Abstract
Over the past decades, the globalisation of markets and the industrialisation of food systems have monotonised farming globally, which is now dominated by the mono-cropping of a handful of calorie-dense staple crops. In low- and middle-income countries, the erosion of inter- and intraspecific agrobiodiversity has induced a transition to a “Western” diet characterised by ultra-processed food and calorie-dense staples. As a response, several peasant farmer movements have engaged in conserving farm system diversity and related traditional diets. In high-income countries, trends like farm-to-table or “superfoods” aim to restore agrobiodiversity but are limited to niche sectors. We discuss the causes of agroecosystem simplification and their consequences for diets in different parts of the world. We then point to the significance of diversified farming for food security and healthy, accessible, and tasty food.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Title of host publication | Routledge Handbook of Sustainable Diets |
Editors | Kathleen Kevany, Paolo Prosperi |
Publisher | Routledge Taylor & Francis Group |
Chapter | 6 |
Pages | 58-68 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Edition | 1 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781003174417 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781032004860 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 30 Dec 2022 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Economics, Econometrics and Finance(all)
- Business, Management and Accounting(all)
- Health Professions(all)
- Medicine(all)
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Environmental Science(all)
- Social Sciences(all)