Andrew Mount
B.S. candidate (Environmental Studies)
Southern Oregon University
Research Question
What are the top three strategies for enhancing food security in the Rogue Valley of Southern Oregon?
Abstract
Elaborating core issues within the structure of the food system and solutions being practiced today, the author explores how
food security may best be achieved in the local context. The world food crisis is widely accepted to arise from cyclical and
systemic causes that call for improved stakeholder collaboration. Climate change as well as soil and water depletion pose
major looming concerns. Without a new holism that unites the functional elements of local food systems in deeper dialogue
and interdependence, less resilience and buffering against the volatility of the industrial food system will result. By expanding
the horizontal elements of value chain analysis in community food systems, issues of inequality and vulnerability to market
forces can be ameliorated. The global food crisis will continue to negatively impact communities that have not developed such
resilience at every level of the value/supply chain. Such political forces are arrayed against the promotion of local food system
development, the plight of small family farm-holders must be championed by community interests or their contribution to local economies will continue to be jeopardized by large agribusiness. Hunger on an increasingly large scale remains a reality as the state of the global food system declines.
Executive Summary
“The world’s population is expected to increase by one-third over the next 50-years, but the amount of land and water
available for agriculture will not increase...” – (Albajes et al. 2013)
In an effort to assess the three most highly-leveraged opportunities for food system development in the Rogue Valley, a
number of factors have been reconciled to hold some primary importance through studies of the current literature. Of central
concern to this author are the looming threats of fossil fuel scarcity (Wright 2009), climate change (Rosin et al. 2013) and
widening food insecurity (Brown 2012), especially with regard to the inferior resilience of the centralized production/distribution regime now predominating in the USA, a concern shared with many in the field of sustainable food
systems (Cribb 2010). The three approaches herein identified to enhance resilience of the regional food system are:
aggregation, value chain development, and poverty/ecological concerns.
A variety of authors now studying the food system have advanced the view that cross-sector collaboration and value-chain
development must be central concerns when addressing food insecurity (Albajes et al. 2013; Hamann et al. 2011). Pressures
exerted upon the wider food system by the forces of globalization require “efficient and sustainable agricultural practices that
are harmonized throughout the value chain” bridging all actors (Albajes et al. 2013; Mae Campbell & MacRae 2013). We will
refer to this process of food system development as ‘aggregation’, which means to integrate functions of the commercial
ecosystem that is a food economy for the improvement of efficiency. This is the first in a three-pronged strategy herein
advanced as the most direct route to local food system resilience and, thus, food security in the Rogue Valley and even at the
broader regional level. Logistics (physical delivery of goods) is viewed as a crucial lynch-pin in cost reduction for small
producers, which also includes access to storage and processing facilities (Hamann et al. 2011). Collaboration between various
parties to the food economy can allow for better information on supply and demand expectations which can improve efficiency of distribution. This is a central element of aggregation strategy.
Value chains are herein defined as the complex web of socio-economic interconnections from which a community may derive
benefit. With regard to a food system, value chains are comprised of more than mere production, distribution and consumption of goods, but also include values such as equality, safety and security (Bolwig et al. 2010). Value chains are improved through branding food ‘local’, creating perception of value and ensuring resilience through robust local food supply (Nganje, W.E. et al. 2014). Research has shown positive linkages between the purchase of locally grown produce and a desire to support local farmers. A greater share of revenues from local production reaches the farmer when products are sold locally, even when selling through local shops or restaurants rather than direct to consumers (Norberg-Hodge et al. 2002). Thus, our second key initiative in the pursuit of local food security is maximal value-chain/supply-chain development, which must include wholesale marketing of produce throughout the Pacific Northwest regional economy as well as direct investment in local production/distribution capacity (access to capital, improved fertility, infrastructure, logistics). Perception of risk is also tied directly to knowledge of source, as well as the value of local food as a support to the local economy (Nganje, W. E. et al.
2014). Thus value is enhanced in a multiplicity of ways through establishing a holistic local food system architecture.
The third and final dimension of this review encompasses poverty and environmental concerns as integral to the analysis of
local value chains and to the superior functioning of a sustainable food system. Food miles, a popular consumer measure of
sustainability, are drastically lower for local food. The question of how best to keep money in the local economy is one that
can be addressed through an assessment of total agroeconomic potential and implementation of new agronomic practices such as sustainable soil management and high-efficiency horticulture in urban environments (Norberg-Hodge et al. 2002; Cribb 2010; Ladner 2011).
Sharing food wealth with those suffering hunger and inferior access to quality foodstuffs can be accomplished through changes in land-use, community planning and housing development (Ladner 2011) and especially through the development of community organizations that unite formerly disparate parts of the food system in closer collaboration (Ackerman-Leist 2013).
In South Africa, provision is made for emerging farmers to access the supply chain, seen as one of the top three strategies for
building food security (Hamann et al. 2011). Improving distribution networks into low-income areas is cited along with
corporate social investment/strategic philanthropy as other methodologies for increasing food system resilience. Business is
seen as taking a lead role in the development of core practices, policy advocacy and philanthropic activities to support wider
food system resilience (Hamann et al. 2011).
With 70% of all water going toward agriculture, this liquid form of natural capital may become more important than any other
resource in this time of variable climate (Brown 2012). Yet, the trends in agriculture demonstrate the fact that this century
fossil fuels will also become more scarce and thus agriculture must develop resilience as a very necessity, for cheap petrofertilizers will not be a viable means to increase yields going forward in both the developed and developing world (Ackerman-Leist 2013).
Another crucial reason that resilient local food production must be the order of the day in 21st-century America is that fossil
fuels are the driving force of agricultural production today. This trend is a chief contributor to food insecurity in the face of
many impending peak supply scenarios (Kelly & Schulschenk 2011; Wright 2009; Cribb 2010). To forestall a worsening food
crisis in the face of scarce and increasingly expensive inputs, a heightened demand for agricultural innovation at all levels,
especially the local/regional level, is now the rallying cry of futurists, agronomists and market analysts alike (Albajes 2013,
Wright 2009; Ladner 2011; Nganje et al. 2014; Blay-Palmer et al 2013; Blay-Palmer 2010). The food vs. fuel debate is seen as
a valid concern in the context of a widening scarcity of food production and rising food prices (Brown 2012), just as more
extensive/intensive urban agriculture is essential to the reduction of overall food miles and other cost incurred by industrial
agriculture in this country (Ladner 2011).
Protein production is of particular importance to sustainable development of local food systems. It is estimated that 63% of
fish stocks worldwide are in intensive need of rebuilding due to over-exploitation (Rosin et al. 2013) While fish farming can
afford some benefit to the food system, it can also create pressures if the fish are fed grain. Thus, only an integrated approach
to aquaculture (e.g. aquaponics) could afford greater resource efficiency (Cribb 2010).
Studies from South Africa (Hamann et al. 2011) demonstrate the “multi-dimensional nature of food insecurity” requires a focus beyond merely increasing agricultural production. Decentralization and land reform are both functions of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) movement that has begun to infiltrate global agriculture. Business participation in the food system is more frequently being characterized as serving “broader societal objectives.” Horizontal as well as vertical partnerships within the food economy facilitate a solution to what is otherwise considered a ‘wicked problem’, e.g. food insecurity (Hamann et al. 2011). Adaptive, social planning is needed to ensure the food system serves all stakeholders optimally. This process is both complex and highly non-linear, demanding 'place-based' innovation strategies and extraordinarily high levels of collaboration between all system stakeholders. Economic resilience and enhanced quality-of-life are seen as direct products of the integration of natural capital (agroecological systems) into the local sphere of development (Greenwood & Holt 2010).
Concluding Remarks
Food insecurity is a fact of life in post-modern America, the correction of which must become a deliberate part of the ecology
of wider food system development. The wealth of our land (natural capital) and the industries that spring from it are as
important to human well-being as the manner in which these systems are managed. Studies in South Africa have determined
that while business can admit to the implications of the global food crisis, there can be some ambivalence about the need for
cross-collaborative relationships, yet still general agreement that collaboration could yield opportunities. The identified need
to grant value chain access to emerging farmers is a strong starting-point to achieve very many of the complementary goals of
food security (environmental and social justice). There remains the larger question of whether global food system decline
cannot but impact our local food economy before we are able to fully bolster it against such shocks. Efficiency must be the
watchword in the future food system, with more needing to be done with less… of everything. Yet, even more important than
wise resource use and sustainable practices are the new social compacts demanded by the challenge of food system reform.
These will be driven by a commitment to collaborative innovation that will ensure food system resilience at the local and
regional levels.
Annotated Bibliography
Peer-Reviewed Literature
Blay-Palmer, A. et al. (2013), “Future food system research priorities: A sustainable food systems perspective from Toronto,
Ontario”, Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems and Community Development, 3(4), 227-234
Summary: Suggests food is a lens through which issues of health, community well-being, social justice, and the environment
are understood as inherently interconnected. Insists that linking consumption and production more directly is at the crux of an
integrated food system. Opens the question of whether scaling up and out is tantamount to shifting from the alternative to the
mainstream model. Explores the sociological dimensions of food system governance and the need for sensitivity toward
marginalized communities. Proposes the use of co-created research tools to assess urban / rural metabolic flow. The authors
emphasize the importance of solutions beyond merely maximizing profits, including social financing solutions (community
bonds), regional economic development, civic agriculture (employing alternative models like incubator farms and land-barter), seeking always to broaden the food lens beyond niche markets and ensure accessibility.
Mae Campbell, A. & MacRae, R., “Local Food Plus: the connective tissue in local/sustainable supply chain development”,
Local Environment, 2013, Vol. 18, No. 5, 557-566
Summary: Discusses activities of Local Food Plus (LFP), a non-profit Canadian sustainable food advocacy group, in
developing/brokering relationships within locality-based supply-chains, balancing market realities and consumer perceptions. Identifies Toronto’s “community food practice” as a network of collective exchange and social learning. Cites the importance of skilled supply-chain experts and linking diverse actors to solve broad-based, complex problems. LFP seeks to build bridges between consumers, local supply-chains and non-traditional actors, building a culture of transparency that is rooted in values and a new food culture of local provenance. Advocates the use of both formal and informal mechanisms to foster food system ‘fairness’, food-hub development, transmit knowledge, and formalize certification standards (and enforcement thereof) for value-chain partners. Explains how LFP works to negotiate food system gaps that stand in the way of regionalization.
Albajes, R. et al., “Building Bridges: an integrated strategy for sustainable food production throughout the value chain”,
Molecular Breeding (2013), Issue 32: 743-770
Summary: The article discusses in detail the implementation of best practices in agriculture to ensure future quality and safety, as well as environmental sustainability, promoting balanced and rational use of limited resources. Treats the issues of soil and water pollution from agriculture, the food vs. fuel debate (bioenergy), plant breeding, nutrient bio-availability, and
agroecological health – plant and animal (involving synergistic or complementary methods for both weed and pest
management). An inter-disciplinary approach to agronomy is explored. Food processing and food safety are also given
serious attention. Advocates for broad-based food system integration.
Bolwig, S. et al., “Integrating Poverty and Environmental Concerns into Value-Chain Analysis: A Conceptual Framework”,
Development Policy Review, 2010, 28 (2): 173-194
Summary: Poverty is considered more than exclusion from the value chain, but also marginalization, as both its disadvantage
and a potential benefit are explored. Vulnerability of socio-ecological systems to shock and their relative resilience are
considered in the context of value-chain restructuring. Measures of ecosystem resilience may be taken in a number of ways,
including mapping of natural resource use and assessing nutrient balances in the soil. A framework for integrating horizontal
and vertical aspects of the value chain is also developed.
Hamann, R. et al., “The role of business and cross-sector collaboration in addressing the ‘wicked problem’ of food insecurity”,
Development Southern Africa, Vol. 28, No. 4, October 2011
Summary: Alternative approaches to food system development including soil and water conservation methods (bio-farming) as well as educational efforts within the community are explored in a multi-stakeholder strategy to guard against the trend of
rising food prices. Distribution and corporate social responsibility are key concerns to the authors, as well as wider
collaboration throughout the value chain.
Kelley, C. & Schulschenk, J., “Assessing the vulnerability of Stellenbosch’s food system and possibilities for a local food
economy”, Development Southern Africa, Vol. 28, No. 4, October 2011
Summary: Highlights the vulnerabilities of a population that imports most of its food from outside the region and relies
partially upon its own export markets (principally viticulture) to finance these food imports. Gives evidence of why a “global
polycrisis” exists around urbanization and its pressure upon rural economies and ecologies, resulting in predominant inequity.
References many critical milestones in the development of international policy including IAASTD (2008). Discusses role of
community resilience and the local multiplier effect contributes to the internalization of environmental and social costs of food. Sounds alarm that the flattening food economy is a sign of systemic crisis, heightened by climate change and its attendant effects. Detailed study of one food system’s agricultural economy and tracking of flows. Recommends resilience strategies, including local alternative agricultural economies, with public municipal lands also being considered for agricultural development. Sees viticulture as potentially counter-productive to the aim of food security, with land-use reform being more viable in the face of climate change and other economic variables. Recommends a form of aggregation strategy to ensure better market distribution and economic strength. Also suggests urban agriculture and other local food initiatives are needed to generate social capital and shared knowledge that compensate for relatively small economies of scale.
Nganje, W. E. et al. (2014), “Perception of Risks and Preferences for Locally Grown Produce: A Marketing System
Approach”, Journal of Food Products Marketing, 20:2, 196-214
Summary: Consumer preference for locally grown produce has been established through numerous measures, and it is a
perception of food safety inherent to local food that drives demand in many instances. Identifies great disparities in the food
miles of local versus conventional produce, with resulting economic outcomes. The authors adopt a rating approach to surveys of consumers to evaluate how preferences for locally grown produce are formulated. They also employ integral equations to model the utility derived, applying these to actual macromarketing data (consumer responses). Quality of life and income factors are seen to be associated with local purchasing decisions.
Published Works
Ladner, P. (2011), The Urban Food Revolution: Changing the Way We Feed Cities, New Society Publishers, Canada
Summary: Looks in a balanced and insightful way at how food might become a commodity more commonly sourced from
urban farms. Discusses land conservation, food waste, distribution, food-finance (Slow Money), community organizing,
composting, novel growing techniques (vertical hydroponics) and food deserts.
Norberg-Hodge, H. et al. (2002), Bringing the Food Economy Home: Local Alternatives to Global Agribusiness, Zed Books,
United Kingdom
Summary: Suggests the local food movement has a real chance to reverse the destructive trends of industrial agriculture.
Clarifies that the homogenization of the world food system is at cross-purposes with local and global ecological development.
Discusses soil degradation, organic farming, genetic engeineering, destruction of biodiversity and chemical dependence in
agriculture. Highlights that without community-based agriculture systems, rural communities are destined for continuing
socio-economic decline. Authors see increasing prevalence of corporate agriculture as a threat to community food security.
Dispels notion that biotechnology makes any contribution to food security. Explores the benefits and challenges to shifting the
food system to more locally-based economic model.
Rosin, C. et al. (2012), Food Systems Failure: The Global Food Crisis and the Future of Agriculture, Earthscan, New York
and Canada
Summary: A collection of uniquely insightful essays that concentrate on world hunger, nutrition, right to food and access to
food, as well as specific regional examples of food system failures and challenges including climate resilience, speculation &
commoditization, the global 'land-grab' and pressures from biofuel production.
Cribb, J. (2010), The Coming Famine: The Global Food Crisis and what we can do to avoid it, Regents of the University of
California, Los Angeles, USA
Summary: Insists that despite recent (2007-2008) food crises, we have not yet seen the real global famine which is arriving
faster than climate change. Discusses resource shortages (water, land and nutrients) that will impact agricultural yields leading to other social problems. Delves into the plight of commercial fishing stagnation and global fish farming as a solution to the demand for protein. The author ties the food crisis to a loss of practical knowledge among the population and a lack of deeper understanding of soil dynamics. Food system limitations (fossil-fuel dependence), world hunger and climate challenges figure centrally in the author's assessments.
Wright, J. (2009), Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security in an Era of Oil Scarcity: Lessons from Cuba, Earthscan, USA &
UK
Summary: The text elaborates upon the looming fossil fuel scarcity crisis and its likely impacts on agriculture. More crucially,
it highlights the Cuban solutions to their own fossil fuel crisis as a function of the U.S. Embargo and dissolution of the Soviet
Bloc (1989) that spurred sustainable agriculture in Cuba. A formerly industrialized food economy, Cuba began to adopt an
almost exclusively organic agriculture policy in the early 1990's, with urban agriculture becoming a significant part of the
national strategy to convert to a post-petroleum era. Discusses how sustainable/organic agro-ecological methods became the
norm in Cuba and details the many benefits of organic practices on yields and crop management.
Blay-Palmer, A. (2010), Imagining Sustainable Food Systems: Theory and Practice, Ashgate Publishing Ltd., England/USA
Summary: Establishes broad-based guidelines for the scope and nature of sustainable food systems. Challenges the existing
industrial food regime, including commodity speculation, as inadequate to the task of social transformation that the next food
regime will demand. Cites examples from thriving regional food systems, the social and business organizations, as well as the
grassroots policies that ensure successful transitions/pathways to sustainable food systems. Highlights the importance of
community farming and processing infrastructure, entrepreneurial opportunities, food literacy and educational initiatives as key to the institution of sustainable practices.
Brown, L. (2012), Full Planet, Empty Plates, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., New York, USA
Summary: Discusses impending shortages of staples in the world food supply and places this crisis in a geopolitical context.
Treats the subject of resource shortages (primarily water and soil) that will impact the future of agriculture dramatically. Also
expertly cites current data on population, climate change and the food vs. fuel debate.
Ackerman-Leist (2013), Rebuilding the Foodshed: how to create local, sustainable, and secure food systems (A Community
Resilience Guide), Chelsea Green Publishing, USA
Summary: Discusses the looming carbon crisis (declining petroleum supplies) and its impact on agriculture. Outlines multiple
approaches on several different scales to implementing food efficiency and food security measures, with a particular emphasis on community-based food systems. Gives numerous examples of organizations and enterprises that are instrumental in making real social change.
Greenwood, D. & Holt, R.P.F. (2010), Local Economic Development in the 21st Century: quality of life and sustainability,
M.E. Sharpe, New York / England
Summary: Speaks to the interrelatedness of human, social and natural capital to the larger economic context. Gives evidence
as to why quality of life and human development are much better measures of economic outcomes than mere ‘growth’ which
takes no account of wealth distribution and other externalities of the macroeconomy. Sustainability at the local level will
require superior land use and public policy around development priorities. Tackles inequality and the ‘negative trickle-down
effect’ that now predominates in 21st Century economics. Consumer spending (often conspicuous consumption) is seen as the
antithesis to investment in human capital (Education, Opportunity, Mobility). Discusses ‘Smart-Growth’ strategies that
promote mixed land-use and improved transportation strategies. Advances the view that comprehensive quality-of-life
indicators at the local level are required before sustainable development or policy change is possible. Without such broad-based development, the economy today is unsustainable and will leave future generations poorer.