Sustainable Food Networks and Mainstream Agrifood Value Chains: Testing a Comparative Conceptual Framework.

Abstract

[EN] Sustainable food networks pretend to build a more localised, fair and environmentally friendly model of food production, distribution and consumption. These networks challenge the hegemonic food system ruled by mainstream agrifood value chains, which are usually coordinated by big corporations. This chapter proposes a conceptual framework for comparing both food provision models around three dimensions: objectives of stakeholders, definition and attributes of food, and governance mechanisms. The comparison, grounded on empirical research in the region of Castilla y León (Spain), finds more similarities in the first dimension and more differences in the two other ones. Such similarities and differences allow for a sounder conceptualisation of the processes of ‘conventionalisation’ and ‘hybridisation’ currently recorded in the food market. Both processes are then the outcome of the interaction between the values and practices deployed by the stakeholders embedded in both systems of food provision.