From niche to volume with integrity and trust


Special Issue of International Journal of Sociology of Agriculture and Food

A special issue EVOLUTIONS IN THE MIDDLE: TRANSNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON VALUES-BASED FOOD CHAINS is now published.


About the project

Introduction

In HealthyGrowth, eighteen mid-scale and four regional organic value chains are investigated in order to learn how they are able to combine values and increasing volumes. 

  • Managing specific challenges related to growth
  • Understanding success factors
  • Fostering cooperation and partnership in values-based food chains

Background

A sustainable growth in the organic market depends on the ability to combine increasing volumes with measures that safeguard integrity and consumer trust based on organic values and principles. 

  • Mainstream large-scale value chains have major difficulties in securing and advancing organic values
  • Organic markets differ between countries and sectors; however: many face generic challenges related to growth
  • Examples show that medium-scale food chains are able to increase volumes of premium quality products while mediating organic values from farmer to consumer

Main project activitites

  • Literature review related to organic and other forms of sustainable food chains
  • Methodological approach for the selection of case studies
  • Interdisciplinary and  multiperspectival analysis of case studies
  • Case studies including interviews and workshops with relevant chain partners
  • Active stakeholder involvement, network building and cooperation on national and European level
  • International research cooperation e.g. with US-project “Agriculture of the Middle”

Coordinator

Professor, Head of Centre Egon Noe
Danish Centre for Rural Research
University of Southern Denmark
Niels Bohrs Vej 9-10
DK-6700 Esbjerg

Phone: +45 6550 3613 or +45 9350 7375
enoe@sam.sdu.dk
www.sdu.dk/ansat/enoe

 

 

 

Funding

The project is funded by the ERA-net CORE Organic II by national funds to each partner.

CORE Organc II is a collaboration between 21 countries on initiating transnational research projects in the area of organic food and farming.

For further information, see www.coreorganic2.org.