Alternative Food Networks: An Interdisciplinary Assessment
by Alessandro Corsi (Editor), Filippo Barbera (Editor), Egidio Dansero (Editor), Cristiana Peano (Editor)

About the Author
Alessandro Corsi is Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics at the University of Turin, Italy.
Filippo Barbera is Associate Professor of Economic Sociology at the University of Turin, Italy and Affiliate of the Collegio Carlo Alberto, Turin, Italy.
Egidio Dansero is Professor of Political and Economic Geography at the University of Turin, Italy.  
Cristiana Peano is Associate Professor of Arboriculture at the University of Turin, Italy.

About this book
In recent years, Alternative Food Networks (AFNs) have been a key issue both in the scientific community and in public debates. This is due to their profound implications for rural development, local sustainability, and bio-economics. This edited collection discusses what the main determinants of the participation of operators – both consumers and producers – in AFNs are, what the conditions for their sustainability are, what their social and environmental effects are, and how they are distributed geographically. Further discussions include the effect of AFNs in structuring the food chain and how AFNs can be successfully scaled up.
The authors explicitly take an interdisciplinary approach to analyse AFNs from different perspectives, using as an example the Italian region of Piedmont, a particularly interesting case study due to the diffusion of AFNs in the area, as well as due to the fact that it was in this region that the ‘Slow Food’ movement originated.

Table of contents
Part I Introductions 1
1 Introduction 3
2 Multidisciplinar y Approaches to Alternative Food Networks 9
Part II AFNs from the Consumers’ Viewpoint 47
3 Introduction to Part II: AFNs from the Consumer’s Viewpoint 49
4 Determinants of Participation in AFNs and Its Value for Consumers 57
5 Consumers’ Quality Conventions in Alternative, Conventional, and High-End Food Chains 87
6 The Environmental Quality Factors Sought by Consumers in Alternative and Conventional Market Channels 119
7 Understanding Alternative Food Networks After the Crisis: Testing Four Scenarios in Italy 137
Part III AFNs from the Producers’ Viewpoint 163
8 Introduction to Part III: AFNs from the Producers’ Viewpoint 165
9 Determinants of Farmers’ Participation in AFNs 173
10 The Economic Viability of Solidarity Purchase Groups ( Gruppi di Acquisto Solidale )  197
11 Quality and Price Setting by Producers in AFNs 215
Part IV Environment, Territory, and AFNs 245
12 Introduction to Part IV: Environment, Territory, and AFNs 247
13 Applied Environmental Sustainability of Fruit and Vegetables in Different Distribution Channels (AFNs and Large-Scale Retail) 251
14 Reterritorializa tion, Proximity, and Urban Food Planning: Research Perspectives on AFNs 273
Part V Conclusions 303
15 Conclusions: An Interdisciplinar y Assessment 305
Index 323

Length: 325 pages
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan; 1st ed. 2018 edition (October 19, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 3319904086
ISBN-13: 978-3319904085

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