Scaling up alternative food networks: farmers' markets and the role of clustering in western Canada [Book Review]

Agriculture and Human Values 29 (3):333-345 (2012)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

Farmers’ markets, often structured as non-profit or cooperative organizations, play a prominent role in emerging alternative food networks of western Canada. The contribution of these social economy organizations to network development may relate, in part, to the process of regional clustering. In this study we explore the nature and significance of farmers’ market clustering in the western Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Alberta, focusing on the possible connection between clustering and a “scaling up” of alternative food networks. Survey and interview results from four regional clusters indicate that in addition to spatial agglomeration, dynamic processes of interaction and knowledge exchange are occurring and are shaped by vendor mobility as well as collaborative and competitive forces. Horizontal and vertical collaborations are resulting in innovative strategies to address challenges of scale, scope, infrastructure, and organizational capacity that are prevalent in alternative food networks. Government support for market clustering has been modest to date but, we argue, could play a more prominent role in facilitating cluster development as part of a broader collaborative strategy involving public, private, and social economy sectors in the scaling up of alternative food networks

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 90,221

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

Choosing a food future: Differentiating among alternative food options. [REVIEW]Jeffrey R. Follett - 2009 - Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics 22 (1):31-51.
Consumer Choice and Farmers' Markets.Rachel Dodds, Mark Holmes, Vichukan Arunsopha, Nicole Chin, Trang Le, Samantha Maung & Mimi Shum - 2014 - Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics 27 (3):397-416.
Understanding agri-food networks as social relations.Lucy Jarosz - 2000 - Agriculture and Human Values 17 (3):279-283.
Coming in to the foodshed.Jack Kloppenburg, John Hendrickson & G. W. Stevenson - 1996 - Agriculture and Human Values 13 (3):33-42.

Analytics

Added to PP
2013-11-23

Downloads
37 (#372,796)

6 months
4 (#315,908)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?