Harmonisation 1.1 - Localisation

Following on from my opening post on sustainable diets, I would like to focus on one of the 6 major components – local and seasonal foods. Much of the food we currently buy from supermarkets is produced internationally and transported, with obvious environmental impacts resulting from CO₂ emitted in each stage of its journey to the shelves. This does provide us with a rich and varied source of nutrition, but is it the only way?

Allotments provide a great sense of community in a local food system.
From personal experience I know that it is all about sharing your produce and
trying out what others have to offer. It is often much tastier than supermarket
produce too. Taken from: http://prolandscapermagazine.com/national-allotments-week/.

Increasing distance (both physically and socially) between consumers and producers has caused a lack of knowledge and interest in food supply. This puts our consumption choices in the hands of the industries that create our food for profit and personal gain rather than environmental and community well-bring (note that this is not always the case, but very often is).

Feagan (2007) reviews much of the literature regarding ‘Local Food Systems’ and explains many of the concepts. One example is shortened food chains, which cut out industrial links in the food chain by food being directly provided to the consumers by the producers (e.g. farmers markets). These close the social and physical gap between producers and consumers, strengthening community integration, reducing environmental impacts and increasing the quality of food. The last point occurs because information on food quality becomes more readily available and the food chain shortens.

Farmers markets provide fresh produce for the consumers and a local economy.
If you have ever been to a famrers market you will know that the bustling vibe
has a real sense of community. Taken from: http://www.ahamodernliving.com.

DeLind (2010) demonstrates some of the problems found within Local Food Systems which have yet to be solved. She identifies three major problems; lazy locavores, corporations buying up local food and experts reaching superstardom unwillingly taking power from the people.  Lazy locavores are the consumers of local food who just consume rather than also producing. While these supply equity to producers it reduces community bonding formed in Local Food Systems and causes social inequality in such the same way conventional food systems do. After all, the local food will go to the highest bidder.

From my research I feel that the positives of local food systems far outweigh the negatives. As both papers suggest there is no set way to create a local food system with different concepts working better in different geographical locations. One success story I read just the other day is that of Mark Boyle who now lives self-sufficiently, living off his own food production, foraging and waste food. He even fed 150 people a three-course meal from waste and foraged food! Read more about him here: http://www.whydontyoutrythis.com/2013/10/the-man-who-lives-without-money.html?m=1.