RESEARCH FOR SUSTAINABLE REGIONAL ECONOMIES Community Supported Agriculture: An overview of characteristics, diffusion and political interaction in France, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland Susanne Schlicht ([email protected]) Peter Volz ([email protected]) Philipp Weckenbrock ([email protected]) Thomas Le Gallic ([email protected]) Table of Contents Table of Contents Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................II Table of Figures .................................................................................................................... V Abbreviations .........................................................................................................................6 Presentation of the Researching Bodies .................................................................................7 1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................8 2 Methodology of the Research ........................................................................................11 3 The Context of European Agriculture Today ..................................................................14 3.1 Impacts of Agricultural Production ......................................................................14 3.2 Farmers and Farms ............................................................................................15 3.3 Food Logistics ....................................................................................................17 3.4 Global Markets and Speculation .........................................................................18 3.5 Institutional Setting .............................................................................................19 4 History of CSA ...............................................................................................................22 Why did CSA Develop? ....................................................................................................24 5 National Overviews .......................................................................................................26 5.1 France ................................................................................................................26 5.1.1 The Definition of AMAP..................................................................................26 5.1.2 The Actual Situation of CSA in France ...........................................................29 5.2 Germany ............................................................................................................33 5.2.1 The Definition of “Solidarische Landwirtschaft” ..............................................33 5.2.2 The Current Situation of CSA in Germany .....................................................35 5.3 Switzerland ........................................................................................................39 5.3.1 The Definition of “Regionale Vertragslandwirtschaft” or “Agriculture Contractuelle de Proximité” ...........................................................................................39 II Table of Contents 5.3.2 The Current Situation of CSA in Switzerland ..................................................39 5.4 Belgium ..............................................................................................................46 5.4.1 The Definition of “Groupes d’Achat” and CSA ................................................46 5.4.1.1 Brussels-Region– The “Groupes d’Achat Solidaires de l’Agriculture Paysanne“ .................................................................................................................46 5.4.1.2 Flanders – CSA-Farms..............................................................................48 5.4.1.3 Wallonia - “Groupe d’Achats Communs” (GAC) or “Groupement d’Achats Alimentaires” (GAA) ...................................................................................................49 5.4.2 The Current Situation of CSA in Belgium .......................................................50 5.4.2.1 The GASAPs in Brussels-Region ..............................................................50 5.4.2.2 The CSA-Farms of the Flemish Network ...................................................52 5.4.2.3 Wallonia ....................................................................................................53 5.4.2.4 Obstacles in the Creation of a CSA ...........................................................54 6 CSA and Politics............................................................................................................56 6.1 Politics and CSA in France .................................................................................57 6.1.1 What is the Role of AMAPs in French Agriculture? ........................................57 6.1.2 Political Intervention and Possibilities of Support and Financing ....................59 6.1.3 Perception of Politics by Members of AMAPs ................................................62 6.2 Politics and CSA in Germany .............................................................................63 6.2.1 Integration of CSA in Policies ........................................................................63 6.2.2 Acceptance of Political Influence in CSA-Projects..........................................63 6.2.2.1 The Priority of Autonomy ...........................................................................63 6.2.2.2 Possibilities of Support ..............................................................................64 6.2.2.3 CSA as a Political Project ..........................................................................64 6.3 Politics and CSA in Switzerland..........................................................................65 6.3.1 Forms of Local Support..................................................................................66 6.3.2 Perception of Political Influence .....................................................................67 III Table of Contents 6.4 Politics and CSA in Belgium ...............................................................................68 6.4.1 Brussels-Region ............................................................................................68 6.4.2 Flanders ........................................................................................................69 6.4.3 Wallonia .........................................................................................................70 6.4.4 Perception of Political Intervention .................................................................70 7 Comparative analysis of CSA in France, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland ...............72 7.1 Present State and Dynamics of the Development of CSA ..................................72 7.2 The Role of Networks .........................................................................................72 7.3 Questions of Values and Motivation ...................................................................73 7.4 The Role of Politics ............................................................................................74 8 Recommendations ........................................................................................................75 9 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................76 10 Bibliography ...............................................................................................................78 10.1 Books and essays ..............................................................................................78 10.2 Internet ...............................................................................................................80 10.3 Interviews and emails .........................................................................................85 10.4 Further literature .................................................................................................87 11 Appendix....................................................................................................................88 1. Interview Guideline – definition of CSA and actual situation ..........................................89 2. The ten principles of the “Agriculture Paysanne” ...........................................................91 3. Charter of the AMAPs in France ...................................................................................92 4. Charter Switzerland FRACP........................................................................................ 100 5. Möschbergerklärung ................................................................................................... 103 6. Charter of the GASAP, Brussels-Capital ..................................................................... 107 IV Table of Contents Table of Figures Figure 1 Money and produce flow conventional retail versus CSA ............................................... 10 Figure 2 Concept of the study ........................................................................................................ 13 Figure 3 Annual rate of change in the number of farms in the EU, 1975-2007 ............................. 16 Figure 4 Hectares per farm in Germany 1979 – 2007 ................................................................... 16 Figure 5 Total number of holdings