Local food

Social, ecological and economic

Benefits of local food systems

Many people in Germany no longer know where their food comes from: supply chains are long and confusing, and products are often traded on the world market and sold in supermarkets. This means that consumers can no longer trace the origin. This global, industrial food production has led to the creation of a monopoly in the agricultural sector and the food industry, and unfortunately also to dependency. A small number of companies control the supply of seeds and agrochemicals, processing, logistics and even food production. In Germany, for example, a few corporations control 85 percent of the food trade. This concentration of power can lead to unfair trading practices that endanger the livelihoods of small farms and food producers along the entire supply chain. And they alienate consumers from the origin of the food.

Valuable knowledge has been partially lost

The globalization of food production and trade is leading to a loss of traditional knowledge, skills and cultural techniques. Knowledge of cultivation methods, food preparation and storage of regional, seasonal products is often no longer available. What used to be a matter of course, at least in rural areas, namely tending your own garden and living a self-sufficient lifestyle in small-scale farming structures, is increasingly being forgotten. Fortunately, however, a trend reversal is evident, which may lead to more food being grown locally again.

When does regionally grown food also make ecological sense?

Purchasing regionally produced food makes ecological sense when seasonal regional products are purchased from producers who use environmentally friendly production processes and the proportion of non-renewable resources used in processing, transport and storage is as low as possible.

Demand for domestic products is increasing

Last but not least, the crisis caused by Corona has contributed to more and more people recognizing the advantages of organic, regional and seasonal products and the demand for them is steadily increasing.