Hidden Harvest's Transformative Potential: An Example of 'Community Economy'

Ballamingie, Patricia; Poitevin-DesRivières, Chloé; Knežević, Irena

doi:10.5304/jafscd.2019.091.036

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…In particular, it highlights community economic relations that recognize interdependence and re-embed social and political dimensions into market dynamics (Gibson-Graham, 2006). Such models can be starting points for socioeconomic transformation (Ballamingie, Poitevin-DesRivières & Knezevic, 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Community financing for sustainable food systems

Stephens

Knežević

Best³

2019

CanFoodStudies

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Since 2011, FarmWorks Investment Co-operative Limited (FarmWorks) has been boosting Nova Scotia’s farm and food economy through small loans to local food businesses. The fund relies on community investments and relationship-based lending, markers of the provincial government’s Community Economic Development Investment Fund (CEDIF) program. FarmWorks was motivated by decreasing food production, dwindling agricultural employment and the resulting decline of rural communities across the province. These factors were compounded by systemic changes including the increased financialization of the agri-food sector. As a social economy organization, FarmWorks seeks to remedy the shortcomings of the dominant food system by prioritizing the social and ecological regeneration of local communities. It simultaneously works with existing market structures while challenging mainstream practices and developing an alternative model. Through a document review, our paper assesses the extent to which FarmWorks has been successful in its efforts “to increase the viability and sustainability of agriculture and the security of a healthy food supply.” Specifically, we examine economic outcomes (employment, revenue increase, business expansion) as well as social impact of FarmWorks loans. We situate our analysis in literature on social economy, financialization, and sustainable food systems.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Community financing for sustainable food systems

Stephens

Knežević

Best³

2019

CanFoodStudies

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“…While the social enterprise hopes to engage more formally in the local economy to become profitable, Hidden Harvest also engages in practices not typically accounted for in conventional, that is capitalist, economies by building towards diverse and community economies. Activities such as sharing foods, enhancing food literacy and knowledge, and forming partnerships with other businesses contribute largely indirectly to strengthening local economies, and aren't typically considered as part of 'formal economies' (Gibson-Graham, 2006;Ballamingie et al, 2019). By broadening their conception of profit and engaging in these activities, Hidden Harvest helps to orient local economies towards broader community wellbeing rather than the accumulation of profit (Ballamingie et al, 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Activities such as sharing foods, enhancing food literacy and knowledge, and forming partnerships with other businesses contribute largely indirectly to strengthening local economies, and aren't typically considered as part of 'formal economies' (Gibson-Graham, 2006;Ballamingie et al, 2019). By broadening their conception of profit and engaging in these activities, Hidden Harvest helps to orient local economies towards broader community wellbeing rather than the accumulation of profit (Ballamingie et al, 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Uncovering hidden urban bounty: A case study of Hidden Harvest

DesRivières

2019

CanFoodStudies

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Urban food systems primarily rely on foods grown in rural spaces, and often face challenges in creating spaces to grow fresh, healthful and affordable food in cities. Urban food harvest organizations aim to overcome these challenges by locating and harvesting food that already exists in cities on the numerous fruit- and nut-bearing trees located on public and private lands. Hidden Harvest is a leading initiative for urban fruit and nut harvesting in Canada, and unique in its for-profit social enterprise model. The organization aims to legitimize and support the practice of harvesting fruits and nuts in urban areas, and provides a means to increase access to—and availability of—fresh, healthful foods hyper-locally in Ottawa, as people harvest from their own (or nearby) neighborhoods. This field report examines the challenges and opportunities faced by Hidden Harvest in attempting to link multiple social, environmental and economic goals relating to food sovereignty, social justice and ecological sustainability. In particular, the organization seeks to establish a self-sustaining business model through innovative solutions and the development of networks with local food processes, food organizations and businesses, which enables Hidden Harvest to grow and develop distinct ties and relationships in Ottawa. This case study reveals how organizations such as Hidden Harvest use food to enhance and tie together local economies, knowledge, food security and community well-being.

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“…As one approach to frame reflection, Nourishing Communities' researchers have utilized Gibson-Graham's "diverse economies" (2008). While not the only possible approach, and perhaps not even the best one in certain contexts, 4 it can pave way for reframing values in food systems (Ballamingie et al, 2019;Marshman and Knezevic, 2021). Diverse economies framework conceptualizes economy as a wider frame.…”

Section: Reframing Food Economiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Framing Good Food: Communicating Value of Community Food Initiatives in the Midst of a Food Crisis

Knežević

2021

Front. Commun.

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Community-embedded food initiatives exist in market economies, but make more-than-market contributions. They challenge the dominant, industrialized food system, while generating non-monetary benefits in their communities. Yet food policy, regulation, and public spending in much of the world is still framed by the values of market economy. Revenue, yield, and technological advancements remain key formal measurements of the wellbeing of food systems. Community-embedded food initiatives like small local businesses and non-profit organizations, are often committed to advancing social and environmental benefits of non-industrialized food, and they call for clearer recognition of their more-than-market contribution to community wellbeing. The Nourishing Communities network has worked with such initiatives for more than a decade, undertaking community-engaged research with practitioners across sectors. The network has found that these initiatives are impeded by a communication conundrum. On the one hand, they are expected (by funders, governments, and other institutions) to demonstrate their value using market-economy measurements and translating what they do into “social returns on investment.” On the other hand, many of those initiatives need non-market terminology to express the values that they espouse and generate. To balance these needs, Gibson-Graham’s framing of “diverse economies” can potentially offer a pathway to better communication and thus more accurate valuing of the work of such initiatives. Their notion of diverse economies offers endless opportunities to frame community food work as valuable in ways that go beyond market-economy measurements. As such, the diverse economies framing offers new possibilities for alternative food, and for more general discussions of social reform.

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Hidden Harvest's Transformative Potential: An Example of 'Community Economy'

Cited by 4 publications

References 15 publications

Community financing for sustainable food systems

Community financing for sustainable food systems

Uncovering hidden urban bounty: A case study of Hidden Harvest

Framing Good Food: Communicating Value of Community Food Initiatives in the Midst of a Food Crisis

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