chapter 3 inventory of local food systems

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Project CP/59 - “Instruments and institutions to develop local food systems” • Institutional failures: institutions refer both to hard or formal institutions, such as rules, and soft or informal institutions, such as culture and values; • Interaction failures: interaction refers to the linkages between actors that can be too strong resulting in myopia or too weak resulting in lack of cooperation and blind spots; • Capabilities failures: this refers to a lack of competences or resources especially with small and medium-sized enterprises. The last failure has been addressed in the previous section. Using our data to applying this theory to the development of LFS yields three additional propositions. Proposition 5: To further develop LFS, the knowledge base that supports the development of competences and insights needs to be developed. Universities, applied research stations and other science and technology actors are still geared towards the existing mainstream of commodity production. The development of knowledge relevant for the LFS niches occurs itself in niches within these actors. A typical problem is that LFS are not able to generate the necessary co-financing for applied research projects compared to mainstream sub-sectors. Proposition 6: To further develop LFS, existing rules and institutions need to be adapted. The rules governing the agricultural and food sector are based on the old system of strictly separated production stages. In LFS, however, production stages are reintegrated leading often to a conflict with the existing rules. This may refer to food safety regulation, transportation, retail, zoning regulations, etc. Proposition 7: To further develop LFS, initiatives need largers networks. When drawing the networks of our cases, it becomes immediately evident that these tend to be limited to a small group of people sharing the same assumptions and having established trust relationships. This refers both to other farmers, advisors and consumers. This may lead to myopia towards developments outside. This is also clear from the learning journeys to kindred initiatives and the invitation of experts who are part of the same inner circle. At the same time, weak ties with external partners outside the LFS sector are generally lacking. 4.6. Conclusions The central question to this chapter was ‘what is needed for farmers to successfully develop local food systems?’. For this, we conducted three case studies using a mix of observations, interviews and intervention research. We propose that farmers need three sets of competences. First, managerial competences are needed to convert ideas into action. Second, cognitive competences are needed to SPSD II - Part I - Sustainable production and consumption patterns - Agro-Food 69
Project CP/59 - “Instruments and institutions to develop local food systems” observe and reflect on experience. Third, relational competences are important as local food systems involve close collaboration among farmers and in some cases also with other actors. We postulate that for LFS to successfully develop, they need all three competences. We think that some of these competences may be supplied by outside advisors, but the sustained success of the collaboration crucially depends on the degree to which these competences are internalized by the LFS. Therefore, in designing policies and/or consulting practice sufficient attention should be paid at all these competences. For example, subsidies should not only cover the making of a business plan, but also the building of a shared vision. Advice should aim at strengthening these competences, rather than just supplying them. We further propose that for the development of LFS, three sets of system failures need to be addressed. First, LFS should get better access to the science and technology infrastructure. Government should rethink its research policy by enabling also high risk research that may lead to radical innovations (as is done in many other sectors already). Second, the many rules and regulations limiting the broadening and deepening of agriculture should be adapted and be made more flexible. Third, LFS networks should be broadened by stimulating LFS members to tie with actors outside their inner circle. SPSD II - Part I - Sustainable production and consumption patterns - Agro-Food 70
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