Skills and competencies for sustainable food systems : case study of young market gardeners in Sweden

Abstract: Global food systems are locked into a sociotechnical regime where actors are dependent on high external inputs and economies of scale, and systemic innovation is necessary to meet sustainability targets. Recent research into the development of education for fostering sustainability leaders, such as the Horizon 2020-project NextFood, have largely focused on mainstream agriculture, despite the importance of niches in driving systems change. The present thesis offers a perspective on one such niche, market gardening in Sweden. The Swedish food system is characterized by a development towards fewer and larger farms, which has been driven by stakeholders in the supply chain and by national- and EU-policies. Market gardening, on the other hand, is small-scale, typically relies on manual labour and uses organic inputs. Market gardeners sell their products directly to consumers through CSA models, traditional marketplaces or digital platforms. On an aggregated level, market gardening is part of a social movement for systemic innovation of food systems, and therefore it has been useful to use a theoretical framework of sustainability and systems thinking to analyse the empirical material in this thesis. Also, to understand market gardeners in relation to mainstream farmers, the results were closely compared to skills and competencies that were previously identified in the NextFood project. The aim of this project was to provide insight into the situation of young market gardeners in Sweden. Suggestions for research and education efforts to forward the sustainability transformation were offered by analysing their skills and competencies, and lack therein, as well as their values and perceptions of their own role in the food system. The context-specific yet holistic focus of this study motivated a qualitative methodology consisting of thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews. The results of this study indicate that an interest in cultivation and social factors, such as personal values and a willingness to contribute to society, are the main drivers for young market gardeners. In their daily work, technical skills for the production of vegetables is of crucial importance, and another important tool is the ability to work innovatively through experimentation, adaptation, development and learning. They typically feel fully at home with digital tools such as social media for the sharing of knowledge and experiences and for their marketing and sales. Like other start-ups, their economic situation is very fragile, something that is exacerbated by their lack of sufficient financial management skills and barriers to applying for financial support. In general, the skills and competencies for sustainable food system, as identified by the market gardeners in this study, corresponded well with the results from the NextFood project. Instead, market gardeners are distinguished from the mainstream by their values and mindset, their will to lead for sustainability. Further, their interactions with other stakeholders are severely impacted by their niche position. In conclusion, young Swedish market gardeners have the mindset of sustainability leaders and possess many of the necessary skills and competencies for sustainable food systems. There is, however, a need for more practice-oriented education focusing on production techniques and financial management. Furthermore, the transformation of the food system is in essence a political and social process in which there is a need for collective responsibility. Policy makers need to acknowledge a new and more diverse generation of farmers and create more flexible support systems. At the same time, the development of consumer awareness needs to continue, and research and education need collaborate with practitioners to develop practice-oriented education that help foster social entrepreneurship and empower leadership for sustainability.