Finding value in an alternative caring food network : a study of how localised regenerative small-scale growers can build social value in our food system : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts - Human Geography, Massey University, New Zealand

dc.contributor.authorMcLeod, Heidi Anne
dc.date.accessioned2023-01-23T20:59:44Z
dc.date.available2023-01-23T20:59:44Z
dc.date.issued2022
dc.description.abstractThrough its significant dairy farming sector, Taranaki epitomises modernised food production and distribution within a global food system. Alongside this, a burgeoning community of small-scale growers exist who do not aspire to large scales or optimised profitability. These growers support localised food production, diversity in distribution, regenerative practices, and caring social values. I argue they are fundamentally 'resocialising' food in a way that enhances social, cultural and economic values, and are creating wellbeing for local communities through an ethic of care. There is little literature regarding the social attributes of food grown by small-scale growers for local consumption. This thesis aims to contribute to that body of work by offering an ethnographic account of small-scale growers. I argue that these growers build and strengthen a sense of community thereby creating an interconnected web of organised care relationships that form a 'meshwork', connecting people to place within Taranaki. I will show that understanding the relationship between people and food procurement goes beyond a financial exchange, disentangling food from a global food system where it may be 'food from nowhere' to situating it in a localised setting where through processes of resocialisation, it becomes 'food from somewhere' (McMichael, 2016). However, despite creating positive social values, small-scale growers struggle to hold their space within the global food system because they are frequently deprioritised, undervalued, or unrecognised. This thesis concludes by showing Taranaki’s regenerative small-scale growers are able to create a meshwork of food production and distribution that resocialises food through values of care.en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10179/17953
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherMassey Universityen
dc.rightsThe Authoren
dc.subjectglobal food systemen
dc.subjectsmall-scale growersen
dc.subjectregenerative food systemen
dc.subjectethic of careen
dc.subjectmeshworken
dc.subjectlocal food systemsen
dc.subject.anzsrc440406 Rural community developmenten
dc.subject.anzsrc300899 Horticultural production not elsewhere classifieden
dc.titleFinding value in an alternative caring food network : a study of how localised regenerative small-scale growers can build social value in our food system : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts - Human Geography, Massey University, New Zealanden
dc.typeThesisen
massey.contributor.authorMcLeod, Heidi Anne
thesis.degree.disciplineHuman Geographyen
thesis.degree.levelMastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Arts (MA)en
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