Community supported agriculture

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Charity Gray
6 years ago
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Explored by looking at attitudes, values and motivations for CSA among

1 Community supported agriculture (Research question:) Is there an overlap in CSAconsumers, farmers and governmental political objectives? Explored by looking at attitudes, values and motivations for CSA among farmers, growers and consumers Christine Hvitsand Telemark Research Institute Telemarksforsking

2 Characteristics: What is a CSA? A way of direct communication and distribution of agricultural products between the farm and (nearby) consumers The consumers own a share of the production, and they share the production. Consumers are not paying for a specific amount of products. The degree of consumer involvement in the decision making and farm work varies a lot. As a minimum social get-togethers. Principles in CSA: Dialog between farmer and consumer Open economy Shared risk Thus CSA is a new way of organizing the food system, as it operates outside the rules of the marked Telemarksforsking 2

Objectives The study (project) as a whole, aim at getting knowledge about: What characterize the Norwegian CSAs and the farmers and growers involved What characterize their members, like values, and

3 Objectives The study (project) as a whole, aim at getting knowledge about: What characterize the Norwegian CSAs and the farmers and growers involved What characterize their members, like values, and experienced benefits What are success factors and obstacles for the development of CSAs in Norway Whether the model might have a role in reaching political objectives within sustainability, agriculture and food consumption, specially related to organic agriculture Broad project, narrow it down to paper/article..: This presentation focuses on attitudes, values and motivations amongst farmers, growers and consumers to engage in CSA. Telemarksforsking 3

Partners: Partners and funding Telemark Research Institute academic communication: research, paper, article Oikos hand book, experience conference, anchoring in Norsk landbruksrådgiving 5 CSAs

4 Partners: Partners and funding Telemark Research Institute academic communication: research, paper, article Oikos hand book, experience conference, anchoring in Norsk landbruksrådgiving 5 CSAs (Århus, Øverland, Ommang Søndre, Virgenes, Medalhus) + 2 more in survey to members (Osebakken, Bodø) Bioforsk Økologisk contributions handbook and conference NMBU (agro ecology) possible article, discussions with masterstudents Funding: Statens landbruksforvaltning funds for promoting organic farming CSAs amongst others using own time Telemarksforsking 4

Methods data collection Both qualitative and quantitative methods used. Case studies: Interviews of farmers, growers and core group members at 5 CSAs.

5 Methods data collection Both qualitative and quantitative methods used. Case studies: Interviews of farmers, growers and core group members at 5 CSAs. Focus group during network gathering for CSAs in Norway Survey to members at 7 CSA-farms: Closed-ended and open-ended questions. 60,2 percent response rate, 449 answers Litterature, documents, websites Telemarksforsking 5

6 Characteristics of the case-farms Key features Location Year of establishment Structure Name of the CSA-farm Øverland Ommang Søndre Århus Virgenes Medalhus Just outside subburb of Oslo, in Bærum 120 km north of Oslo city 3 km outside Skien city 30 km outside Larvik/Sandefjord cities Consumerdriven, with paid grower and administrator Farmer-driven, CSA part of the income Consumer-driven, with paid grower and administrator Farmer-driven, CSA part of the income 20 km outside Trondheim city Consumerdriven, with paid grower and farmer Products Vegetables, honey, berries and more. Vegetables, eggs, honey, cheese, ruminant meat Vegetables Vegetables, eggs, flour, pork meat, fishing in river Vegetables Collection Self-harvesting Delivery at pick up points mainly Farmer s market in Oslo, some pick up at the farm Number of shares* 2013/2014 Self-harvesting Self-harvesting and delivery to pick up points or at the door 347/347 43/43 170/200 32/200 85/120 *One share can either be one person or one family. Therefore the number of shares is not suitable for comparing the number of people the farms supply. Self-harvesting and core group members harvest for others to pick up in the city Telemarksforsking 6

Norwegian CSA-farmers want changes Are in opposition to the industrialized agriculture and food system because: Monocultures not good for soil health, nor is pesticides Distance between consumer and

7 Norwegian CSA-farmers want changes Are in opposition to the industrialized agriculture and food system because: Monocultures not good for soil health, nor is pesticides Distance between consumer and producer, the food system is globalized A lot of wastage because of set standards (esthetics, size) Income is unstable, and the way of farming is capital intensive A lot of this applies just as well on the organic production and food system! They want: Local organic food system with diversity More interaction with consumers because feedback and dialogue is rewarding and less lonely The food they produce to be eaten not wastage An income that is more stable and predictable because payments are in advance and not fluctuating with yields Telemarksforsking 7

Norwegian CSA-farmers want change Quote, farmer at Virgenes: I have a potato machine to several hundreds of thousand, employees and lots of money involved, but I m not left with a lot myself.

8 Norwegian CSA-farmers want change Quote, farmer at Virgenes: I have a potato machine to several hundreds of thousand, employees and lots of money involved, but I m not left with a lot myself. Prices vary, also with the conventional prices. We run industrial farming in a small-scale world. We get the animal feed from across the world, we have monocultures and enormous tractors and other machines, do not really belong in our agriculture. Labor is expensive. Elsewhere in agriculture your supposed to be very good at one product. You have no relationship with the consumer, like bringing out a product that are nutritious and totally clean. In Norway it is a special situation because we have had the good co-operatives which is both for better and worse. You re never thinking you are both a merchant and farmer. Telemarksforsking 8

Characteristics of the members Structure of household: 53 % adults without / 40 % with children/youth 80 % of respondents are 30-59 years old 74 % of respondents are women 22 % eat just a little

9 Characteristics of the members Structure of household: 53 % adults without / 40 % with children/youth 80 % of respondents are years old 74 % of respondents are women 22 % eat just a little meat/fish, 5 % are vegetarian/vegan in household 93 % have education from university/college in household 36 % are in households with people active in voluntery organizations or clubs 87 % lives in urban or sub-urban places 68 % have been involved in activities at the farm, participation increasing with: Number of seasons as member Men more active then women Non-Norwegian ethnicity in household Engagement in voluntery work elsewhere Vegetarian/vegan diet Consumer-driven rather than farmer-driven Telemarksforsking 9

10 Members attitudes and values Telemarksforsking 10

11 Members motivations for engage in CSA Telemarksforsking 11

12 Quotes from members: Attitudes, values and motivations Telemarksforsking 12

13 For discussion Political objective Values/motivations farmers and growers Values and motivations members (What do CSA do? ) Food safety: Self-sufficency, enough, safe and varied food of high quality Agriculture across the country: To sustain rural areas and to preserve soil resources in urban and sub-urban areas Increased value creation: Both volume production and production based on a plurality of resources used Sustainable agriculture: Safeguarding environmental, economic, social and cultural sustainability in production Organic agriculture: 15 percent organic farmland, 15 percent organic consumption (either domestic or foreign products) Health and diet: Eating more plant-based foods and fish, reduce social differences in food consumption. Public health: Strengthening network, participation, security, well-being, quality of life, access to safe and nontoxic food Want local food systems, go away from pesticides, produce diversity and quality See it as a way mainly for urban-close farms Want more stable and predictable economy Want away from monocultures, locally based food system (productionconsumption-manure-..), reduction of wastage Want to produce in relation to organic or biodynamic principles CSA-farms are mainly focusing on production of vegetables. More social work day, in interaction with other people, getting feedback, feeling important Meaningful to grow your own food (5,5) Worried about residual pesticides in foods from the grocery (4,9) Having access to local food (5,5) Want to support local agriculture (5,3) Adoption of local land resources and local knowledge (5,1) It s not only the food that is important about CSA, also the experience (5,1) Willingness to pay more for food from a CSA than from elsewhere (5,0) A desire to support local business and value creation (4,8) Politicians should give more priority to the environment (5,4) Being a share-holder is one of the most important environmental measures in the household (4,3) Being involved in growing own food (5,0) Family learning more about agriculture and ecology (4,4) Concern about climate change (4,1) Want to shop organic/bio-dynamic food as far as possible (5,0) A desire to increase consumption of organic food (5,3) Get a better selection of organic food (5,2) A desire to better access to bio-dynamic food (4,5) Want to live healthy and stay in shape (5,1) We should reduce the consumption of meat in favor of environment, health and/or animals (4,6) See just above, vegetables a part of organic food. No contradiction between reduced consumption and increased quality of life (5,2) Considering themselves as environmentally engaged (4,8) Doing environmentally friendly actions in practice (5,1) A desire of social fellowship about food, environment and agriculture (4,1) Producing safe, diverse, seasonal and local food, promoting self-sufficiency and meeting food preferences Supporting farmland, also urban and suburban soil resources, as a counterweight to development pressure Innovative, production of agricultural products with involvement of consumers Assumed more environmental friendly, because organic (transport?). Economic predictable and gives a social work day for farmer, promoting dialogue, knowledge and skills. Have potential to increase domestic production and consumption of Norwegian organic produce. Many farmers and members are already users, but CSA increases consumption. Increases consumption of vegetables. In Norway: seem not to reduce social differences in food consumption. Participating with farmers and other consumers: educational, social and recreational. Access to non-toxic food Telemarksforsking 13

14 Discussion / preliminary conclucion 1) Farmers, growers and members are from before, but to different extent, conscious about environment, health, animal welfare, justice and globalization that s why they got engaged in CSA. It is their way of coping with the risk society (Beck). 2) The CSA gives the frames for how farmers, growers and consumers can meet and change their practice that is given by the institutions in the society. This way they meet both own values and also national objectives (food safety, use threatened soil resources, less distance between producer and consumer, less emissions of climate gases, organic, ) 3) CSA-people can be considered as «spearheads» or «changemakers» in the production and consumption of organic food as they are going further on that path. As organic agriculture is the spearhead by showing conventional production more environmentally friendly practice, CSA seem to be the spearhead within the organic production and consumption. (discussion related to Terragni et al 2009,..) Telemarksforsking 14

15 Thank you for your attention! Telemarksforsking 15

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Spearhead for transitions towards sustainable food systems Christine Hvitsand Telemark Research Institute Ecological Challenges 2017, University of Oslo, 17th of February