Vers une complémentarité des alternatives alimentaires : relocalisation des activités et écologisation des pratiques au sein de trois alternatives de distribution à Bruxelles

Abstract

Analyzing practices that re-localize food and make food chains more sustainable in the context of three alternative food networks (AFN) in Brussels, this paper shows that these practices can be of huge diversity, in terms of models as well as in terms of intensity. Through comparative analysis of the three cases, it shows that the questions of re-localize and make food systems more sustainable can lead to different strategies while the general objective of sustainability is formally shared and collectively constructed. It illustrates that AFNs projects’ are leading the main choices but that no strategy makes the difference regarding the effects on direct stakeholders in each AFN. As conclusion, the paper, argues to consider complementarity between AFNs practices more than choosing which one is the best/more sustainable.

Keywords

• alternative food networks
• local food
• ecological sustainability
• participatory assessment
• participatory research