The Chains of Agriculture: Sustainability and the Restructuring of Agri-Food Markets

The global agriculture has succeeded with supplying the growing world population but has not succeeded in creating a sustainable industry. The new agricultural world is driven by chains controlled by large retail and service industry at the end. Framers are losing connection to their product and leading to an industry focused on product not sustainability. The increase of policies that disregard sustainability such as the overuse of land, have led to a less sustainable industry. The new economy has lead to a division of the rural population into a global division of workers and smaller family farms. With this rapid change of the industry and money being transfered from agriculture production, farms have no capability to invest in sustainability. Published by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) in collaboration with the Regional and International Networking Group (RING). IIED's work in preparation for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg 2002).