Growing sustainable food systems : a study of local food distribution initiatives in Stellenbosch

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis investigates practical approaches to growing sustainable food systems. It firstestablishes the condition of the global environment within which food systems functionand critically assesses previous efforts to grow sustainable food systems. After applyingthese findings to a set of case studies on local-food distribution in Stellenbosch, Irecommend ways for the local-food distribution network to encourage the growth of asustainable Stellenbosch food system.The literature review provides an overview of the global environment in relation to foodsystems and lists certain contextual challenges that food systems must address to becomesustainable. These challenges are social inequality, an urban future, degraded ecosystems,climate change, energy constraints, a growing global population and food insecurity. Theliterature review also describes how commercialisation has disembedded food systemsfrom their contexts. This disembeddedness loosens the feedback loops food systemsrequire to effectively respond to contextual challenges and consequently hinders theirsustainability.The critical overview of previous attempts to re-embed food systems provides insight intopractical ways of growing sustainable food systems. The overview demonstrates that whilelocalisation and the building of social capital should not be seen as the ultimate goals ofsustainable food systems, they can be useful mechanisms for nurturing sustainability ifapplied carefully.The case studies describe ten local-food distribution initiatives in Stellenbosch, and areinformed by numerous in-depth semi-structured interviews. My conceptual frameworkcontrasts each initiative's self-reported vision, perceived reality, and realised actions; thishighlights the conceptual and physical network connections between various local-fooddistribution initiatives, as well as the factors preventing and promoting their sustainability.The case studies show that although a local-food distribution network exists inStellenbosch, it is fragile and lacks defined conceptual connections. This in turn constrainsthe formation of physical connections and thus the food system's progress towardsustainability.The local-food distribution network in Stellenbosch can catalyse the growth of asustainable food system because its initiatives focus on localisation but do not see it as afinal objective. This shared focus indicates that localisation already constitutes a practicaltool in the growth of a sustainable food system; however, the network's lack of socialcapital still needs to be addressed.Inclusive projects designed to create and protect intellectual, political and economic spacesfor reflection within the food system can generate the social capital necessary to grow asustainable food system. The realisation of a sustainable Stellenbosch food systemtherefore depends on those with the capacity and resources to initiate the necessarychanges.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University