A Socially-Based Redesign of Sustainable Food Practices: Community Supported Agriculture in Italy

Alessandra Piccoli, Adanella Rossi and Angela Genova
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Alessandra Piccoli: Faculty of Pedagogy, Free University of Bolzano, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
Adanella Rossi: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Angela Genova: Department of Economics, Society, Politics, University of Urbino, 61029 Urbino, Italy

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 21, 1-21

Abstract: Several grassroots initiatives in the last two decades have shown the need for different food practices that should be locally based and founded on ethical goals of social and environmental justice. Among the many “alternative food networks”, the Community Supported Agriculture model is particularly significant and interesting. By redefining meanings and social norms around food practices, this model actualizes significant processes of food re-socialization and re-territorialization. Focusing on Italy, this study aims to contribute to the understanding of the potential of this model. It does so through two investigations carried out in 2019 and 2020, aimed at analyzing, respectively, structural and organizational aspects of CSAs and the features of resilience shown by these initiatives during the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. On the whole, the two surveys give us the image of a radically innovative experience, potentially capable of deeply redefining production and consumption practices, being rooted in socially-shared knowledge, motivations, willingness, commitment and sense of community. In addition to being characterized by a determination to pursue sustainability and equity goals, the model shows a remarkable character of resilience thanks to the original arrangements that the common value basis and the strong sense of interdependence and solidarity of its members can provide.

Keywords: Community Supported Agriculture; social innovation; social embeddedness; food re-commonification; resilient food systems; food sovereignty; food re-socialisation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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