Narratives of change: more than individual intentions in the path to a sustainable and socially just food future

Abstract

This paper presents a cross-case qualitative analysis of the relationship between food security, sustainability, and social justice within the framework of the European Green Deal's Farm to Fork strategy. Drawing on fifty narratives in urban and peri-urban areas of five European countries (Austria, Greece, Portugal, Sweden, Turkey), developed in the project ACCTING (AdvanCing behavioural Change Through an INclusive Green deal), the study explores links between barriers and opportunities faced by individuals to access healthy and environmentally sustainable food and different forms of economic and social marginalisation framed by a socio-ecologic behavioural change perspective.A narrative methodology allows us to delve into the food system realities of individuals and their families from low-income backgrounds, single mothers/parents, working parents with intersectional identities (e.g., LGBTQ, ethnic or religious minorities, migrant communities), disabled, and elderly people. The cross-case findings reveal an interconnectedness of scales (i.e. multilevel relations) between individuals and communities with local, national, and global policies and movements in developing small food transitions into larger changes, suggesting that food must be understood by policies and authorities from a multiscale perspective (both across time and space).In fact, across combinations of demographic, socio-economic, and cultural backgrounds, many people seem to be aware of global sustainable food movements and have intentions to change their food practices. Yet, a set of structural, social, and political conditions exacerbate social and economic injustices, which impede them from making the leap from intentions to food access and change. However, the analysis also unveils factors that the inter personal scale seems essential for change, transforming individuals into its agents. Social support networks like neighbours, friends, and family, emerge as key enablers of changing mindsets and behaviour, by fostering trust and transmitting diverse kinds of knowledge. They seem to provide access to the needed resources (food sharing and knowledge transfer) for changes, which policies and policymakers sometimes fail to provide. The challenge is to tie individuals, communities, and self-organised actions to feasible local, regional, and national policies.