What constitutes food system resilience? The importance of divergent framings between UK mainstream and local food system actors

Black, Jasmine ORCID: 0000-0001-9145-3889, Maye, Damian ORCID: 0000-0002-4459-6630, Krzywoszynska, Anna and Jones, Stephen (2024) What constitutes food system resilience? The importance of divergent framings between UK mainstream and local food system actors. British Food Journal, 126 (13). pp. 57-71. doi:10.1108/BFJ-10-2022-0928

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Abstract

Purpose: This paper examines how key actors in the UK food system understand the role of the local food sector in relation to food system resilience. Design/methodology/approach: Discourse analysis was used to assess and compare the framings of the UK food system in 36 publications released during Covid-19 from Alternative Food Networks (AFNs) actors and from other more mainstream food system actors, including the UK government. Findings: The analysis shows that AFNs actors perceive the UK food system as not resilient and identify local food systems as a route towards greater resilience (‘systemic’ framing). In contrast, other food actors perceive the UK food system as already resilient, with the role of local food limited to specific functions within the existing system (‘add-on’ framing). The two groups converge on the importance of Dynamic Public Procurement and local abattoir provision, but this convergence does not undermine the fundamental divergence in the understanding of the role of ‘the local’ in resilient UK food systems. The local food sector’s messages appear to have gone largely unheard in mainstream policy. Originality: A comparison of how different food system actors understand the importance of local food, especially in relation to resilience, has not been undertaken to date. The findings raise important questions about the disconnect between AFN actors and other actors in the framing of resilience. Considering the need to ensure resilience of the UK food system, our findings raise important insights for UK food policy about the ‘local food blindspot’, and for food movement actors wishing to progress their vision of transformative change.

Item Type:	Article
Article Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Covid-19; UK food system; Food policy; Alternative food networks; Local food system; Framing theory and discourse analysis
Subjects:	S Agriculture > S Agriculture (General) S Agriculture > SB Plant culture > SB175 Food crops
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > Countryside and Community Research Institute
Research Priority Areas:	Place, Environment and Community
Depositing User:	Harry Batchelor
Date Deposited:	19 Sep 2023 09:51
Last Modified:	16 Feb 2024 15:00
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/13192

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