Farmers' Cooperatives and Sustainable Food Systems in Europe

Farmers' Cooperatives and Sustainable Food Systems in Europe

Author: Raquel Ajates Gonzalez

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2018-06-13

Total Pages: 427

ISBN-13: 1351216287

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Farmers' cooperatives are very prevalent in the European Union, where they account for approximately half of agricultural trade and thus are key to articulating rural realities and in shaping the sustainability credentials of European food and farming. This book analyses to what extent farmers' cooperatives are working to benefit their members, are showing concern for their communities and are promoting cooperative economies. It offers a multilevel set of theoretical, disciplinary, methodological, empirical and social perspectives, using the UK and Spain as contrasting examples, and analyses whether agricultural cooperatives contribute to achieving sustainable food systems. The book presents empirical data from diverse and rich case studies, from large, international cooperatives, to small, multi-stakeholder initiatives. This provides an alternative viewpoint to that of economics, which tends to dominate the study of agricultural cooperatives. The author presents a new theoretical framework that provides a novel lens to study farmers’ cooperatives as organisations deeply embedded in power dynamics of the food system and agricultural policy that shape and constraint their potential to adopt cooperative and sustainable practices. The book is a major addition to the study of agricultural cooperatives and their impact in the development of fairer and more sustainable food systems and it is one of the first detailed accounts of multi-stakeholder food and farming cooperatives in Europe. It is a valuable resource for all scholars working on cooperatives, as well as for students studying agricultural and food policy, environmental justice and rural sociology.


Proceedings of the FAO/WHO International Symposium on sustainable food systems for healthy diets and improved nutrition

Proceedings of the FAO/WHO International Symposium on sustainable food systems for healthy diets and improved nutrition

Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.

Published: 2018-04-26

Total Pages: 182

ISBN-13: 9251304742

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In December 2016, FAO and WHO convened an International Symposium on Sustainable Food Systems for Healthy Diets and Improved Nutrition, gathering delegates from 90 UN Member States representatives of intergovernmental organizations, private-sector entities, civil society organizations, academia/research organizations and producer organizations/cooperatives. The symposium aimed to increase awareness of today’s urgent food and nutrition challenges, and to create a forum to discuss strategies for regulation and reform, in the aftermath of the ICN2 and under the umbrella of the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition 2016-2025. Nine parallel sessions comprising expert presentations and country case studies were complemented by a session on the United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition, a student’s session, plenary and special events. These proceedings include summaries of the parallel sessions, summaries and transcriptions from the plenary and Decade of Action sessions, to contribute to better-informed, accelerated action at national, regional and global levels on the urgent need to improve the human and environmental health of food systems worldwide and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.


The Agricultural Cooperative in the Framework of the European Cooperative Society

The Agricultural Cooperative in the Framework of the European Cooperative Society

Author: Georg Miribung

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2020-04-09

Total Pages: 570

ISBN-13: 3030441547

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This book assesses the Statute for a European Cooperative Society (SCE) regarding agricultural activities by comparing how specific questions arising in this context must be dealt with under the Italian and Austrian legal systems. In this regard, Council Regulation (EC) No. 1435/2003, of 22 July 2003, on the Statute for a European Cooperative Society (SCE), is used as a tool for the structured analysis of various aspects of agricultural cooperatives. However, a comparison is only meaningful if the results are made comparable on the basis of a previously defined standard. Accordingly, the study uses, on one hand, a cooperative model developed by European legal scholars that defines general guidelines on how cooperatives should function (PECOL). On the other, the results are presented in connection with economic considerations to discuss how efficient rules can be developed.


Local Food Systems; Concepts, Impacts, and Issues

Local Food Systems; Concepts, Impacts, and Issues

Author: Steve Martinez

Publisher: DIANE Publishing

Published: 2010-11

Total Pages: 87

ISBN-13: 1437933629

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This comprehensive overview of local food systems explores alternative definitions of local food, estimates market size and reach, describes the characteristics of local consumers and producers, and examines early indications of the economic and health impacts of local food systems. Defining ¿local¿ based on marketing arrangements, such as farmers selling directly to consumers at regional farmers¿ markets or to schools, is well recognized. Statistics suggest that local food markets account for a small, but growing, share of U.S. agricultural production. For smaller farms, direct marketing to consumers accounts for a higher percentage of their sales than for larger farms. Charts and tables.


Metropolitan Sustainability

Metropolitan Sustainability

Author: F Zeman

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2012-09-11

Total Pages: 773

ISBN-13: 085709646X

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Global populations have grown rapidly in recent decades, leading to ever increasing demands for shelter, resources, energy and utilities. Coupled with the worldwide need to achieve lower impact buildings and conservation of resources, the need to achieve sustainability in urban environments has never been more acute. This book critically reviews the fundamental issues and applied science, engineering and technology that will enable all cities to achieve a greater level of metropolitan sustainability, and assist nations in meeting the needs of their growing urban populations.Part one introduces key issues related to metropolitan sustainability, including the use of both urban metabolism and benefit cost analysis. Part two focuses on urban land use and the environmental impact of the built environment. The urban heat island effect, redevelopment of brownfield sites and urban agriculture are discussed in depth, before part three goes on to explore urban air pollution and emissions control. Urban water resources, reuse and management are explored in part four, followed by a study of urban energy supply and management in part five. Solar, wind and bioenergy, the role of waste-to-energy systems in the urban infrastructure, and smart energy for cities are investigated. Finally, part six considers sustainable urban development, transport and planning.With its distinguished editor and international team of expert contributors, Metropolitan sustainability is an essential resource for low-impact building engineers, sustainability consultants and architects, town and city planners, local/municipal authorities, and national and non-governmental bodies, and provides a thorough overview for academics of all levels in this field. - Critically reviews the fundamental issues and applied science, engineering and technology that will enable all cities to achieve a greater level of metropolitan sustainability - Will assist nations in meeting the needs of their growing urban populations - Chapters discuss urban land use, the environmental impact of the build environment, the urban heat island effect, urban air pollution and emissions control, among other topics