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Written by Editor
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Wednesday, 15 November 2006 |
TELFUNIntroductionTELFUN is an interdisciplinary and comparative research program based on twelve research projects divided over four disciplines and carried out in three geographical locations. The program is
structured in such a way that the research problem can only be addressed using an interdisciplinary approach. TELFUN is financed by the Wageningen University.
BackgroundIn agricultural sciences the concept of the (agro-industrial production) chain is often used to describe the social organization of production and consumption. A chain is characterized by vertical
integration of actors, from supplying industry to primary production, processing industry and distribution to consumers. These chains are globally organized around a center-of-command, the central actor who coordinates the flow of information and products. The processing industry used to play the role of center-of-command, but gradually this strategic position has been taken over by the retailer, who has a strategic distribution function towards consumers. A principal function of the global chain is the geographical disconnection of production and consumption, which paradoxically
allows connecting centres of production in one geographical region with centres of production in another geographical region.
Recent studies into the social organization of agricultural and food production reveal that (apart from global chains) local networks are of considerable importance for the production of food crops and
food products for significant parts of the population. A central hypothesis of this research proposal is that the geographical disconnection of production and consumption does not occur in food-networks, because of there specific constellation. The first assumption underlying this hypothesis is that these networks are composed of a multitude of medium and small (household and family based) enterprises, and most of the consumption and production takes place within the network. It is not suggested that these networks are autarchic. Linkages may and most likely do exist with centres of production and consumption elsewhere, but, and this is the principal difference with the chain model, this is not a principal feature of its working. This implies that the logic of the
network is its embedment in local (production and consumption) processes. The second assumption, which is related to the former assumption, is that these networks are mainly organized within a well defined (although fluid) geography. Again, the network is not an enclave and linkages to other geographies exist. But the locality is a principal frame of reference for the network.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 28 January 2007 )
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