Jan 20, 2015
How can fragmented peri-urban agricultural systems which currently adversely influence the health of catchments and receiving waters be reconfigured to achieve integrated social, economic and environmental outcomes in coastal catchments?
In 2006, 54% of midscale producers, natural resource managers and scientists participating in a best management practice forum thought there was less than 15% likelihood that adopting a ‘business as usual’ approach would achieve sustainable co-existence between agricultural, the community and downstream fisheries in the region
However, 83% of those participants considered that there was a greater than 60% chance of achieving a sustainable future for farmers and fisherman in a scenario involving an integrated area-wide sustainable agriculture extension program was delivered in conjunction with incentives for the adoption of the best management practices that all those present had agreed to at the forum.
“ It is not the strongest species that
survive, nor the most intelligent,
but the ones most responsive to
change. ” Charles Darwin
Seventy-three percent of the mid-scale farming enterprises interviewed in 2010 stated that they feared farming, as it
stood in the region, did not have a viable future.
Systems Reconfig
Key Message
To reconfigure peri-urban landscapes, collaborative initiatives between industry, local councils and regional government must deliberately rearrange the social, economic and ecological connectivity of the agricultural system to adapt to new circumstances, perform new tasks, and recover from damage.
New Rural Development
• A new rural development paradigm has emerged globally over the last decade,
• Connecting practices of landscape management, agri-tourism, organic and sustainable farming, and value chain analysis and management.
• Questions remain as to the extent to which peri-urban agri-food systems will be self-reconfiguring and to what extent government intervention is required to
effectively facilitate the transition.
• Lifestyle driven population change;
• increasing consumer demand for local, healthy and sustainable food
• Lerner and Eaken (2011) suggest there is increasing evidence that the growing middle-class demand for healthy, more sustainable foods can potentially reverse the trend of dwindling agricultural production in peri-urban areas of the developed world.
Sunshine Coast Food Futures • A series of projects spanned the agri-food value-chain
• Featured a high level of collaboration with industry, local government, university and other researchers.
• Led by the Queensland Government as part of a pilot ‘networked government’ service delivery model
• Involved research, planning, extension and business development activities as part of ongoing sustainable agriculture extension networks and regional economic development programs.
Participatory Action Research • Participatory rapid rural appraisal
• Scenario analysis involving 102 primary producers and peri-urban residents;
• Semi-structured interviews with 34 traditional mid-scale farmers;
• Face to face questionnaire surveys delivered to 180 micro to small primary producers and food artisans, and food manufacturers
• Internet Surveys of 100 Restaurateurs & Chefs, and 853 Local Food Consumers
A collaborative service delivery model that involved: • the state government allocating business development
officers and agricultural extension officers to support farmers and food artisans;
• contracting specialist presenters to lead targeted training workshops, followed by one-on-one mentoring;
• local government program support to create and market a collective regional brand (Seasons of the Sun).
• Research projects were embedded within service delivery projects and distributed between academics, local food social enterprises and local food champions with results rapidly communicated to stakeholders.
Fragmentation is Advanced
Lots >0.2 and < =20ha
Lots >100 ha
Gross Output by Primary and Resource
Industries SEQ 2001-2026 ($Millions)
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
2001 2006 2011 2016 2021 2026
$M
illio
n
Horticulture
Intensive animal
Cropping
Grazing
Other agriculture
Forestry, fishing, mining
Horticulture
Intensive Animal
48 Different Types of Produce
20 Classes of Artisanal Food
Products
• <$22.5K
31%
$50K - $99K
16%
$100K - $199K
13%
$200K - $349K
9%
>$1000K
2%$350K - $999K
6%
$22.5K - $49K
23%
Estimated Value of Agricultural Holdings
Source ABS (2008)
Sunshine Coast & Cooloola
Median Income
Changing Face of Supply Chains
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Central Wholesale
Markets
Direct to National
Retailer
Local Retailer or
Wholesaler
Direct to Public,
Farmgate or Market
Restuarants Direct Food Processor Export
Destination of Product
Pe
rce
nta
ge
of
Sa
les
Mid-Scale Farm Survey Micro-Small Farm Surveys
Photo mosaic : Iris Bohnet CSIRO
Photo mosaic : Iris Bohnet CSIRO
Photo mosaic : Iris Bohnet CSIRO
Photo mosaic : Iris Bohnet CSIRO
Photo mosaic : Iris Bohnet CSIRO
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Increased
Production
from
Monoculture
and Cane
Mid-scale
Diversified Sub-
tropical
Agriculture,
Cooperative
Agriculture
Small
ScaleEnviro-
Friendly and
Organic
Systems
Controlled
Rural Lifestyle
Blocks with
Patches of
Agriculture
Residential
Development of
Caneland
Intensive Eco
tech
Scenario
No o
f Res
pond
ents
Most Preferred Future
EXPECTED FUTURE
Do Nothing More
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
1. Increased production
from monoculture &
grazing
2. Mid scale diversified
sub tropical agriculture,
cooperative farming
3. Small scale enviro-
friendly & organic
systems
4. Controlled Rural
Lifestyle bocks with
patches of Agriculture
5. Residential
development of
caneland and similar
farmland
6. Intensive Eco-tech
Production in managed
landscapes
Scenario
Pe
rce
nta
ge
of
Re
spo
nd
en
ts
Transitioning to a Sustainable Value Chain
OPPORTUNITY
Supply chains push products from upstream
Value chains’ products are pulled by consumers
Manufacturers &
Food Service
• Almost 60% of mid-scale farmers agreed they would explore their options for entering a local food supply chain if there was more support available to learn how to adapt their enterprise to profit from this transition.
Overwhelming interest (76%) in
exploring opportunities in the
local food value chain
70% were able to supply a local
distribution system
64% would increase production
to supply a local distribution
system
Micro-Small Primary Producers
CONSTRAINTS
• Inadequate Distribution Systems • Market Failure – duopolisation, incomplete market knowledge • Inadequate Branding and Marketing • Insufficient Production Knowledge, Training and Support • Inadequate price signals in the market for local sustainable food • A perception that changes in government priorities had led to a
significant reduction in government agricultural extension
Photo: C. Nickerson USDA 2009
0
5
10
15
20
25
A great influence Somewhat of an influence Of very little influence No influence
Influence that an efficient
local distribution system
would have on local
supply
Great
influence
No
influence
Support development of a web-based information
portal and distribution system for local food?
Barriers to Consumption
Both residents and tourists suggest the five most significant barriers to consumption of local food were :
• its lack of promotion;
• lack of information on where to find it;
• it is not clearly branded as local;
• it is not readily available; and
• it is not well labelled.
Integrated Area-Wide Extension
In 5 years after 2006 forum 80% of producers in the pilot area had substantially adopted the BMP recommended
Peri-Urban Service Delivery • The networked government
delivery model received strong support from industry,
• One food enterprise owner suggested “I have been involved in a long list of government private sector collaborations – this one is by far the most productive, useful and meaningful.”
Conclusion
Without further investment in place-based collaborative research, planning, capacity building and economic development the local food movement in these peri-urban areas is likely to continue to occupy only a narrow ‘alternative’ cultural and economic space.