Leverage points for the uptake of organic food production and consumption in the United Kingdom

Staton, T. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0597-0121, Davison, N., Westaway, S., Arguile, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3306-3150, Adams, N. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5699-7063, Aguilera, V., Bellamy, L., Bolger, A., Gantlett, R., Jacobs, S., Noone, N., Staley, J. T. and Smith, L. G. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9898-9288 (2024) Leverage points for the uptake of organic food production and consumption in the United Kingdom. Communications Earth & Environment, 5 (1). 449. ISSN 2662-4435 doi: 10.1038/s43247-024-01585-3

Abstract/Summary

Organic food systems are recognised as an important component in meeting United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals. A leverage points perspective can help to identify approaches which have the potential to facilitate transformative systemic change towards organic and sustainable farming. Using fuzzy cognitive maps developed from expert stakeholder opinions, we modelled a system of drivers of organic food production and consumption in the United Kingdom, according to the UN Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture systems framework. The most influential concepts in the uptake of organic systems were related to system norms and values and social structures, such as short-term economic thinking, landowner engagement, and relationships with certification bodies. However, in a scenario analysis, organic stakeholders identified relatively shallower leverage points as more likely to change under a sustainable future, resulting in limited systemic change. This demonstrates the need for policies targeting system norms, values and social structures relating to food systems to facilitate the transition to organic and sustainable farming.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/117912
Identification Number/DOI	10.1038/s43247-024-01585-3
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Agriculture, Policy and Development > Department of Agri-Food Economics & Marketing
Publisher	Springer Nature
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