The importance of market gardeners’ characteristics, distribution channels and food supply chain challenges for the viability of their farms: insights from a territorial study in Belgium - 2025
The importance of market gardeners’ characteristics, distribution channels and food supply chain challenges for the viability of their farms: insights from a territorial study in Belgium
agroecology; challenges; local; short food supply chains; Vegetables; viability; Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment; Development; Agronomy and Crop Science
Abstract :
[en] In Northwestern Europe, while market gardening farms mostly align with agroecological principles, their viability is questioned. Conducted as part of a Participatory Action Research, our study explores the viability of 18 market gardeners in Coeur de Condroz (Belgium). Through semi-structured interviews, we identified four factors (i.e. working conditions, collaboration among farmers, distribution channel choice, and farmers’ aspirations) and five systemic issues (i.e. land availability, skilled workforce scarcity, inadequate training, consumer behavior, and lack of political recognition) affecting the viability of market gardening farms. Our results highlight the value of approaches incorporating farmers’ perspectives to study and support agroecological supply chains.
Disciplines :
Agriculture & agronomy Production, distribution & supply chain management
Author, co-author :
Biot, Nicolas ; Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium ; Geography Department, University of Namur, Institute of Life, Earth, and Environment (ILEE), Namur, Belgium
Hecquet, Corentin ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences et gestion de l'environnement (Arlon Campus Environnement) > Gouvernance de l'environnement dans une perspective de développement durable
Maréchal, Kevin ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Modélisation et développement
Lobet, Guillaume ; Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Dendoncker, Nicolas; Geography Department, University of Namur, Institute of Life, Earth, and Environment (ILEE), Namur, Belgium
Language :
English
Title :
The importance of market gardeners’ characteristics, distribution channels and food supply chain challenges for the viability of their farms: insights from a territorial study in Belgium
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