Tenth International Conference on Food Studies

Abstract

This paper will briefly define the two mainstream formats of the production/consumption relationship on the food industry and start the discussion of how consumers can be turned into active participants in the process of choosing the provenance of their food, based on the differences of agriculture methods, food production chains and the social, economic and cultural impact of this process. Another aspect of this study is to point out the social, economic and cultural effects of the current production patterns on modern society, and show how the Short Food Supply Chains (SFSC) and Local Agriculture (LA) are possible, feasible and socially innovative alternatives, by highlighting their advantages under all perspectives of sustainability. As an example of this practice, the case of Junta Local in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is presented.