Open AccessImplementing sustainable food forests: Extracting success factors through a cross-case comparison
Author(s) -
Stefanie Albrecht,
Arnim Wiek
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of agriculture, food systems, and community development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2152-0798
pISSN - 2152-0801
DOI - 10.5304/jafscd.2021.111.019
Subject(s) - livelihood , business , sustainability , agriculture , sustainable agriculture , food systems , food security , environmental planning , environmental resource management , marketing , geography , economics , ecology , archaeology , biology
Food forests are multistrata ecosystems that provide healthy food, livelihood opportunities, as well as social-cultural and environmental services. With these features, food forests address several problems industrial food systems cause. While the overall number of food forests is continuously increasing worldwide, the rate of uptake is still low. This study reconstructs in detail how different types of food forests (n=7) were realized, mostly in Europe, with a focus on organization and management. Findings confirm and add to previous studies indicating that the successful implementation of food forests depends on long-term land access, sufficient start-up funds, and adequate farming and entrepreneurial know-how, among other factors. While these are not unique factors compared to other farm and food businesses, sustainable food forests face particular obstacles to secure them. This study offers guidance to food entrepreneurs, public officials, and activists on how to successfully implement food forests to realize their full sustainability potential.