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Food systems can be divided into social, spatial, ecological and economic values.
The social dimension of the values of food systems is community or justice at its most pronounced.
Values are described less as static entities and more as ongoing social evaluation processes.
An understanding of values is considered central to enabling a sustainability transformation of the food system.
Summary of the study
A growing number of agricultural and food studies examine the values underlying different forms of alternative food systems. However, the understanding of what constitutes values and valuation processes in general, and which values underpin alternative food systems in particular, varies widely in the literature or remains undefined. This article provides an overview of the conceptual understanding of values in the social science literature. Based on a systematic literature review and a "snowball" literature search, the different meanings of "values" as understood in the existing agricultural and food literature are systematically presented to deepen the understanding of the role of values in alternative food systems. Based on the literature review, the paper then synthesizes the findings on values in the agricultural and food literature by assigning them to the four dimensions of social, spatial, ecological and economic values. The article thus offers a systematic and theoretically sound perspective on values in agricultural and food studies.
Key findings of this study
Lack of theoretical foundation: In the literature examined on alternative food systems, there is a lack of theoretical discussion of the associated values. The majority of studies (91 out of 101) only use the term as an example, which means that the understanding of values often remains imprecise.
Systematization through four dimensions: The study systematically assigns the diversity of empirical values to the social, spatial, ecological or economic dimension. This provides a theoretically sound perspective on the role of values in agricultural and food research.
Dominance of social values: Of the four dimensions, the social dimension is the most pronounced and encompasses the widest range of values examined. The central values here include community, trust, solidarity and social justice. These social relationships give food a symbolic value that goes far beyond its purely physical properties.
Values as levers for sustainability transformation: Values are identified as crucial leverage pointsfor a profound transformation towards more sustainable food systems. The authors therefore emphasize that the investigation of valuation processes should have a high priority in future research.