Potentials and Limitations of Regional Organic Food Supply: A Qualitative Analysis of Two Food Chain Types in the Berlin Metropolitan Region

Alexandra Doernberg, Ingo Zasada, Katarzyna Bruszewska, Björn Skoczowski and Annette Piorr
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Alexandra Doernberg: Institute of Socio-Economics, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) e. V., Eberswalder Str. 84, 15374 Müncheberg, Germany
Ingo Zasada: Institute of Socio-Economics, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) e. V., Eberswalder Str. 84, 15374 Müncheberg, Germany
Katarzyna Bruszewska: Institute of Socio-Economics, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) e. V., Eberswalder Str. 84, 15374 Müncheberg, Germany
Björn Skoczowski: Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Humboldt University Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany
Annette Piorr: Institute of Socio-Economics, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) e. V., Eberswalder Str. 84, 15374 Müncheberg, Germany

Sustainability, 2016, vol. 8, issue 11, 1-20

Abstract: Regional food systems and organic agriculture are both considered more sustainable than the conventional, globalized food system they provide an alternative to. The emergence and expansion of alternative forms of food supply are influenced by various factors on different scales. Using the food systems approach we aim to study potentials and limitations of regional organic food supply in the Berlin metropolitan region (BMR). Based on the literature, we developed an analytical framework and identified determinants of regional organic food provision along the three major levels of the supply chain: agricultural production, food chain organization, and consumption. Then, we examined a qualitative case study with two different types of alternative food networks (A) organic community supported agriculture (CSA) and (B) organic retail trade. Factors that hinder or promote the provision of regional organic food were identified through qualitative interviews and assessed by regional stakeholders in a workshop. Our findings show that demand for regional organic food is higher than regional supply, which could offer good possibilities for organic farmers. However, actors in these two food chains need to overcome some obstacles, including limited access to land, increasing renting prices, insufficient processing capacities, and unsupportive political environment for organic farming.

Keywords: food system; community supported agriculture; retail trade; alternative food networks; food policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (20)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:11:p:1125-:d:81959

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