Food Democracy

 Food democracy is the main topic area that has been considered for analysis. This is an important concept that explains that there should be adequate level of democracy that should be accomplished          with respect to the food consumption. There are problems that are encountered by people in respect to healthy consumption of food, and this is mainly because of genetic and scientific application of processes in growing food products. Thus the health concern becomes a major concern associated with human beings and food democracy is an important concept that emphasises on achieving better level of nutrition with respect to food products and services. However, the nutritional values within the food items can be positively accomplished provided there is adequate level of support being offered to farmers especially in respect to sowing seeds, providing them adequate resources, and water alternatives, and also ensuring adequate level of compensation for the produce as produced by them. All these factors could act in a combined manner and thereby positively supports the concept of food democracy in particular. In this report, the emphasis is placed towards analysing the example of Food Connect regarding the ways in which it work and the concept of industrial food system as applied is also analysed. The case analysis of Hassenein (2008) is also considered at large and the ways in which it accounts for contribution to the concept of food democracy would also be assessed.

Analysis of Food Connect and Its Working

            Food Connect is identified as a social enterprise that is from Brisbane and the concerns at Food Connect are identified in terms of ensuring the maintenance of a proper and fairer food system. By the term fairer food system, it implies achieving higher nutritional values within the food that is being provided to the public for consumption. This has been sought to accomplish at Food Connect by way of focusing towards certain major values in its operations. These include ethics and transparent business processes in the form of engaging local farmers. This helps in the process of performing the ecologically supported food products in particular. Fresh food is what the consumers expect for, because it allows for attaining positive and efficient health conditions. The Food Connect is also positively involved in providing fresh and healthy food products and services to its customers with the intention of satisfying them in terms of achieving good health performance in Australia. The ways in which Food Connect is looking towards accomplishing such healthier condition is mainly by way of adequately compensating the farmers for the work contribution made by them. The prices paid by Food Connect to the farmers are four times as compared to supermarket stores payment to farmers. In order to ensure the attainment of higher level of freshness, there are certain major factors that are given higher level of attention by Food Connect and these include focusing towards shorter journey so that minimal overall travel is needed to such food items, fresh and ecologically growth food, and minimisation of packages and wastes, and focused towards supporting local supported by way of sourcing food locally. Food Connect therefore aims at adequately supporting the growers in performing the development of food items in a healthy way (Food Connect, 2015).

Impact of Example on Health: The case analysis of Food Connect as performed is the best example indicating positive level of support to efficient health condition. Food Connect not only supports healthy aspect in its performance, but it also accounts for having direct level of implication towards satisfying the farmers. The vision statement of Food Connect signifies that it aims at providing fresh and healthy food to their customers. The ultimate goal has therefore been to provide best quality and healthy food so that the life and health conditions of people can be made better. The society of Australia indicates that majority of the people are in the older aged segment and they need good health conditions. Eating healthy food has therefore been the top most priority that Food Connect is aiming to accomplish. The ecological food standards are therefore being adequately met and Food Connect also strives in encouraging farmers to remain committed towards such quality factor. With such initiative of Food Connect, there is positive level of impact being noted in the production of entire industrial food system across Australia, as the grower becomes more committed and oriented towards enhanced performance condition (Barnett, Clarke, and Cloke. 2005).

Example Addressing Four Dimension on Hassanein (2008): The work done by Hassanein (2008) is crucial from the point of view of supporting healthy performance and thereby in achieving food democracy. This is evident from the fact that a framework is being suggested by Hassanein (2008) and this framework positively supports the attainment of food democracy in particular. As per the findings indicated in the framework, it is evaluated that there is collective effort being supported by this framework which requires individuals and groups to contribute collective performance in accomplishing group goals. Such level of importance of collective efforts is also higher in respect to achieving food democracy because it is the effectiveness of collective efforts that there can be the attainment of such condition become possible. This indicates positive level of support of the framework as provided by Hassanein (2008) towards the positive accomplishment of democratic situation in respect to food items. This framework of Hassanien (2008) supports four major dimensions and these include:

• Become Knowledgeable about Food and Food System: The dimension as suggested by Hassanein (2008) initially supports the need to have positive level of knowledge with respect to food processes and systems. The knowledge of farmer regarding the food systems and the ways in which food safety can be accomplished is crucial and this is significant from the point of view of achieving food democracy. This particular aspect is evident in respect to the example of Food Connect as analysed above which shows that farmer’s knowledge regarding the measures needed in achieving healthy aspect in the food as produced by them is highly encouraged. With sound level of knowledge and abilities within them, it has become possible to sow healthy food items (Hamm, Gronefeld, and Halpin. 2002).
• Sharing Ideas about Food Item with Others: The work of Hassanein (2008) proposes another major dimension which is focused towards sharing ideas with respect to the food items with others. Sharing enhances level of knowledge of self and others, and this is therefore a common practice that is being supported in respect to Hassanein (2008) work. Farmers can apply this particular strategy for the purpose of enhancing their performance condition. Such initiative in the form of sharing ideas with other is also considered positively at Food Connect whereby farmers share their opinion and thoughts with others through positive community participation. The example of Food Connect shows that information sharing on common values is being positively encouraged which allows for the application of healthy initiatives leading to positive health condition of people (Halpin and  Brueckner, 2004).
• Developing Efficacy with Respect to Food and Food System: The efficacy factor is also an important factor in the process of achieving food democracy, as this particular system requires the development of food items by farmers to the extent they can be utilised by consumers in a fresh way. This suggests that quantity of foods to be developed should be enough to cater to the needs and expectations of customers. This would allow for the maintenance of sufficient level of safety and freshness of the food in particular. At Food Connect, this feature of Hassanein (2008) in achieving food democracy has been given adequate level of attention. The required quantity of food is being produced and there is also the adequate level of consideration being placed with respect to transportation and cold storage system at Food Connect in maintaining requisite quality standards and also in achieving efficacy over the food system.
• Acquiring an Orientation towards Community Group: With respect to the performance towards the community, the framework of Hassanein (2008) positively supports that there should be adequate level of commitment that should be achieved towards the community at large. This suggests that there is a requirement for the farmers to make the best use of land and contribute positively towards the community development by adapting best practices. The environment in which they operate must be adequately protected so that improvements in respect to organisation’s performance could become possible. Food Connect’s performance in this respect suggests that community development is being highly encouraged by the organisation and there are large number of green initiatives and measures that are being considered by Food Connect for the purpose of achieving complete community development.

The analysis above leads to the identification that the important dimensions in achieving food democracy as suggested by Hassanein (2008) has been positively addressed by Food Connect and this is clearly evident in respect to its performance.

Contribution of Example to Food Democracy through Applying Using Warrior, Builder and Weaver Approach

            The concept of Food Democracy can be better assessed through the application of concepts such as warrior, builders and weaver approach. This approach highlights the strategic initiatives that are essential to consider for the purpose of achieving social change. With the application of this particular approach, a strategic change is highly desirable and there are different ways in which such strategic change could be accomplished positively across these different concepts. For example, the basic premise of the warrior approach is that it encourages challenges within the current system and thereafter, it aims at subverting current systems and administration. The political aspect is being touched upon by this warrior approach and it therefore support changes aimed at addressing the political and economic structures. The values and beliefs as held by people and society at large being influenced by this warrior approach (Baker, 2004).

            In addition to the consideration of this warrior approach, the builder work is also an important factor that supports the attainment of green initiatives and solutions within the agri-food system. Food democracy also requires the application of green initiatives with a view to achieving enhanced performance condition towards safety and healthy food. There are various important considerations that are required to be accomplished in sustaining a new agri food system. There are certain important factors that are required to consider in this respect in achieving improved performance. The weaver approach is analysed and it indicates that the main focus is towards establishing connections because it is mainly through connections that the promotion of positive change can be encouraged positively. It is therefore essential in achieving networking and coalition within groups (Amin, 2002).

            As there are different approaches being identified above, the case analysis of Food Connect suggests that one such approach can be positively applied in this context in achieving strategic change. The weaver approach in particular best reflects the performance condition that is being indicated in respect to the working of Food Connect. This is mainly because the weaver approach encourages positive level of connectivity and the work performance and situation in respect to Food Connect also suggests that there is higher overall importance placed with respect to the connectivity factor in the working of Food Connect. Networking is therefore highly encouraged which can be positively supported through the application of this weaver approach at Food Connect in a better manner (Hassanein, 2015).

Example Efficiency in Gaining Control and Long Term Food Control Change

            The case analysis of Food Connect indicated a best example in terms of gaining positive level of control and long term food control change. This is mainly because the emphasis of working of Food Connect is mainly towards quality and nutritional values and these are the indicators of achieving long term effectiveness in its performance. With such an approach to enhancing the health conditions of people at large, it could become possible that long term sustenance of competitiveness can become possible to Food Connect.

Conclusion

            This report involved a critical assessment of the Food Democracy which has been an important concept encouraging the most efficient growth of food systems that allows in achieving higher level of nutritional values within consumers. The concept also encourages positive level of support to farmers so that they can contribute towards enhanced health condition of people and community at large. The case assessment of Food Connect is performed in this context and based on the analysis, it is evaluated that the organisation is positively involved in respect to this area of growing food through adapting a healthier approach and ensuring complete level of enhancement in the health condition of people at large. The analysis of Food Connect through the application of dimensions of Hassanein (2008) has been performed and based on the analysis, it is evaluate that the four dimensions are being clearly evident in respect to the performance of Food Connect in particular. The analysis also indicated that the most suitable approach among the warrior, builder and weaver approach to Food Connect is the weaver approach depending on its current level of performance condition.

References

Amin, A. 2002. Spatialities of globalization. Environment and Planning A 34(3): 385–399.

Baker, L. 2004. Tending cultural landscapes and food citizenship in Toronto’s community gardens. Geographical Review 94(3): 305–325.

Barnett, C., N. Clarke, and P. Cloke. 2005. The political ethics of consumerism. Consumer Policy Review 15(2): 45–51

FoodConnect, (2015) [Online]. Available at: https://www.foodconnect.com.au/ [Accessed 05 November 2015].

Halpin, D., and M. Brueckner. 2004. The retail pricing, labeling, and promotion of organic food in Australia. In Australian organic industry profile, ed. D. Halpin, 63–92. Canberra, ACT: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry.

Halpin, D., and M. Brueckner. 2004b. Second report – retail price study: Profile of the Australian organic agriculture industry. Canberra, ACT: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry.

Hamm, U., F. Gronefeld, and D. Halpin. 2002. Analysis of the European market for organic food. Organic marketing initiatives and rural development, vol. 1. Aberystwyth: School of Management and Business, University of Wales

Hassanein, N. (2015). Locating Food Democracy: Theoretical and Practical Ingredients. Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition, Vol. 3, 2-3, pp. 286-308.