Is sustainable food inclusive? Reflections from fieldwork in Liège, Belgium

This presentation looks at the discourse and practice of sustainable food from the point of view of situated experiences, i.e. those that are part of the food transition movement in Liège. Based on an analysis of ethnographic material gathered as part of an ongoing research project – including a training course with the city’s institutional and community social actors and a workshop with migrant women –, it offers some thoughts on the factors that potentially make this discourse and practice inclusive. At the intersection of the anthropological literature on food and migration and that on sustainability, this article contributes to current debates on the inclusivity of sustainable food through three main arguments: firstly, the pursuit of inclusive food systems requires a departure from conventional approaches to sustainable food and, secondly, requires an intersectional analysis that recognizes diversity while critically examining dominant norms and practices. Thirdly, a local understanding of sustainable food that embraces the complexity of human experiences and social contexts, resonates with diverse populations, and responds to wider societal challenges, emerges as a resilient means of fostering an inclusive food transition.