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Global sustainability is not possible without environmental sustainability at the farm level. In turn environmental sustainability depends on economic sustainability; farmers are unable to commit resources to sustainable practices when they struggle to receive an adequate return for their produce. Economics are thus a major factor in the adoption of environmentally sustainable practices.

Generally farmers strive to look after the land upon which their livelihood depends. But the reality is that consumer demand for cheap, unblemished food has contributed significantly to the difficulties farmers face in caring for the land. For example, consumer requirements for visually appealing fruit and vegetables after WWII prompted increased use of chemicals to minimise pest damage.

Counteracting this tendency are two trends which can be observed particularly in alternative marketing, and increasingly in conventionally marketed horticulture. Firstly, consumers are becoming more concerned with knowing where and how food has been grown. As a result, the second trend is that "clean and green" food, for which environmentally sustainable practices are integral, are becoming a condition of market access. Consumer education is one important factor driving trends.

With alternative forms of marketing (typically direct relationships between farmers and consumers), there is great potential for not only educating but also to engage the public in farming systems. Reconnecting consumers to farmers has multiple benefits, such as helping to counteract the "cheap food is good food" paradigm, thereby assisting farmers to fulfil their role as land stewards. This can flow into conventional systems, which could then benefit from improved environmental practices.

Two projects are drawn upon for this paper: the first investigates increasing adoption of sustainable practices in horticulture, the second relates to community supported agriculture as a local food system.

Stream: Environmental Sustainability

Paper: Links between Environmental and Economic Sustainability and Consumer Behaviour in Relation to Food