pour la relocalisation de la chaine alimentaire en Angeterre et au Pays de Galles, il n'est pas tout a fait evident...

The village pub has traditionally held an important ‘place’ in British economy and society and as such is an interesting site for social and cultural analysis. At one level, it is a site with pronounced mythic qualities. Yet on another level, the place of the village pub is highly unstable and contested, with many reportedly facing closure. Adopting an avowedly ‘production-centred’ approach, this paper presents exploratory survey findings from two case study villages in south Northamptonshire. This includes an examination of each pub's input supply network, including links with brewers and other suppliers. The paper attempts to move beyond viewing the village pub simply as a declining rural service and focuses in particular on the ways in which pubs commodify ‘local culture’ as an economic resource. It concludes by introducing the concept of ‘cultural terrain’ and its application to the study of village pubs and rural services more generally. Changement de decor: examiner le champ culturel des pubs de vil...

Considerable academic interest now revolves around the recomposition of specific (or ‘alternative’) food chains based on notions of quality, territory and social embeddedness.A key to such recomposition is the marketing of ‘difference’ through a range of accreditation and labelling schemes. Using examples from Europe and North America, this paper examines how ‘difference’ is constructed by producers and other actors in the food supply chain by combining the attributes of ‘product, process and place’ (PPP) in a range of marketing and labelling schemes. Results indicate that it is possible to identify ‘critical’ and ‘territorial development’ rationales that influence the ways in which the three Ps are combined. An examination of the rationales and practices sustaining such labelling schemes provides insights into some of the opportunities and threats shaping the emergence of new geographies of food production and consumption in Europe and North America.

Endemic problems in EU ‘lagging rural regions’ (LRRs) are well documented and various support mechanisms have long been in place to help overcome structural difficulties. Nevertheless, new rural development architectures are now being sought and some scholars have posited that LRRs may benefit from the ‘quality (re)turn’ in food and a relative shift from long to short food supply chains. The ways in which this ‘new agriculture’ relates to rural development in lagging regions sound fine in theory. However, in practice it is far from clear what will actually happen, where and how. This paper attempts to answer some of these questions and, using a Delphi technique, to forecast those factors likely to influence supply chain development and performance in two LRRs in the UK: West Wales and the Scottish–English Borders. The findings suggest that while most experts willingly accept the socio-economic values that can be gained by localising, shortening and synergising the food chain in LRRs, there are also important barriers that question the emergence of such an agrarian based rural development dynamic. These include the small number and size of ‘alternative’ producers in both locales, with most still locked into industrial forms of production; the restrictive influence of bureaucracy; the shortfall of key intermediaries in both regions’ food chains; and the poor provision of key physical infrastructures (e.g. roads, railway and telecommunications). The Delphi method also reveals how expert opinions about rural development in LRRs are contingent and contested, with contradictions emerging within, as well as between, rounds.

This paper focuses on the spaces and social relations of food consumption in order to examine how Irish migrants to Coventry, a city in the English West Midlands, form a sense of identity. On the basis of in depth interviews with first generation migrants, it is argued that food consumption practices are linked to Irish identity in three ways. First, migrants in Coventry were often part of extended family networks that exchanged foods between Britain and Ireland. Second, knowledge about foods and‐cooking was gained by many of the interviewees in Ireland, making them familiar and comfortable with specific local foods. Last, and related to this, certain foodstuffs were sought out by interviewees because they were Irish and remembered from ‘home’. Specific gender relations pervaded food consumption practices and it was found that women, through their involvement in food purchase and preparation, were key actors in constructing an often ambiguous sense of Irishness in Britain.

El enfoque de la investigación sobre la sostenibilidad del turismo rural comunitario en Jamaica a menudo gravita hacia los componentes económicos, ambientales, políticos y de gestión. Este estudio etnográ- fico explora cómo dos grupos distintivos - Charles Town Maroons, descendientes de los esclavos combatientes de la resistencia y Seaford Town Germans, descendientes de trabajadores contratados en Alemania - están explotando su cultura por medio del turismo rural comunitario a la moda nuevas fuentes de sustento. La dis- cusión se ofrece detalles sobre cómo el concepto de horizontal y vertical conectividad cultural puede agregar a la comprensión de cómo la gente se basan en su pasado para generar tangibles e intangibles productos de turismo cultural. Se destaca la cultura significados tiene para los habitantes rurales en relación con el sen- tido del lugar, la identidad y el desarrollo del turismo rural comunitario sostenible. The focus of research into the sustainability of rural community tourism in Jamaica often gravitates toward the economic, environmental, political and management components. This ethnographic study explores how two distinctive groups - the Charles Town Maroons, descendants of slavery resistance fighters and the Seaford Town Germans, escendants of indentured labourers from Germany - are exploiting their culture by way of rural community tourism to fashion new livelihood streams. The discussion offers unique insights into how the concept of horizontal and vertical cultural connectedness can add to an understanding of how locals are drawing on their past to generate intangible and tangible cultural tourism products. It further highlights the meanings culture holds for rural inhabitants in relation to sense of place, identity and the development of sustainable rural community tourism.

Many rural areas in developed market economies are now responding to globalization by trying to encourage a relocalization of production and consumption through the establishment of niche markets based on locally embedded skills, resources and knowledges. Such strategies can be theorized as features of a territorially based culture economy. By introducing notions of vertical and horizontal networks into this broad idea, the aim in this paper is to interrogate the nature and extent of the culture economy as a force for rural development in West Wales. The discussion draws on empirical material from research into four different product sectors: speciality beef and lamb, organic fruit, vegetables and meat, speciality cheese and artisanal crafts. Overall, the intention is to demonstrate the importance of considering the specific socio-cultural and economic contexts within which networks of development are constructed and to suggest that multiple cultural economies operate within and across different localities and sectors.

A range of factors, including consumer concerns about food safety, the growing popularity of rural tourism and policy initiatives to promote endogenous rural development, is converging to promote a relocalization of food production and service provision, especially in those regions marginalized by the globalization of the food supply system. The recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the UK has starkly illustrated the fragility of localized systems which depend heavily on consumers travelling to them. Within such a context, the importance of successful marketing strategies has become even more apparent. This paper reports on a questionnaire survey which investigated promotional and marketing strategies among a diverse range of producers and service providers in marginal agricultural areas of the EU. The findings suggest that many producers are situated towards the “formal” end of a marketing continuum, whereby ability to promote quality products and services (QPS) lies with a range of intermediaries. This raises doubts about the future economic benefits of QPS, should current marketing structures persist. The discussion offers critical reflections on interdisciplinary and international research of this nature, and advocates further theoretical and methodological development in order to explore in more depth many of the aspects raised in this exploratory investigation.

Considerable work has now been conducted into the ways in which the countryside and related products are commodified, yet relatively few accounts have attempted to examine the factors affecting local resident participation in this so-called “commodification dynamic”. The aim of this paper is to explore some of these factors through a case study of tourism development in rural Brittany. It is argued that a conceptual framework which combines a cultural economy approach with a consideration of the historical trajectories of old and new social relations is required in order to understand the processes which either drive or hinder the commodification of contested knowledges at the local level.

The aim of this paper is to begin to examine the emergence of Farmers’ Markets (FM)in the UK. It is suggested that FM represent a new type of ‘consumption space’ within the contemporary British foodscape, one which may be read as a heterotopic convergence of localist, moral, ethical and environmental discourses,mediated by networks of producers, consumers and institutions. Based on a preliminary analysis of some of the discourses employed by these actors,it is argued that FM can be understood simultaneously as ‘conservative’ and ‘alternative’ spaces. ‘Conservative’ in that they encapsulate a reactionary valorization of the local,linking localness to the ideas of quality, health and rurality, and ‘alternative’ in that they represent a diversifying rural economy arising in response to the difficulties being experienced by some uk farmers and a more general perception of a countryside under threat. Initial evidence from a pilot case study in Stratford-upon-Avon is used to support these suggestions and propose suggestions for future research.

Within the context of recent concerns over potential health threats from BSE, E.Coli and genetically modified organisms, food quality is of increasing importance in contemporary British society. Thus food producers, retailers and government institutions are engaged in an attempt to reassure consumers that their food is of high quality and safe to consume. Yet, the concept of `quality’ is one which is contested, constructed and represented differently by diverse actors operating within a variety of regulatory and market arenas. The aim of this paper is to focus on one set of actors who interact to construct notions of quality within a niche market arena, namely small producers of regional speciality food products (SFPs) in the south west of England. It emerges that, despite new regulatory frameworks and consumer concerns, producers usually define quality in terms of product specification and attraction rather than through official certification schemes or association with region of origin. Food quality, however defined by producers, is essentially self-regulated and constructed within the context of maintaining stable relationships between producers and buyers. Furthermore, marketing is based on low-cost methods which demand a high personal input of time and energy from the entrepreneur. Quality, therefore, must be understood as a contested notion which is constructed by actors attempting to build stable and lasting networks between themselves and others within the market arena.

Despite the increasingly globalized nature of food production and consumption patterns, the demand for regional speciality food and drink products is also increasing. Yet little research exists that examines the link between specific products and particular places. This paper reports on an EU regulation aimed at ‘protecting’ and ‘promoting’ food and drink products with a recognizable geographical origin. Results indicate quite marked national and regional variations in patterns of uptake, reflecting differences in both the cultural significance of regional foods in Europe and the importance of producer cooperatives. There is a real danger that the regulation will benefit larger producers and retailers, rather than genuine small-scale businesses.

Set within the context of recent rural restructuring in developed market economies, the authors examine the potential of niche markets for speciality food products (SFPs) to contribute towards rural development in peripheral (lagging) regions. Drawing on elements of regulation theory, actor-network approaches, and consumption studies, niche markets for SFPs are conceptualised as the outcomes of the intersecting activities of networks of producers, consumers, and institutions. On the basis of this conceptualisation and preliminary empirical evidence from a European research project, it is suggested that unique configurations of networks at local and regional levels, and their relationships to cxtralocal networks, will contribute to the success or failure of regional SFPs in promoting endogenous development. It is also argued that a focus on particular products, markets, and regions is required to gain a holistic understanding of the complex and contested network relationships through which niche markets for SFPs are constructed.

Quality products and services (niche markets) could be an important instrument of rural development in the lagging regions of the European Union. However, there is little research which relates product to place in a rural context. After providing a brief insight into aspects of agricultural and rural restructuring, the article reviews existing literature and relevant concepts under the separate headings of 'Constructing quality' and 'Constructing regional images: linking product to place'. Many of these ideas are being applied in an interdisciplinary and international (EU) research project which attempts to link specific quality products and services to specific regions. The aims of RIPPLE are outlined in the hope of encouraging more research into the links between quality products and rural places.

The present study aims at describing the state-of-play of short food supply chains (SFSC) in the EU understood as being the chains in which foods involved are identified by, and traceable to a farmer and for which the number of intermediaries between farmer and consumer should be minimal or ideally nil. Several types of SFSCs can be identified, for example CSAs (Community-Supported Agriculture), on-farm sales, off-farm schemes (farmers markets, delivery schemes), collective sales in particular towards public institutions, being mostly local / proximity sales and in some cases distance sales. Such type of food chain has specific social impacts, economic impacts at regional and farm level as well as environmental impacts translating themselves into a clear interest of consumers. SFSCs are present throughout the EU, although there are some differences in the different MS in terms of dominating types of SFSCs. In general, they are dominantly small or micro-enterprises, composed of small-scale producers, often coupled to organic farming practices. Social values (quality products to consumers and direct contact with the producer) are the values usually highlighted by SFSCs before environmental or economic values. In terms of policy tools, there are pros and cons in developing a specific EU labelling scheme which could bring more recognition, clarity, protection and value added to SFSCs, while potential costs might be an obstacle. Anyhow, a possible labelling scheme should take into account the current different stages and situations of development of SFSCs in the EU and be flexible enough accommodate these differences. Other policy tools, in particular training and knowledge exchange in marketing and communication are considered important and should continue to be funded by Rural Development programmes, as well as possibly other EU funds in view of the positive social and not specifically rural impacts.

Reconnecting Consumers, Producers and Food presents a detailed and empirically grounded analysis of alternatives to current models of food provision. The book offers insights into the identities, motives and practices of individuals engaged in reconnecting producers, consumers and food. Arguing for a critical revaluation of the meanings of choice and convenience, Reconnecting Consumers, Producers and Food provides evidence to support the construction of a more sustainable and equitable food system which is built on the relationships between people, communities and their environments.