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Socio-Metabolic Perspectives on the Sustainability of Local Food Systems pp 291–318Cite as

Local, Mixed and Global Organic Tomato Supply Chains: Some Lessons Learned from a Real-World Case Study

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Part of the book series: Human-Environment Interactions ((HUEN,volume 7))

Abstract

This chapter presents the evaluation of three organic tomato supply chains in Catalonia (Spain): the Local and Global supply chains , and a Mixed supply chain . The evaluation is based on a set of multidimensional indicators derived from different narratives : Commodity, Environmental and Livelihoods. In so doing, we identified the main challenges when implementing the supply chain approach, and propose some recommendations for its application. The supply chain approach proves to be very useful in identifying the critical points at which to intervene and/or improve the performance of food supply chains , but presents some disadvantages when it is used to compare the sustainability of food supply chains. Finally, we show that organic production is not enough to achieve a sustainable food provision system, and the context and the food supply chain in which organic food is commercialised also determine the sustainability of organic food production .

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Notes

  1. 1.

    These food supply chains are referred to as local or short food supply chains, alternative food networks or localised food systems. We use the term “Local Food Supply Chain” to refer to them.

  2. 2.

    Based on the definitions presented in http://www.ifoam.bio/en/organic-landmarks/definition-organic-agriculture, and http://www.fao.org/organicag/oa-faq/oa-faq1/en/.

  3. 3.

    For more information, visit http://glamur.eu.

  4. 4.

    Data obtained from FAOSTAT web site.

  5. 5.

    Human activity was calculated using the labour costs reported in Moleres (2009). A workload of 45 h/week and a net salary of €1000/month were considered.

  6. 6.

    The farmers are members of a network of agroecological farmers. The network has developed a Participatory Warranty System (SPG) by means of a participatory process with producers and consumers. The SPG involves more than just production issues, and is guided by the aim of developing social transformation projects, promoting fair relations and small farmers’ autonomy.

  7. 7.

    A workload of 40 h/week and 48 weeks/year is assumed.

  8. 8.

    Fertigation refers to the injection of soil amendments, fertilizers and other water-soluble products into the irrigation system.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departament d’Economia i d’Història Economica, Facultat d’Economia i Empresa, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Office B3-112, Building B, Campus UAB, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain

    Gonzalo Gamboa

  2. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus UAB, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain

    Gonzalo Gamboa, Sara Mingorria & Mario Giampietro

  3. Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3), Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), Av. Carl Friedrich Gauss, 5, 08060, Castelldefels, Spain

    Marina Di Masso

  4. Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Passeig Lluís Companys, 23, 08010, Barcelona, Spain

    Mario Giampietro

Authors
  1. Gonzalo Gamboa
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  2. Sara Mingorria
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  3. Marina Di Masso
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  4. Mario Giampietro
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gonzalo Gamboa .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic

    Eva Fraňková

  2. Institute of Social Ecology, Faculty for Interdisciplinary Studies, Klagenfurt University, Vienna, Austria

    Willi Haas

  3. School of Environment Enterprise and Development (SEED), University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

    Simron J. Singh

Appendix

Appendix

See Tables 10.4, 10.5 and 10.6.

Table 10.4 Characteristics of the Local organic tomato supply chain
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Table 10.5 Characteristics of the mixed organic tomato supply chain
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Table 10.6 Characteristics of the global organic tomato supply chain
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Gamboa, G., Mingorria, S., Di Masso, M., Giampietro, M. (2017). Local, Mixed and Global Organic Tomato Supply Chains: Some Lessons Learned from a Real-World Case Study. In: Fraňková, E., Haas, W., Singh, S. (eds) Socio-Metabolic Perspectives on the Sustainability of Local Food Systems. Human-Environment Interactions, vol 7. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69236-4_10

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