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Local food policy coalitions: Evaluation issues as seen by academics, project organizers, and funders

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  • Karen Webb
  • David Pelletier
  • Audrey Maretzki
  • Jennifer Wilkins

Abstract

Several different evaluation issuesare perceived as important by people involved withinnovative projects intended to improve local food andnutrition systems; particularly the establishment oflocal food policy coalitions. Several such coalitionshave been formed in North America, Europe, andAustralia with the goal of improving community foodsecurity and promoting sustainable local food systems.Pioneer coalitions have served as models, yet therehas been little systematic evaluation of thesemodels. A qualitative study was conducted to identifyfactors that may hinder evaluation efforts. In grouptelephone interviews, we sought the views ofacademics, project organizers, and funders, a total of24 key informants. Pressures to evaluate were assessed differently bythe three groups of key informants. Academics felt thefocus of evaluation should be on the effectiveness ofthe process used to discuss issues and formulatepolicies and plans. Project organizers and fundersperceived a need to assess project impact andoutcomes. A lack of suitable evaluation models andmethods was viewed as a formidable barrier. The use ofinappropriate methods and premature impact evaluationwere noted as potential threats to projectsustainability. External constraints and resourcelimitations were also said to inhibit evaluationefforts. It appears that several other factors may also beimpeding progress in conducting more (and more useful)evaluations including: (1) the apparent negativeconnotation of evaluation and the limited benefitsexpected from evaluation by stakeholders, (2) a lackof consensus about important evaluation questions,(3) insufficient evaluation expertise among projectorganizers, and (4) inadequate appreciation ofincreasing accountability pressures. Copyright Kluwer Academic Publishers 1998

Suggested Citation

  • Karen Webb & David Pelletier & Audrey Maretzki & Jennifer Wilkins, 1998. "Local food policy coalitions: Evaluation issues as seen by academics, project organizers, and funders," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 15(1), pages 65-75, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:agrhuv:v:15:y:1998:i:1:p:65-75
    DOI: 10.1023/A:1007408901642
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Paul Fieldhouse, 1996. "Community shared agriculture," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 13(3), pages 43-47, June.
    2. Robert Gottlieb & Andrew Fisher, 1996. "Community food security and environmental justice: Searching for a common discourse," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 13(3), pages 23-32, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. David Cleveland & Allison Carruth & Daniella Mazaroli, 2015. "Operationalizing local food: goals, actions, and indicators for alternative food systems," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 32(2), pages 281-297, June.
    2. Sara Shostak, 2022. "“How do we measure justice?”: missions and metrics in urban agriculture," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(3), pages 953-964, September.

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