Food systems are complex and dynamic systems. In the Glossary you will find this definition used by Canadian Dietitians: “Food systems are complex, non-linear, systems… that embrace all the elements (environment, people, inputs, processes, infrastructure, institutions, markets, and trade) and activities …[of] production, processing, distribution, marketing, preparation, and consumption of food and the outputs of these activities, including socio-economic and environmental outcomes.”
Food systems are inseparable from the environment on which they depend, and the people who shape them. For example, Andean peoples, the Indigenous inhabitants of the Central Andes in South America, consider food systems to be deeply interconnected with their environment and cultural identity. Their agricultural practices, which have evolved over millennia, include paying tribute to Pachamama (Mother Earth), emphasizing sustainable land use and the relationship between the land, environment, and their culture. (Read more about Pachamama Day on the Cusco Peru website). Similarly, the Sámi, a group of people Indigenous to what is now called Europe, consider food and food systems as interconnected with broader cultural and geographic contexts. Tervo, et al. (2022) emphasize that … “…traditional Sami food and livelihoods relate to the natural environment and are part of their way of life; they are interlinked with the Sami people’s identity and dignity…”
Thinking of food systems as complex systems is very helpful in the context of sustainability.
2.1. Watch (4 minutes)
Start by watching the short video below to explore the concept of food systems.
Note that although waste is listed as a stage of the food system, food loss & waste happens at several stages of the food system.
2.2. Read (1 hour)
In this section, we encourage you to read the Building Block “What are Food Systems” published online by TABLE. It is about 6 pages of content and should take less than an hour to read.
At the end of the document, you will find many “recommend resources” and “references” that you can explore. Note that a few of the links are outdated as of 2024, but many are still good.
2.3. Reflect (20 minutes)
After reading, reflect on the following questions.
1 – Describe a food system. Use words appropriate as if you were explaining it to a colleague at work.
2 – Why is it helpful to think of food systems as complex systems?
3 – Based on the videos and readings, how would you personally define a food system?
4 – Using the “Nourish Food System Map” from the reading as a guide, what roles do you have in the food system as an individual, and as a nutrition and dietetics professional?
2.4. Keep Learning (optional)
If you enjoyed learning about food systems as complex systems, you can check out the courses and readings:
- The readings recommended by TABLE at the end of the Building Block, What are Food Systems?
- The Systems Thinking in Public Health in the ICDA SFS Toolkit’s Sustainability Courses page under ‘longer courses’.
- The Indigenous Food Systems Network: This website includes various videos, stories, and tools related to Indigenous food sovereignty and sustainable food practices.
- Infographic: UF/IFAS What is the Food System Infographic (ufl.edu).
Congratulations on finishing Part 2 of Learning Module 1!
Continue to LM1 Part 3: Why are Food Systems (including dietary patterns) Currently not Sustainable (~1 hour)
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ICDAsfs.coordinator@acadiau.ca
updated 2024 December