Innovation for Sustainability : Small Farmers Facing New Challenges in the Evolving Food Systems.

Front Cover -- INNOVATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY -- RESEARCH IN RURAL SOCIOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT -- INNOVATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY: SMALL FARMERS FACING NEW CHALLENGES IN THE EVOLVING FOOD SYSTEMS -- Copyright -- CONTENTS -- LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES -- FIGURES -- TABLES -- LIST OF ACRONYMS -- FOREWORD -- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -- Introduction -- Abstract -- An Overall View on the Book's Content -- References -- Part I Changing Food Systems -- Small Farming and the Food System -- Abstract -- Introduction -- What Is a Food System? -- Food Systems in the Space -- Small Farms in the Food System -- References -- Small Farming and Food and Nutrition Security -- Abstract -- Food Security: The Official Definition -- Availability -- Access -- Utilization -- Stability -- Additional Dimensions -- Behind and beyond the Official Definition -- Productivism -- The Neoproductivist Framework -- The Entitlement Approach -- Food Sovereignty -- The Livelihoods Approach -- The Right to Food -- Food Democracy and Food Citizenship -- Community Food Security -- How Do Small Farmers Contribute to Sustainable FNS? -- References -- Unpacking Food Systems -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Multidisciplinary Frameworks for a Complex Object -- The Components of a Food System -- Food System Activities -- Food Supply -- Food Demand -- Managing Loss and Waste -- Natural and Human-made Assets -- Natural Assets -- Human-made Assets -- Food System Outcomes -- Institutions -- INTERACTIONS WITHIN THE FOOD SYSTEM -- Barriers and Choices -- Power Relations -- Dynamics, Interactions, Interconnectedness and Feedbacks across Multiple Scales and Levels -- Multisystem Interactions -- The Drivers of Change -- The Governance of Food Systems -- References -- The Vulnerability of Food Systems -- Abstract -- Conceptualization of Vulnerability -- Factors Affecting Vulnerability -- Components of Vulnerability.

Exposure -- Sensitivity -- Adaptive Capacity -- Vulnerability Assessment: General Concepts -- Characteristics of Observed Systems -- Causes of Vulnerability -- Vulnerability of Whom (of What)? -- Vulnerability of Individuals and Households -- Vulnerability Assessment of the Food System -- Challenges in Vulnerability Assessment of the Food System -- Vulnerability, Sustainability and Food (and Nutrition) Security -- References -- A Seven-step Method for Vulnerability Assessments of the Food System -- Step One: Engage Stakeholders and Communicate Vulnerability -- Step Two: Define the Food System Profile -- Step Three: Assess the Present Food System's Performance and the Most Vulnerable Groups Affected within the Food System -- Step Four: Identify and Analyze the Main Factors, with Special Attention to Drivers that Result in Present and Potential Ha ... -- Step Five: Model Pathways Leading to Vulnerability of the Food System in Relation to Present and Potential Hazards -- Step Six: Integrate Vulnerability Assessment of the Food System - 'Is the Food System Able in the Face of a Set of Hazards ... -- Step Seven: Find and Assess Adaptation Strategies -- References -- Food Systems as Assemblages -- Abstract -- The Concept of Food System in the Light of the Diversity of Agri-food Models -- Diversity of Configurations and Distributed Performance -- Theoretical Basis of Complementarity between Models -- Food Systems as Assemblages -- Building Sustainable Food Systems: The Need for a Multilevel Approach -- Building Sustainable Food Systems: The Role of Governance -- Final Remarks -- References -- Part II Farming in the Changing Food Systems -- Small Farms' Behaviour: Conditions, Strategies and Performances -- Abstract -- Introduction -- The Conditions-strategies-performances Approach -- The Decision-making Process -- Internal Conditions -- Introduction.

Description -- External Conditions -- Introduction -- Description -- External Conditions and Market Imperfections -- Perception, Attitudes and Mental Models: Mediators between Internal and External Conditions -- Strategies -- Strategies: Decision-making Process in the Light of Perceived Conditions -- Identification of Strategy Types and Clusters -- Description of Strategy Clusters -- Agro-industrial Competitiveness -- Blurring Farm Borders -- Rural Development -- Risk Management -- Political Support -- Coping with Decline -- Institutional Arrangements: An Overarching Strategy -- Definitions -- Institutions and Institutional Arrangements -- Horizontal Cooperation -- Vertical Coordination -- An Overarching Strategy -- Characterization of Institutional Arrangements -- Performances -- Producer Performances and the Whole Canvas of CSP -- Performances and Farm Resilience -- Concluding Remarks -- References -- Small Farms and Innovation -- Abstract -- Innovation Systems in Agriculture and Rural Development -- The Changing Context -- Second-order Innovation: Some Concepts -- Second-order Innovation in a Multilevel Perspective -- Second-order Innovation at Micro Level -- Second-order Innovation at 'Meso' Level -- Second-order Innovation at Macro Level: Socio-technical Systems/Networks -- Actors -- Rules and Institutions -- Artefacts -- Dynamics of Second-order Innovation -- Transformational Potential -- Concluding Remarks -- References -- Innovation Policies for Sustainable, Resilient, Food-secure Systems -- Abstract -- Building Resilient, Sustainable, Secure-food Systems -- Small Farmers as Drivers of Change: The Role of Innovation Policies -- Relevant Problems -- How to Stimulate Change? -- Definition of Appropriate Support Measures -- How Can the Process Be Organized? Governance of Change -- Who to Involve in Decision-making?.

What Are the Appropriate Knowledge Infrastructures? -- References -- ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS -- Editors' Biographies -- INDEX.

Family farms represent important components of food systems and rural areas. The aim of the book is to develop a conceptual framework guiding further research and policy design to enhance food systems' capability to sustainably meet societal expectations, with a valorisation of the role of family farming.

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Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2024. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.