A geographic approach to place and natural resource use in local food systems

Abstract

This article illuminates the geographic concept of 'place' in local foods. Because the social aspects of local food have been more fully addressed in previous literature, this review focuses instead on the ecological aspects of farming and food. First, the literature on natural resource use in agriculture provides contextual understanding of water use, biodiversity, soils and agro-ecological methods. The complex relationship between climate change and agriculture is described and models assessing the impacts of climate change on agriculture are detailed. The geography of local food is specifically addressed by describing methods for assessing natural resource use in local food, including food miles, consumer transportation, scale and community, agricultural methods and diet. Finally, future research paths are suggested to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the environmental impact of local food. Such research would encompass the geography of local food through development of broader, more inclusive strategy, including the concept of the 'ecological appetite' of crops and foods, the union of both social and ecological aspects of resource use, the linkages between rural and urban producers and consumers and the inclusion of farmers' ecological knowledge. Overall, the geography of local food seeks to assess the where of food production and consumption, while incorporating key issues of how (agro-ecological methods benefiting the community) and what (locally appropriate crops).

Do Local Food Networks Foster Socio-Ecological Transitions towards Food Sovereignty? Learning from Real Place Experiences

“…However, quantitative analysis would be required in order to measure the energy and resource use of specific organic production methods as well as of artisanal production. Furthermore, dealing with the resource use of specific products sold by SpeiseLokal would require quantitative assessment of various products such as a life cycle analysis or food miles [62,63]. Such studies would on the one hand help to evaluate different production methods in terms of their environmental impact.…”

Irish Chefs and Restaurants in the Geography of “Local” Food Value Chains

“…Regional labeling is well-established in the European Union (EU) and local labeling is growing in incidence [25,26]. Local food is also described in the context of natural resource use and life-cycle assessment from farm to table [27,28]. "Local" may capture features relating to production using low-input methods (such as organic farming); it may also convey personal contact between producers and consumers and exchange on the basis of trust [29][30][31][32].…”

“…Local food is associated with consumers seeking high quality which they may define in terms of nutritional value, freshness, clean production, animal welfare, an absence of additives, avoidance of the risk posed by particular animal diseases and of the energy costs and environmental impacts of transporting food over long distances [4,27,[39][40][41][42][43]. There is a concern with how nature is "used" rather than "abused" [44,45].…”

Close to Home: The Drive for Local Food

“…Insofar as locally oriented food reduces transportation lines, consumption of fossil fuels and emission of greenhouse gases will also be reduced. However, the distance food travels is but one aspect of a complex system of food production and it is imperative that future studies on energy expenditure in both local and nonlocal food production account for this more holistic picture (Duram & Oberholtzer, 2010).…”