Greening Food - a project at the Centre for Sustainability

Greening Food: Social and industry dynamics

Principal investigator: Professor Hugh Campbell

Subcontractor:Professor John Fairweather (Lincoln University)

Staff involved: Hugh Campbell, Brad Coombes, Ruth Fitzgerald, Carmen Mcleod, Annie Stuart

Brief abstract

The Greening Food research project refers to a series of FRST contracts from 1995-2003 that established the first body of social scientific research in New Zealand into the emergence of new forms of agriculture making claims of 'sustainable' management.

Initially focused on the (then) new niche export sector of certified organic products, the Greening Food project then moved into examining emerging Integrated Management systems and, finally, into the first international alliances harmonising and integrating environmental management for fruit and vegetable food chains (particularly EurepGAP).

Greening Food deployed an interview schedule with strategic industry participants and growers in the vegetable, apple, kiwifruit, honey and wine sectors.