Transparency in the food chain : policies and politics

The dissertation is organised in four parts. The first part (Chapter 2) sets the background. It explores the status quo and explains the need for transparency in the food chain. This chapter argues that transparency is a condition for responding to the set of changes that occurred in the food system during the last decades. The second part (Chapters 3, 4 and 5) presents the theoretical approaches that this dissertation draws on as well as the analytical perspective and methods used. Chapter three examines the theories and approaches most valuable for analyzing the process of promoting transparency in a multi-actor context. Having reviewed the major approaches, the dissertation¿s own analytical perspective is presented in chapter four. We view the formation of policy outputs for transparency, as a result of both actor strategies and network structures. More specifically, the network is considered to set the context within which individual strategies can evolve. The way actors and network characteristics are operationalised and measured is presented in chapter five. We also present the dissertation¿s methodology for the collection as well as analysis of data and case selection in this chapter. The third part (Chapters 6, 7, 8 and 9) presents the empirical analyses. Putting the model into force, chapters six and seven assess the political feasibility of efforts to improve transparency in the pork chain in the Netherlands and the EU respectively. In a similar vein, chapters eight and nine focus on the farmed-fish chain in the Netherlands and the EU respectively.\ud Finally, the fourth part (Chapter 10) concludes the dissertation, interprets the results and discusses their implications for transparency and sustainability related policies and politics

The effectiveness of private food governance for sustainability

"This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of private food governance in addressing the environmental challenges facing the global food system, today. Greenhouse gas emissions, decline of biodiversity, water pollution, pesticide use and the generation of waster are considered the new agrarian questions of this century. Crucially, the governance of such environmental strains is a rapidly emerging issue for private actors, who have become key players in global food governance. Yet, few studies have tried to understand the actual impact of private rulesetting, in general, and retail governance, in particular, in detail. Drawing on global governance literature and organisational theory, this paper evaluates the effectiveness of private food governance institutions for sustainability, in terms of their comprehensiveness, stringency, compliance and coverage. Next to this quite narrow understanding of effectiveness the paper also identifies the broader political and soci-economic influence of private food governance in terms of structural, cognitive and normative effects. The paper illustrates its arguments in two cases, namely GlobalGAP and the Marine Stewardship Council. As such, the paper advances our theoretical knowledge on private rule-setting institutions and contributes empirically to political science research by making available new data on a currently understudied case of private governance." [author's abstract

Transparenz in der Nahrungsmittelkette: die Implikationen von Kommunikation und Vertrauen in Europäischen Politiknetzwerken

Lebensmittelkrisen wie BSE, die Maul- und Klauenseuche oder die Geflügelpest haben die Nachfrage nach mehr Transparenz in den komplexen und hoch industrialisierten Lebensmittelketten zu einem Eckpunkt der politischen Diskussion gemacht. Während Transparenz eine intuitiv wünschenswerte Norm darstellt, ist die Ausführung und die Umsetzung einer entsprechenden Politik jedoch eine komplexe und hochpolitische Aufgabe. Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht das politische Potential für eine aus der Perspektive der Nachhaltigkeit angemessene Transparenzpolitik in der Europäischen Union. Basierend auf einer Policy-Netzwerk Analyse zur Schweinefleischpolitik in der Europäischen Union sowie zweien ihrer Mitgliedsstaaten zeigt er, dass die derzeitigen Kommunikations- und Vertrauensbeziehungen in den relevanten Netzwerken gegen eine Entwicklung einer derartigen Politik sprechen. Insbesondere die Einbindung der relevanten öffentlichen Akteure in Kommunikations- und Vertrauenscluster mit den wirtschaftlichen Akteuren, die eine sehr begrenzte Transparenzpolitik befürworten, und die gleichzeitige Isolation der Verbraucher-, Umwelt- und Tierschutzverbände im Netzwerk weisen darauf hin, dass das politische Potenzial für die Nachhaltigkeit fördernde Transparenzpolitik sehr begrenzt ist

Philanthropic foundations as agents of justice in global sustainability governance

Private philanthropic foundations—nongovernmental, nonprofit organizations with assets provided by donors for socially useful purposes—have become key political actors in global sustainability governance. Their collective efforts amount to over USD 112 billion for the implementation of the United Nations (UNs)’s ambitious plan to deliver on seventeen interconnected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This corresponds to about a quarter of governmental contribution through official development assistance for the same purposes. Many of these foundations implicitly or explicitly aim to foster global justice, through, for example, empowering women, reducing inequalities, and promoting democracy. They thus act as justice agents shaping the substance and practice of justice in global sustainability governance. But what does this direction of private money into supporting global justice norms really mean? This question deserves scrutiny, especially against a context of diverse and contested meanings of justice and because philanthropy—beyond an act of giving—is often an exercise of power. Using critical discourse analysis of texts produced by selected foundations that are key funders of the UN Sustainable Development Agenda, this paper examines how private foundations frame global justice and with what implications for sustainability governance. Les fondations philanthropiques privées - organisations non gouvernementales à but non lucratif dont les actifs sont fournis par des donateurs à des fins d'utilité sociale - sont devenues des acteurs politiques clés de la gouvernance mondiale de la durabilité. Leurs efforts collectifs s’élèvent à plus de 112 milliards de dollars pour la mise en œuvre du plan ambitieux de l'ONU visant à atteindre dix-sept objectifs de développement durable (ODD) interconnectés. Cela correspond à environ un quart des contributions gouvernementales apportées par le biais de l'aide publique au développement aux mêmes fins. Nombre de ces fondations visent implicitement ou explicitement à favoriser la justice mondiale, par exemple en renforçant l'autonomie des femmes, en réduisant les inégalités et en promouvant la démocratie. Elles agissent ainsi en tant qu'agents de justice façonnant la substance et la pratique de la justice dans la gouvernance mondiale de la durabilité. Mais que signifie réellement cette orientation de l'argent privé vers le soutien des normes de justice mondiale? Cette question mérite un examen approfondi, en particulier dans le contexte de significations diverses et contestées de la justice et parce que la philanthropie - au-delà de l'acte de don - est souvent un exercice du pouvoir. Cet article s'appuie sur une analyse critique du discours des textes produits par une sélection de fondations qui sont des participantes clés au financement du Programme de développement durable de l'ONU et examine la manière dont les fondations privées définissent la justice mondiale et ce que cela implique pour la gouvernance de la durabilité. Las fundaciones filantrópicas privadas (organizaciones no gubernamentales y sin fines de lucro que utilizan los activos que les proporcionan sus contribuyentes con propósitos útiles para la sociedad) se han convertido en actores políticos claves en la gestión de la sostenibilidad global. Sus esfuerzos colectivos equivalen a USD 112 000 millones aproximadamente para la implementación del ambicioso plan de la ONU que plantea cumplir con 17 Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS) interconectados. Esto equivale a alrededor de un cuarto de la contribución gubernamental a través de la Ayuda Oficial al Desarrollo para los mismos propósitos. Muchas de estas fundaciones tienen como objetivo implícito o explícito promover la justicia global a través de, por ejemplo, el empoderamiento de las mujeres, la reducción de las desigualdades y el fomento de la democracia. Por lo tanto, actúan como agentes de justicia que configuran el fundamento y la práctica de la justicia en la gestión de la sostenibilidad global. Sin embargo, ¿cuál es el significado real del uso del dinero privado en el apoyo de las normas de justicia global? Esta pregunta debe analizarse especialmente en un contexto de significados diversos y cuestionados sobre la justicia y teniendo en cuenta que la filantropía, más allá de ser un acto caritativo, suele representar un ejercicio del poder. Mediante el análisis crítico del discurso de textos producidos por fundaciones seleccionadas que financian la Agenda sobre el Desarrollo Sostenible de la ONU, este documento analizará cómo las fundaciones privadas construyen la justicia global y cuáles son las implicaciones para la gestión de la sostenibilidad

Retail governance and agrifood sustainability: insights and research needs

"Food security, food safety, healthy consumption habits, and environmental sustainability are essential to the well-being of societies worldwide. Yet, progress in fostering sustainability in the global agrifood system has been slow at best and significant challenges remain. First, food insecurity remains a problem for millions of people, while its range and consequences have been aggravated by the recent food crisis (FAO 2008b). Second, repeated food scandals and health scares constitute additional challenges for food governance (World Bank 2005). Food is the number one cause of premature death in the western world due to the increasing consumption of fattier, saltier, and sweeter foods and drinks (Popkin 2002). Even in many Asian countries obesogenic diets are becoming more prevalent (Florentino 2002; IOTF 2005). Third, threats to the provision of adequate amounts of nutritious food are expected to multiply as a result of climate change (European Commission 2008a). At the same time, the food sector itself is a major contributor to direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions (FAO 2008a). Fourth, alternative food products – while promising environmental and health benefits in relation to their conventional equivalents – are also associated with costs. In India, thousands of farmers have reportedly committed suicide, partly as a result of debt due to unfair biotech deals (Nagaraj 2008).(...)" [authors remark