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Can Alternative Food Networks contribute to a transition towards sustainability in Flanders: Assessing the marketing functions of Voedselteams

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  • Zwart, Tjitske Anna
  • Mathijs, Erik
  • Avermaete, Tessa

Abstract

Current sustainability challenges in the dominant agro-food regime highlight the need for a systemic transition towards sustainability. It has been argued that, as a reaction to these sustainability challenges, niches have arisen that reorganise their practices in order to contribute to a more sustainable food system. These niches may in turn be seeds for a systemic transition. One specific type of such niches are Alternative Food Networks (AFNs). AFNs have already been researched in-depth from the perspective of two theories: the Multi-Level Perspective and Social Practice Theory, as well as through their combined use. Nevertheless, these studies have mainly focused on sustainability transitions in production and consumption. In this article we argue that this omits an important element of the food supply chain, namely all the activities between production and consumption. We take a holistic approach by looking at food supply chains as consisting of nine marketing functions. We do this by researching a particular type of AFN – Voedselteams - in Flanders. We find that, whereas in the dominant regime these functions are performed in a highly specialized way, within AFNs, they become more intertwined as more responsibility is taken up by consumers and producers. Yet, as initiatives grow, they might start taking up ‘regime-elements’ again in order to cope with the size. In this way, these initiatives may become hybrids between niche and regime.

Suggested Citation

  • Zwart, Tjitske Anna & Mathijs, Erik & Avermaete, Tessa, 2016. "Can Alternative Food Networks contribute to a transition towards sustainability in Flanders: Assessing the marketing functions of Voedselteams," Working Papers 245069, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Centre for Agricultural and Food Economics.
  • Handle: RePEc:ags:kucawp:245069
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.245069
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sheth, Jagdish N. & Parvatiyar, Atul, 1995. "The evolution of relationship marketing," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 4(4), pages 397-418.
    2. Elizabeth Shove, 2014. "Putting practice into policy: reconfiguring questions of consumption and climate change," Contemporary Social Science, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(4), pages 415-429, December.
    3. Misak Avetisyan & Thomas Hertel & Gregory Sampson, 2014. "Is Local Food More Environmentally Friendly? The GHG Emissions Impacts of Consuming Imported versus Domestically Produced Food," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 58(3), pages 415-462, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Christina Gugerell & Marianne Penker, 2020. "Change Agents’ Perspectives on Spatial–Relational Proximities and Urban Food Niches," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-18, March.
    2. Pedro Cerrada-Serra & Ana Moragues-Faus & Tjitske Anna Zwart & Barbora Adlerova & Dionisio Ortiz-Miranda & Tessa Avermaete, 2018. "Exploring the contribution of alternative food networks to food security. A comparative analysis," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(6), pages 1371-1388, December.

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    Keywords

    Agricultural and Food Policy; Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety;

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