Background: The current unsustainable situation of the seafood industry requires innovative solutions and there is an opportunity for companies to provide consumers with plant-based options which would enable them to eat seafood without harming the oceans. However, there are still several barriers keeping consumers from choosing plant-based products, such as limited knowledge, social norms, and cultural settings. Previous studies regarding how a cultural context and storytelling might be used to influence people towards more plant-based eating, especially relating to plant-based seafood are limited. Therefore, it is interesting to examine how companies offering plant-based foods can use culture and certain narratives held by consumers in their branding to integrate them into the Swedish culture and influence consumers towards a more sustainable consumption.   Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate what narratives influence consumers, and how companies offering plant-based food can use these narratives to drive a change towards more sustainable consumption among people in Sweden.   Method: Using a semi-structured approach, two focus groups were conducted and two different companies offering plant-based food were interviewed. Furthermore, this qualitative research uses an inductive approach, and the gathered data was later analyzed under a thematic analysis which was the foundation for the conceptual framework.   Conclusion: The myths and narrative towards plant-based substitutes are a noteworthy barrier to adoption, and cultural branding seems to be a favorable strategy for brands offering plant-based food. The findings suggest that culture and childhood experiences have a substantial influence on consumer demand for different types of foods, and that a change in dietary patterns requires a change in the surrounding cultural norms. Brands offering plant-based products need to understand the cultural norms of their target customers and leverage cultural contradictions to offer products that align with personal values.

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(農学) / 甲第24299号 / 農博第2528号 / 新制||農||1095(附属図書館) / 学位論文||R4||N5422(農学部図書室) / 京都大学大学院農学研究科生物資源経済学専攻 / (主査)教授 秋津 元輝, 教授 辻村 英之, 教授 久野 秀二 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Agricultural Science / Kyoto University / DGAM

The study aims to better understand which challenges and possibilities there are for increasing more sustainable and healthy food (i.e. food sovereignty) within the school food sector in different geographical places in Sweden, and how schools and other relevant actors can lead the way towards more sustainable food systems. This has been examined through a case study of the EU-funded SchoolFood4Change (SF4C) project, with a special focus on the two participating municipalities in Sweden: Umeå kommun and Malmö Stad. The method chosen is qualitative semi-structured interviews, which have been conducted with several key actors connected to the school food sector and the SF4C project. It includes procurers, project managers, food producers, and school chefs. The result showed that there are both possibilities and challenges when it comes to developing more sustainable food systems. Possibilities include, for example, a chance for new forms of collaboration between sectors, and an opportunity for everyone involved to gain more knowledge and understanding of the food we eat. Challenges on the other hand include time limitations, lack of communication, and economic problems for organic small-scale farmers. Further, there are differences between Umeå and Malmö that affect their ability to create sustainable school food systems. For example, they are located in different hardiness zones, and the structure of the project groups differs. Lastly, each actor plays a significant role in creating sustainable food systems.

Food policy groups (FPG) have emerged in the United States (U.S.) to create healthy, resilient and sustainable food systems. There is a lack of research about FPG in the Commonwealth of Virginia. This M.S. thesis describes a mixed-methods study that investigated the structure, issue framing, activities and priorities of diverse FPG in Virginia to develop a healthy, resilient and sustainable food system framed around three research objectives. Objective one used a scoping review to inventory and visually map the location of Virginia's FPG. Objective two administered a validated, online questionnaire to document activities related to organizational capacity, social capital, context, effectiveness, and community outcomes. Objective three used a semi-structured interview guide to explore stakeholders' views about opportunities and challenges to align diverse FPG priorities and interests. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative data were transcribed, hand-coded, and analyzed for emergent themes. Results found that 58% of FPG (n=32/55) are located cities around universities (i.e., Richmond, Blacksburg and Charlottesville), and fewer located in rural counties with higher health outcomes. A majority (75%, n=12/16) operated on annual budget less than $50,000. A third (37.5%, n=6/16) reported food system resilience work and 50% (n=8/16) reported sustainability work. Stakeholders (n=11) reported collaboration as a mutual interest and necessary to address systemic challenges and all interviewed FPG (n=11) reported sustainable funding as a major challenge. The results of this study may inform future policies for Virginia's FPG to support a healthy, resilient and sustainable food system at local, state and national levels. / Master of Science / Since the 1980s, food policy groups (FPG) including councils, networks and coalitions in the United States (U.S.) and other countries have emerged to address food system issues such as food insecurity, food access, diet-related chronic diseases, the environmental impacts agricultural systems, poverty and economic development in communities. In 2016, 411 FPG were active in the U.S. and Canada to create healthy, resilient and sustainable food systems. There is a lack of research about FPG in the Commonwealth of Virginia. This M.S. thesis describes a study design to investigate how the structure, issue framing, activities and priorities of diverse FPG in Virginia can develop a healthy, resilient and sustainable food system. Results found that 58% of FPG (n=32/55) are located cities around universities (i.e., Richmond, Blacksburg and Charlottesville), and fewer located in rural counties with higher health outcomes. A majority (75%, n=12/16) operated on annual budget less than $50,000. A third (37.5%, n=6/16) reported food system resilience work and 50% (n=8/16) reported sustainability work. Stakeholders (n=11) reported collaboration as a mutual interest and necessary to address systemic challenge and all interviewed FPG (n=11) reported sustainable funding as a major challenge. The results of this study may inform future policies for Virginia’s FPG to support a healthy, resilient and sustainable food system at local, state and national levels.

Yes / The purpose of this paper is to offer a consolidative approach in exploring the potential contribution of digital technologies in sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) for the sustainable performance of food supply chain business, through the circular economy concepts. As a single case study, this qualitative, interpretivist research was based on one of the largest food producers in the United Kingdom. The research utilises semi-structured interviews and applies thematic analysis to offer rich insights into SSCM challenges and their relationship with the business performance, through ten in-depth interviews. Findings derived from thematic analysis of the interview transcripts suggest four main critical success factors underpinning SSCM practices and businesses performance – i.e. business continuity, waste reduction, performance measurement approach, and organisational learning, which could use the help of digital technologies to improve. This led to seven propositions to be addressed in the future research. This research offers real, practical insights into SSCM challenges, within the context of food supply chain and explores the potential of digital technologies in overcoming them. Accordingly, the primary contribution of this work is grounded in the identification of critical success factors in SSCM for Food Supply Chains (FSC). Hence, this work contributes further to the literature on SSCM, as well as circular economy, by providing a study of a business in the context of the highly pertinent and valuable food industry.

This thesis compares conventional agriculture and Ecological Recycling Agriculture (ERA) in terms of their environmental and socio-economic effects. Environmental effects include greenhouse gas emissions and energy use, but this analysis focuses on nutrient losses. Socio-economic effects include production, costs and benefits at macro, firm and household level. Comparisons were made at regional (Baltic Sea), national (Swedish) and local (community/municipality) level. At regional level, the main challenge is to make agriculture more environmentally friendly and reduce nutrient losses, while maintaining food production. At national level, the challenges are to shift the product mix towards more vegetables and less meat and to address the geographical division between animal and crop production. At local level, the challenge is to achieve sustainable environmental, economic and social rural development. At regional level, the empirical findings were scaled up to create three scenarios. In one scenario, agriculture in Poland and the Baltic States was transformed to resemble the Swedish average structure and resource use, which gave increased nitrogen and phosphorus surplus and substantially increased food production. Two other scenarios in which agriculture in the entire Baltic Sea area converted to ERA gave reductions in nitrogen surplus and eliminated the phosphorus surplus, while food production decreased or remained stable, depending on the strategy chosen. At national level, the environmental effects of different production methods, transport and different food baskets were compared. A household survey was performed to construct an alternative food basket, which was high in vegetables, low in meat and high in locally produced organic food compared with the average Swedish food profile. It was also 24% more expensive. Food basket content was found to be as important as production method in reducing environmental effects. Local production and processing was less important. At local level, an importer and wholesaler of organic fruit and vegetables and a group of environmentally concerned consumers were studied. The business was found to be resilient, i.e. well-suited to adapt to turbulence, and with a history of being innovative. / I den här avhandlingen jämförs konventionellt jordbruk med ekologiskt kretsloppsjordbruk. Jämförelsen görs med avseende på miljöeffekter och socio-ekonomisk påverkan. Av miljöeffekterna är fokus på läckage av växtnäring men utsläpp av växthusgaser samt energianvändning studeras också. Till de socio-ekonomiska effekterna räknas effekter på produktionsvolym samt kostnader och nyttor på såväl samhälls- som företags- och hushållsnivå. Jämförelsen görs på regional (Östersjöområdet), nationell (Sverige) och lokal (Järna/Södertälje kommun) nivå. På regional nivå är den stora utmaningen att omvandla jordbruksproduktionen i miljövänlig riktning och att minska närsaltsbelastningen samtidigt som produktionen hålls uppe. På nationell nivå är en utmaning att ändra produktionssammansättningen mot mer vegetabilier och mindre kött samt att minska den geografiska uppdelningen av djurhållning och spannmål. På lokal nivå är utmaningen att uppnå en hållbar landsbygdsutveckling ur miljömässigt såväl som ekonomiskt och socialt perspektiv. Resultat: på regional nivå beräknas miljöpåverkan och påverkan på livsmedelsproduktion i tre olika scenarier. Enligt ett scenario omvandlar Polen och de baltiska staterna sina jordbrukssektorer efter samma struktur och resursanvändning som ett genomsnittligt svenskt jordbruk. Det resulterar i att överskottet av kväve och fosfor i jordbruket ökar med 58% respektive 18% samtidigt som livsmedelsproduktionen ökar betydligt. Två andra scenarier där jordbruket i hela Östersjöregionen ställer om till ekologiskt kretsloppsjordbruk resulterar i reduktion av kväveöverskottet från jordbruket med 47-61% samt att fosforöverskottet elimineras. I de här scenarierna skulle livsmedelsproduktionen minska eller vara i princip oförändrad beroende på vilken strategi som väljs. På nationell nivå jämförs miljöpåverkan av olika produktionsmetoder, av transporter samt av olika matkassar. En hushållsstudie genomfördes i en grupp miljömedvetna konsumenter för att konstruera en alternativ matkasse. Matkassen innehöll en stor andel grönsaker, en liten andel kött och mycket lokalt och ekologiskt producerad mat jämfört med en genomsnittlig svensk matkasse. Den var även 24% dyrare i inköp. Det visade sig att miljöbelastningen påverkades väl så mycket av matkassens innehåll som av produktionsmetod. Lokal produktion och förädling var inte lika betydelsefullt. På lokal nivå studerades en grossist och importör av ekologiska frukter och grönsaker samt en grupp av miljöengagerade konsumenter (hushållsstudien ovan). Semistrukturerade intervjuer användes för att studera företaget, som visade sig vara resilient, det vill säga väl förberett för att klara turbulens på marknaden. Företaget karaktäriserades av ekonomisk stabilitet och en tradition av att vara innovativt. Ett exempel är Ekolådan, den första helt ekologisk hemleveransen av frukt och grönsaker i Stockholmsområdet. I den studerade regionen (Södertälje kommun) är efterfrågan på ekologiska livsmedel – från såväl hushåll och företag och andra organisationer som kommunen själv – hög jämfört med övriga Sverige. EU:s utvidgning innebär en möjlighet till förändrad förvaltning av Östersjön och jordbrukssektorn. En omställning i stor skala till ekologiskt kretsloppsjordbruk skulle leda till miljöförbättringar. En hållbar förvaltning av Östersjön, något som överenskommits inom ramen för HELCOM, kan inte uppnås samtidigt som jordbruksproduktionen maximeras i länderna runt Östersjön. Jordbruket orsakar betydande externa kostnader. Betalningsviljan för en förbättrad Östersjömiljö är stor vilket motiverar investeringar i ett miljövänligare, hållbart jordbruk. Medlemmarna i HELCOM, däribland Sveriges regering, har såväl ekonomiska som miljömässiga incitament att utnyttja möjligheten som Polens och de baltiska staternas EU-medlemskap innebär. / <p>QC 20160523</p>

The Real Food Challenge (RFC) is a national student movement that is trying to harness student power to shift $1 billion'roughly 20% of college and university food budgets across the country towards local, ecologically sound, fair, and humane food sources, what they call "real" food, by 2020. The University of Vermont (UVM) was the fifth university in the country to sign the Real Food Campus Commitment, pledging to shift at least 20% of its own food budget towards "real" food by 2020. The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate the implementation of the Real Food Campus Commitment at UVM. In order to examine the demand for "real" food on the UVM campus I analyzed a survey of 904 undergraduate students that used contingent valuation to evaluate students' willingness-to-pay (WTP) for the "real" food attributes. I found that a majority of students are willing to pay a positive premium for "real" food, but that the average premium is quite small. Furthermore, I found that student characteristics and attitudes significantly influence WTP. Specifically, gender, residency, college, and attitudes about price and origin of food are significant predictors of WTP. To evaluate the potential of the RFC to significantly transform the food system I analyzed the activities and components of the RFC using the framework of food democracy. In addition to analyzing the activities and components of the RFC as a national movement, I analyzed the movement as it is being realized on the ground at UVM. My analysis reveals that the RFC has the potential to transform the food system because it promotes all five dimensions of food democracy as both a national movement and as realized on the ground at one university. Both of my analyses suggest that the RFC has significant potential to transform the food system at UVM, but that food systems education for the greater student body will crucial to see that potential fulfilled. This thesis can contribute to the success of the Real Food movement at UVM by identifying areas of weakness and opportunities for improvement in terms of increasing student preference for "real" food and promoting food democracy. Moreover, this thesis may be useful for national RFC staff and other campuses that are implementing the RFC, as it demonstrates how the RFC is being played out on the ground at an institution that is at the forefront of the movement.

<p>Ett växande problem i världen idag är att nå en hållbar matproduktion. Världens befolkning växer stadigt och miljontals människor lever på gränsen till svält. Fosfor är en icke-förnyelsebar resurs på jorden och ett av de näringsämnen jorden behöver för att ge bra avkastning. Fosfor förekommer i alla växter, djur och människor och kan återvinnas av naturen på egen hand. Ibland när människor och den moderna teknologin påverkar den naturliga cykeln så förändras den till ett öppet system där resurser överutnyttjas.</p><p>I den här uppsatsen har fyra fallstudier från Sverige, Ghana, Thailand och Zimbabwe jämförts med fokus på hur organiskt hushållsavfall hanteras i de olika länderna. Resultatet visar inte på några större skillnader mellan utvecklingsländer och industrialiserade länder, vilket kan bero på tillgänglig data. Alla länder i studien har förutsättningar att använda sig av olika återvinningsmetoder av organiskt avfall, både med och utan exkrementer. Genom att använda olika tekniska lösningar, som exempelvis rötning och olika typer av kompostering, kan förlusterna av fosfor minskas ordentligt. Ofta kostar teknik och den nödvändiga kunskapen pengar, men i många fall kan återvinning av organiskt avfall vara en ekonomisk vinst då mindre kemiska gödningsmedel behöver importeras.</p><p>För att nå en hållbar matproduktion bör fosfor från alla olika utflöden användas; organiskt avfall (från kök och trädgård), avloppsvatten (från bad, kök och tvätt), och från exkrementer (urin och fekalier).</p> / <p>Sustainable food production is an important issue in a world with a rapidly growing population and millions of people living on the verge of starvation. Phosphorus is a non-renewable resource and one of the nutrients needed for soil to give good crop outcomes. Phosphorus is essential to all plants, animals and humans, and can be recycled by nature itself within the phosphorus cycle. Problems could arise when humans and modern technology interfere with this cycle and turn it into an open-ended system.</p><p>In this thesis four case studies from Sweden, Ghana, Thailand and Zimbabwe are compared with focus on how organic waste is handled in the different countries. There results show no big differences between developing and developed countries. This might depend on the data used for the study. All countries show potential for using different recycling methods to increase the reuse of organic waste, both including and excluding excreta, but lacks technology and knowledge. By using technology, for example anaerobic digestion or composting, phosphorus losses could be reduced substantially. Technology costs money and needs knowledge, but in many cases these costs could probably be offset by not needing chemical fertilizers, or less of these.</p><p>To reach a sustainable food production, phosphorus from all outflows needs to be considered for reuse: solid organic waste (food waste and garden waste), greywater (water from kitchen, bath and laundry) and excreta (urine and faeces).</p>

Pomona College is an institution deeply committed to sustainability and student well being; however these commitments are not reflected in the College’s food purchases. Before this study, an assessment of purchasing had not been conducted at Pomona College. Using the Real Food Calculator – a metric designed to evaluate food purchasing at academic institutions – I tracked all food purchased by one of the College’s dining halls over the course of one month. Each food item was assessed based on the potential health concerns of its ingredients and whether the item was locally produced, ecologically sound and/or humane to determine whether it should be considered Real. The assessment metric also lists ingredients with potential health concerns (including trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, MSG, and others), which if present in the food item mean it cannot be considered Real. Of the over $150,000 worth of food purchases made during the study, 8.9% qualified as Real Food. Each food that qualified as Real Food met the standards for at least one of the attributes (local, ecologically sound, or humane). A total of 2.1% of all food purchases qualified for two attributes. Of the foods assessed, over one third contained ingredients considered harmful to human health. If Pomona is serious about its commitments to sustainability and student well being, it is time to include food purchasing in these discussions. The study concludes with a series of recommendations to improve food purchasing at Pomona College.

This thesis addresses resilience for the future of Canadian suburbs, through the lens of buildings and food, particularly against the backdrop of peak oil and climate change. Food access is an integral part of how a city sustains itself. There is growing evidence that the current global food system, the one that feeds many cities today, is “broken” or at least at risk. It has, in the past, produced an abundance of food. It has also brought along a number of unintended consequences, has neglected to embed equitable distribution patterns, and when faced with peak oil and climate change, risks some form of collapse. This thesis focuses on the food distribution question. It suggests a new food system model for the City of Mississauga that couples the region's local systems with global networks in a set of local/global relationships. The research portion of this work provides an overview of the dynamic historical and present relationship between food and city infrastructure, touches on the issues facing suburban resiliency today, and investigates the challenges facing the food retail industry. It then draws lessons from large-scale typologies of urban agriculture being proposed in recent years by architects and urban designers. This work, specifically at the design stage, identifies the suburban supermarket as a local catalyst for transformation. Today, the City of Mississauga is not food secure – that is, it does not rely on a safe, adequate, sustainable, or appropriate food supply. This thesis investigates how local and sustainable food systems can be integrated into the urban fabric and systems sustaining suburbs today. It further seeks to build on existing conditions, and answer how the suburban big-box typology, preferred by retailers, can contribute to food security.