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Growing sustainable food systems : a study of local food distribution initiatives in Stellenbosch
Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
2011
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| _version_ | 1867614140889038848 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Landman, Annie Petronella |
| author2 | Kelly, Candice |
| author_browse | Kelly, Candice Landman, Annie Petronella |
| author_facet | Kelly, Candice Landman, Annie Petronella |
| author_sort | Landman, Annie Petronella |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | University of Stellenbosch |
| description | Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/6486 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:47:19.123Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2011 |
| publishDateRange | 2011 |
| publishDateSort | 2011 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/6486 Growing sustainable food systems : a study of local food distribution initiatives in Stellenbosch Landman, Annie Petronella Kelly, Candice University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership. Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Stellenbosch Food supply -- South Africa -- Stellenbosch Dissertations -- Public management and planning Theses -- Public management and planning School of public leadership Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis investigates practical approaches to growing sustainable food systems. It first establishes the condition of the global environment within which food systems function and critically assesses previous efforts to grow sustainable food systems. After applying these findings to a set of case studies on local-food distribution in Stellenbosch, I recommend ways for the local-food distribution network to encourage the growth of a sustainable Stellenbosch food system. The literature review provides an overview of the global environment in relation to food systems and lists certain contextual challenges that food systems must address to become sustainable. These challenges are social inequality, an urban future, degraded ecosystems, climate change, energy constraints, a growing global population and food insecurity. The literature review also describes how commercialisation has disembedded food systems from their contexts. This disembeddedness loosens the feedback loops food systems require to effectively respond to contextual challenges and consequently hinders their sustainability. The critical overview of previous attempts to re-embed food systems provides insight into practical ways of growing sustainable food systems. The overview demonstrates that while localisation and the building of social capital should not be seen as the ultimate goals of sustainable food systems, they can be useful mechanisms for nurturing sustainability if applied carefully. The case studies describe ten local-food distribution initiatives in Stellenbosch, and are informed by numerous in-depth semi-structured interviews. My conceptual framework contrasts each initiative’s self-reported vision, perceived reality, and realised actions; this highlights the conceptual and physical network connections between various local-food distribution initiatives, as well as the factors preventing and promoting their sustainability. The case studies show that although a local-food distribution network exists in Stellenbosch, it is fragile and lacks defined conceptual connections. This in turn constrains the formation of physical connections and thus the food system’s progress toward sustainability. The local-food distribution network in Stellenbosch can catalyse the growth of a sustainable food system because its initiatives focus on localisation but do not see it as a final objective. This shared focus indicates that localisation already constitutes a practical tool in the growth of a sustainable food system; however, the network’s lack of social capital still needs to be addressed. Inclusive projects designed to create and protect intellectual, political and economic spaces for reflection within the food system can generate the social capital necessary to grow a sustainable food system. The realisation of a sustainable Stellenbosch food system therefore depends on those with the capacity and resources to initiate the necessary changes. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek praktiese benaderings waarmee volhoubare kossisteme bevorder kan word. Dit stel eerstens die toestand van die globale omgewing waarin kossisteme funksioneer vas en oorweeg krities vorige pogings wat volhoubare kossisteme probeer bevorder het. Na ek hierdie bevindings toepas op ’n stel gevallestudies van inisiatiewe wat plaaslik-geproduseerde kos in Stellenbosch versprei, kom ek met voorstelle vorendag vir dié verspreidingsnetwerk om die groei van ’n volhoubare Stellenbosch-kossisteem aan te moedig. Die literatuurstudie omskryf ’n oorsig van die globale omgewing met betrekking tot kossisteme en lys sekere kontekstuele uitdagings wat kossisteme moet aanspreek om volhoubaar te wees. Die uitdagings is maatskaplike ongelykheid, ’n verstedelikte toekoms, verswakte ekosisteme, klimaatsverandering, energiebeperkings, ’n groeiende globale bevolking en voedselonsekerheid. Die literatuurstudie bepaal ook dat kommersialisering kossisteme uit hulle omgewings ontwortel. Hierdie ontwortelling verswak die terugvoerbane wat kossisteme benodig om effektief op kontekstuele uitdagings te reageer en verhoed hulle volhoubaarheid. Die kritiese oorsig van vorige pogings om kossisteme nuwe wortels te laat skiet gee insig tot praktiese maniere om volhoubare kossisteme te bevorder. Die oorsig wys daarop dat terwyl lokalisering en die bou van maatskaplike kapitaal nie as die slotsom van volhoubare kossisteme beskou moet word nie, albei nuttige tegnieke kan wees vir die aankweek van volhoubaarheid indien hulle met sorg aangewend word. Die gevallestudies beskryf tien verspreidings-inisiatiewe van plaaslik-geproduseerde kos in Stellenbosch en is ingelig deur verskeie in-diepte, semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude. My konsepsuele raamwerk kontrasteer elke gevallestudie se self-verklaarde visie, veronderstelde realiteit en gerealiseerde aksies. Dit lig die begrips- en fisiesenetwerkkonneksies tussen die inisiatiewe uit en stel ’n aantal faktore bloot wat die netwerk se volhoubare groei positief en negatief beïnvloed. Die gevallestudies wys daarop dat alhoewel ’n verspreingsnetwerk van plaaslik-geproduseerde kos in Stellenbosch bestaan, dié netwerk swak is en omskrewe begripskonneksies kort. Om die beurt verhinder dit die formasie van fisiese konneksies en weerhou die kossisteem se vordering na volhoubaarheid. Die verspreidingsnetwerk van plaaslik-geproduseerde kos in Stellenbosch kan die groei van ‘n volhoubare kossisteem kataliseer omdat die inisiatiewe waaruit dit bestaan deur ’n gemeenskaplike fokus op lokalisering verbind word, maar dit nie as hulle einddoel beskou nie. Hierdie gedeelde fokus wys daarop dat lokalisering reeds ’n bruikbare tegniek vir die groei van ‘n volhoubare kossisteem is, maar die tekort aan maatskaplike kapitaal binne die netwerk moet steeds aangespreek word. Inklusiewe projekte wat saamgestel word om intellektuele, politiese en ekonomiese ruimtes vir besinning binne die kossisteem te bevorder en te bewaar, kan die nodige maatskaplike kapitaal kweek om ’n volhoubare kossisteem te vestig. Die verwesenliking van ’n volhoubare Stellenbosch-kossisteem hang dus van diegene af wat die kapasiteit en hulpbronne het om die nodige veranderings in te lei. Masters 2011-02-28T10:59:18Z 2011-03-14T08:12:02Z 2011-02-28T10:59:18Z 2011-03-14T08:12:02Z 2011-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/6486 en_ZA University of Stellenbosch application/pdf Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| spellingShingle | Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Stellenbosch Food supply -- South Africa -- Stellenbosch Dissertations -- Public management and planning Theses -- Public management and planning School of public leadership Landman, Annie Petronella Growing sustainable food systems : a study of local food distribution initiatives in Stellenbosch |
| title | Growing sustainable food systems : a study of local food distribution initiatives in Stellenbosch |
| title_full | Growing sustainable food systems : a study of local food distribution initiatives in Stellenbosch |
| title_fullStr | Growing sustainable food systems : a study of local food distribution initiatives in Stellenbosch |
| title_full_unstemmed | Growing sustainable food systems : a study of local food distribution initiatives in Stellenbosch |
| title_short | Growing sustainable food systems : a study of local food distribution initiatives in Stellenbosch |
| title_sort | growing sustainable food systems a study of local food distribution initiatives in stellenbosch |
| topic | Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Stellenbosch Food supply -- South Africa -- Stellenbosch Dissertations -- Public management and planning Theses -- Public management and planning School of public leadership |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/6486 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT landmananniepetronella growingsustainablefoodsystemsastudyoflocalfooddistributioninitiativesinstellenbosch |