Contemporary Modes of Food Governance

Gerard Breeman (Wageningen University) and David Barling (City University London) In food governance, governments are facing profound policy challenges and are constantly redefining their roles. They do so in response to sweeping societal changes and environmental pressures that are engendering political and social tensions and value conflicts. The demand for food is rapidly increasing while resources are decreasing and ecosystems are under stress. Climate change impacts on agricultural practices and is increased, in turn, by greenhouse gas emissions from along the whole food supply chain. The health impacts of the industrial food offering are promulgating diet related diseases with attendant social and economic costs and burdens to societies and their governments. The need to integrate food policy from its current fragmentation across agriculture, rural development, trade, industrial, environment, and health policy domains is being recognised; underpinned by the demand for more sustainable modes of production and consumption. The liberalisation of the world market is integrating the food supply and the influence of multinationals as global players is increasing at the different stages of the food chain. In developed countries, for instance, agricultural producers compete with powerful market players along the food chain and clash with the power of the corporate retailers and food service companies, who are the gatekeepers to the mass consumer markets . In developing countries, smallholders are pushed towards intensification and are facing the increasing influence of market liberalisation and the push to access value chains and urban markets, as well as increasing foreign ownership of land grabbing. These trends are exacerbated by the price volatility of food commodities stimulating fresh concerns around the resilience of the global food supply and of national and local food security. Governments, NGOs, international organisations (e.g. FAO), research institutes, producers and private corporations are trying to find answers to these changes and tensions. All acknowledge that they cannot tackle these challenges alone, and seek concerted action by engaging in new modes of governance. Governments are looking for new forms of coordination, new ways to facilitate societal processes, new forms of policy making, and new forms of interaction. They delegate policies to other levels or leave it to private initiatives. NGOs and private companies set up global certification schemes for sustainable commodities. Farmers organise themselves in producer associations to take a stand against large retailers or promote their own standards’ setting assurance schemes. A great deal of information is available about the technical part of farming and the functioning of food markets. Less, however, is known about the modes of governance to improve food production and food chains in response to these contemporary challenges. Some countries have a long tradition of food producer associations, whereas other countries have a strong tradition of state orchestration. All have developed particular policy styles and preferred modes of governance; all are shaping up to meet future challenges; and all are part of international and global governance networks. Some governments want to play a role in societal debates. Some will chose the role of facilitator or initiator in societal processes, and other governments want to maintain more control. These are political elements that constrain, but at the same time enable food governance and policy innovation. In this session we want to explore these new modalities of food governance and obtain an overview of the consequences, barriers and opportunities. What modes of food governance and policy exist, what are the relationships between the state(s) and its agencies with other actors, and under which historic, cultural, and social conditions did they develop? How are they changing in response to the challenges, which modes of governance are working and why? How do the new modes of governance shape power balances and policy outcomes. We welcome panels – single case and comparative studies – analysing modes of food governance and policy responses in both developed and developing countries. This includes panels that analyse: the State’s utilisation of corporate and civil society in food policy; and illustrate the tensions that exist in terms of winners and losers along the food supply chain; or link local practices with global goals through different governance and policy arrangements; or discuss concrete projects at local level or how governance and policy initiatives, innovation and instruments can facilitate horizontal learning between global players and between countries.