Food systems sustainability: An examination of different viewpoints on food system change
Journal article, 2019

Global food insecurity levels remain stubbornly high. One of the surest ways to grasp the scale and consequence of global inequality is through a food systems lens. In a predominantly urban world, urban food systems present a useful lens to engage a wide variety of urban (and global) challenges-so called 'wicked problems.' This paper describes a collaborative research project between four urban food system research units, two European and two African. The project purpose was to seek out solutions to what lay between, across and within the different approaches applied in the understanding of each city's food system challenges. Contextual differences and immediate (perceived) needs resulted in very different views on the nature of the challenge and the solutions required. Value positions of individuals and their disciplinary "enclaves" presented further boundaries. The paper argues that finding consensus provides false solutions. Rather the identification of novel approaches to such wicked problems is contingent of these differences being brought to the fore, being part of the conversation, as devices through which common positions can be discovered, where spaces are created for the realisation of new perspectives, but also, where difference is celebrated as opposed to censored.

Sustainability

Food systems change

Urban food system

Wicked problems

Urban food security

Author

Gareth Haysom

University of Cape Town

E. Gunilla Almered Olsson

University of Gothenburg

Mirek Dymitrow

Mistra Urban Futures

University of Gothenburg

Paul Opiyo

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science & Technology

Nick Taylor Buck

University of Sheffield

Michael Oloko

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science & Technology

Charlotte Spring

University of Sheffield

Kristina Fermskog

City of Gothenburg

Karin Ingelhag

Business Region Gothenburg

Shelley Kotze

Business Region Gothenburg

Chalmers, Administration and Services

Stephen Gaya Agong

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science & Technology

Sustainability

20711050 (eISSN)

Vol. 11 12 3337

Subject Categories

Other Computer and Information Science

Architecture

Information Systemes, Social aspects

DOI

10.3390/su11123337

More information

Latest update

12/18/2019