Is the Concept of Food Sovereignty Still Aligned with Sustainability Principles? Insights from a Q-Methodology Study

Serena Mandolesi, Ahmed Saidi, Teresa Del Giudice, Simona Naspetti, Raffaele Zanoli and Carla Cavallo ()
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Serena Mandolesi: Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali (D3A), Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60121 Ancona, Italy
Ahmed Saidi: Dipartimento di Agraria, Università di Napoli Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy
Teresa Del Giudice: Dipartimento di Agraria, Università di Napoli Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy
Simona Naspetti: Dipartimento di Scienze e Ingegneria della Materia, dell’Ambiente ed Urbanistica (SIMAU), Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60121 Ancona, Italy
Raffaele Zanoli: Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali (D3A), Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60121 Ancona, Italy
Carla Cavallo: Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università degli Studi di Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 15, 1-18

Abstract: Food sovereignty has gained significant political attention in recent years, proven by the recent change of the name of Italian Ministry of Agriculture. Coined by the transnational movement “La Via Campesina” in 1996, food sovereignty emphasizes sustainable food security and the right of populations to determine their own food policies. However, the concept is often misunderstood in the light of rising sovereigntist debate, and its original meaning, intertwined with long-term sustainability, is gradually disappearing. This study uses Q methodology to explore consumer perspectives on food sovereignty, identifying distinct groups that reflect how the concept has evolved and how it is perceived by the general population. The analysis is based on a sample of 24 participants from Italy. Starting from all sustainability issues contained in food sovereignty, relevant opinion groups have been identified. Results show that half of the groups still recognize their traditional meaning, while the other half understands food sovereignty as a modern form of autarchy.

Keywords: food sovereignty; nationalism; gastro-nationalism; workers’ rights; food safety (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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