Global food markets and their local alternatives - a socio-ecological economic perspective

Growing globalization has changed the relationship between the economic institution 'market' and its social contexts. Local alternatives have developed, as some would argue, as a response to this globalization trend. This paper examines the seeming contradiction between globalization and local market developments by examining a recent model of emerging local, more socially embedded markets, namely CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture). It argues that CSAs, which directly link agricultural producers and consumers, exemplify the search for market alternatives that are re-embedded in their physical, social, and ethical context. Thereby important dimensions of market interaction such as reliance on local experts, social interaction, and spatial/temporal feedback functions can be recovered.