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Systemic ethics and inclusive governance: two key prerequisites for sustainability transitions of agri-food systems

Author

Listed:
  • Sibylle Bui

    (UCL - Université Catholique de Louvain = Catholic University of Louvain)

  • Ionara Costa

    (UCL - Université Catholique de Louvain = Catholic University of Louvain)

  • Olivier de Schutter

    (UCL - Université Catholique de Louvain = Catholic University of Louvain)

  • Tom Dedeurwaerdere

    (UCL - Université Catholique de Louvain = Catholic University of Louvain)

  • Marek Hudon

    (ULB - Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management [Brussels] - ULB - Université libre de Bruxelles)

  • Marlene Feyereisen

    (Université de Liège)

Abstract

Food retailers are powerful actors of the agro-industrial food system. They exert strong lock-in effects that hinder transitions towards more sustainable agri-food systems. Indeed, their marketing practices generally result in excluding the most sustainable food products, such as local, low-input, small-scale farmers' products. Recently in Belgium, several initiatives have been created to enable the introduction of local products on supermarket shelves. In this article, we study three of those initiatives to analyse if the development of local sourcing in supermarkets opens up an opportunity for a transition towards more sustainable agri-food systems. We conceptualise transitions as a shift in governance and ethical values and adopt a pragmatist approach of ethics combined with the systemic perspective of transition studies, to evaluate the impact of these initiatives. Our analysis shows that they mainly contribute to the reproduction of the incumbent agri-food system. It also highlights that first, to be a driver for sustainability transitions, food ethics need to be systemic i.e. relate to a systemic understanding of problems and perspective of sustainability, including social justice. And second, it highlights that governance arrangements involving not only representative organisations of the various agri-food and non-agricultural actors, but also actors upholding ethical values that are currently missing in conventional supply chains and representing excluded and marginalised interests, favour the uptake of such systemic ethics by incumbent actors. Hence, systemic ethics and inclusive governance are key features for initiatives to contribute to a sustainability transition.

Suggested Citation

  • Sibylle Bui & Ionara Costa & Olivier de Schutter & Tom Dedeurwaerdere & Marek Hudon & Marlene Feyereisen, 2019. "Systemic ethics and inclusive governance: two key prerequisites for sustainability transitions of agri-food systems," Post-Print hal-03280636, HAL.
  • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-03280636
    DOI: 10.1007/s10460-019-09917-2
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    4. Nic J. Lees & Sivashankar Sivakumar & Xiaomeng Lucock, 2024. "Agrifood Sustainability Transitions in Firms and Industry: A Bibliographic Analysis of Research Themes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-27, August.
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    6. de Oliveira, Gustavo Magalhães & Martino, Gaetano & Riganelli, Chiara & Ascani, Michela, 2022. "Sustainable transition and food democracy: The role of decision making process in Solidarity Purchasing Groups," Economia agro-alimentare / Food Economy, Italian Society of Agri-food Economics/Società Italiana di Economia Agro-Alimentare (SIEA), vol. 24(2), September.
    7. Plateau, Lou & Roudart, Laurence & Hudon, Marek & Maréchal, Kevin, 2021. "Opening the organisational black box to grasp the difficulties of agroecological transition. An empirical analysis of tensions in agroecological production cooperatives," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    8. Ionara Costa & Sibylle Bui & Olivier de Schutter & Tom Dedeurwaerdere, 2022. "A network perspective to niche-regime interactions and learning at the regime level," Post-Print halshs-03615417, HAL.
    9. Fanzo, Jessica & Haddad, Lawrence & Schneider, Kate R. & Béné, Christophe & Covic, Namukolo M. & Guarin, Alejandro & Herforth, Anna W. & Herrero, Mario & Sumaila, U. Rashid & Aburto, Nancy J. & Amuyun, 2021. "Viewpoint: Rigorous monitoring is necessary to guide food system transformation in the countdown to the 2030 global goals," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    10. Machuca Henao, José Yeisson & Ávila Guerrero, Flor Marlen, 2022. "Sistemas de garantía participativos como estrategias de desarrollo para productores rurales," Revista Tendencias, Universidad de Narino, vol. 23(2), pages 246-272, July.
    11. Salvatore Squatrito & Elena Arena & Rosa Palmeri & Biagio Fallico, 2020. "Public and Private Standards in Crop Production: Their Role in Ensuring Safety and Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-16, January.
    12. Michael Carolan, 2020. "Acting like an algorithm: digital farming platforms and the trajectories they (need not) lock-in," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 37(4), pages 1041-1053, December.
    13. Rosalba Ortiz & Jordi Peris, 2022. "The Role of Farmers’ Umbrella Organizations in Building Transformative Capacity around Grassroots Innovations in Rural Agri-Food Systems in Guatemala," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-25, February.
    14. Vivica I. Kraak & Kim L. Niewolny, 2024. "A Scoping Review of Food Systems Governance Frameworks and Models to Develop a Typology for Social Change Movements to Transform Food Systems for People and Planetary Health," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-22, February.
    15. Anke Brons & Peter Oosterveer & Sigrid Wertheim-Heck, 2020. "Feeding the melting pot: inclusive strategies for the multi-ethnic city," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 37(4), pages 1027-1040, December.
    16. Letizia Bindi & Angelo Belliggiano, 2023. "A Highly Condensed Social Fact: Food Citizenship, Individual Responsibility, and Social Commitment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-22, April.

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