Decentralizing food production offers serious benefits, new study shows

Covid-19 has raised a number of questions about our food system, from the health and safety implications of large-scale meat processing facilities to the fragility of our supply chain.

The pandemic has renewed interest in supporting localized food systems, particularly as grocery store shelves fluctuate between overstocked and completely empty. Fortunately for small- and midsized farmers, consumers have turned to local food producers to keep their kitchens stocked up.

A new study from researchers at UC Santa Barbara has highlighted how the pressures that the pandemic is causing in our food system can lead to permanent positive outcomes in terms of resiliency and independence.

The researchers focused on the food systems in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs), a series of island nations in the Pacific Ocean stretching from New Zealand to French Polynesia. Mostly reliant on global imports, the region’s food supply has suffered dramatically even though infection rates are relatively low. Add in the fact that many of the countries in the PICT region are reliant on tourism for economic support and lack arable farmland, and the pandemic creates a perfect storm.

“One of the key messages from the research is to rely less on global food supply chains,” Jacob Eurich, a co-author on a paper, told UC Santa Barabra’s The Current. “Coral reefs should operate as biodiverse, living refrigerators for coastal communities, sourcing replenishable, nutritious food. Coastal communities can and should be able to depend on traditionally-sourced diets if the resource is healthy.”

It would also be worthwhile for countries in the region with available farmland to explore cultivating root crops to replace imported foods, according to the research. In the Solomon Islands, roughly 1.1 million hectares of agricultural land are in use and a majority of the households are involved in some type of food production. The study suggests placing emphasis on non-perishable crops given the lack of storage for perishable items like fish that already exist in the region.

Shifting the food system to focus on more localized resources could have added nutritional benefits as well, the study concluded. Most of the food imports in the region consist of rice and wheat with a surge in sugary food and beverages happening in recent years. Local diets have shifted from being high in locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables, seeds, and nuts, lean meat and seafood, to diets high in processed and often imported foods. 

From an economic standpoint, the researchers noted the opportunity to engage in intra-regional trade. There are a number of significant obstacles to achieving this, however, such as limited processing and storage capacities as well as intra-island transport and distribution channels.

Bolstering local food system resilience will have long-term benefits for the region beyond coping with the pandemic, the study suggested. 

“Climate change and natural disasters can be considered shocks to the system,” Eurich explained. “The pandemic, while there was time to prepare, was still a shock. We have learned that enhancing storage, production, and distribution through coordination and increasing regional transparency are keys of a resilient supply chain when these unexpected changes occur.”

Can local food systems make a difference?

The PICA study is a promising sign that investing in local food systems is a worthwhile endeavor that will provide the community with numerous benefits. There has been an ongoing debate about whether local food can really make a meaningful impact. A recent study from Our World in Data even suggested that focusing on the types of food you eat is more important for reducing your carbon footprint than whether the food was produced locally.

What the study failed to account for, however, are the countless ripple effects that a stronger local food system has to offer like protecting open space, creating economic security for small farmers, educating the general public about food consumption, and creating a stronger cross-community connection.

As devastating as the pandemic has been and will continue to be, it may provide a key opportunity for local food systems to demonstrate what they are capable of. Local food systems have been hit with countless challenges during the pandemic and $688.7 million in lost sales between March and May 2020, according to the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. This includes key local and regional markets like farmers’ markets, farm to school, food hubs serving other institutions, and restaurants. 

Consumers can help ease some of the loss by opting to shop local when possible. Many farms have launched online stores and adopted other health-aware measures for getting their products to consumers in their regions like socially distanced drop-offs and deliveries. For more information on how to support your local farmers during the pandemic, click here. 

Lauren Manning Esq., LL.M., is a cattle farmer, an agricultural law professor at the University of Arkansas School of Law, food journalist, and contributor to the forthcoming documentary and book project Sacred Cow: The environmental, nutritional, and ethical case for better meat.