PhD defense on Japan's alternative food networks. It is an exploration of how regenerative agricutlure producers and local food systems exist in relation to the mainstream. What opportunities exist for larger scale change for more sustainable practices to be implemented within the larger food system?

1. Practicing Solidarity
between
Farmers and Eaters
Understanding the diverse economies of
Alternative Food Networks in Japan
Chika Kondo
Field of Philosophy of Agricultural Science
Division of Natural Resource Economics
Ph.D. Defense
June 16th, 2022
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2. Research Topic and Approach
Research Question and Methodology
Dissertation Chapter Outline
Case Study Highlights
Discussion
Conclusion
Presentation Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
2

3. Alternative Food Networks (AFNs)
1
AFNs are commonly conceptualized as an alternative system of food provisioning that falls outside of
the conventional model of agriculture (Watts et al., 2005, Kirwan, 2004) to respond to the ills of global
industrial agri-food system.
Goal of investing in an alternative, smaller-scale, less-exploitative food economy to enable consumers
to 'reconnect' with the sources and producers of their food (Renting et al., 2003, Goodman et al. 2013)
Examples include community-supported agriculture (CSA), farmers' markets, organic box schemes, and
farm stands.
2
3
'first generation' AFNs (later 1990s-early 2000s)emphasized local food networks, short food supply
chains, and locality where alternative food was referred to its quality based on location and individual
consumer choice. It was critiqued as "unreflexive" and "defensive" for equating local with good
(Dupuis and Goodman, 2005, Born and Purcell 2006, Kneafsey et al., 2021).
'second generation' AFNs (2005-2010) aimed to redefine the agri-food system' with frameworks such
as 'civic food networks' and 'sustainability transition' to embrace new social and economic
challenges.
AFNs can reproduce neoliberal subjectivities, as AFN activity can mimic the same mentalities being
practiced within conventional agri-food systems (Guthman, 2008, Tregear, 2011). 3

4. AFNs to redefine conventional system?
Alternative vs Conventional
Alterity holds analytical value
Does the mainstream success of AFNS represent
transformative agri-food system change or does it
represent co-optation by major food retailers and
manufacturers?
Alterity of
AFNs
close and meaningful
relationships, social
embeddedness,
economic diversity,
'local'
vs
corporations, markets,
homogenization, distant
transactional relations,
neoliberal forms of
governance
Moving beyond a binary understanding of alterity vs
conventional can lead to better understanding of the
dynamics and process of building alternatives (Misleh,
2022).
4
source:Kondo

5. Gibson-Graham (2006) encourages the
recognition of diversity and utilizes the tactic of
'reading for difference' to 'imagine and enact a new
economic politics'.
Provides a relative lens to understand AFNs as
"ongoing experiments in ethical economic relations
within a diversity of economic practices".
Expands the notion of alterity and generates
opportunity to explore the various challenges that
emerge in building and imaging an alternative
while still living under capitalism.
This research aims to better understand the
complex interdependence of those engaged in
AFNs.
diverse economies
approach
source: Gibson-Graham 2006
capitalocentricism
5
diverse economies

6. How do AFNs in Japan exist
today?
How do they relate to the
goals of transitions to
sustainable agri-food
systems?
How is alterity and solidarity
being practiced and realized
in AFNs?
research
questions
6

7. Japan's Conventional
Food System
7
Japan: 45%
USA: 45%
UK: 65%
France: 75%
Top 5 Corporations make up __%
of supermarket market share
source: MAFF 2021
(Aeon, 7 Group, Uni, Life, Izumi)
(Walmart, Kroger, Safeway, Publix, Supervalu)
(Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda, Morrisons, Waitrose)
(Carrefour, E.Leclerc, Intermarche, Systems U, Auchan)

8. Significance of
AFNs in Japan
increasing concentration of
supermarket chains raises
concern over neoliberal food
system especially in rural areas.
organic agriculture mostly
operates outside of the
conventional food system.
organic farmers in Japan mostly
distribute via AFN models.
high diversity of AFNs exist in
Japan.
8
source: Japan Agriculture Newspaper 2021

9. grounded theory
approach
(semi-structure
interviews, open-
ended interviews,
participant
observation in formal
and informal
meetings, shadowing,
online meetings)
data collection
October 2019-
September 2021;
with a 6 months
internship at
Henko wholesaler
in Mie Prefecture.
snow-ball
sampling
(introductions to
case studies by
informants and
interviewees
shaped the
research scope)
Field sites (Kyoto,
Osaka, Mie,
Shiga) chosen
based on
identification of
key actors within
AFN activities.
methodology
9

10. Using the 10 teikei principles as a framework to
understand shifts in alterity of teikei practices
from the 1970s to today.
Chapter 2: Evolution of Teikei
Dissertation Chapters
Yaoyas serve as important intermediaries
to translate AFN values to eaters and exist
within hybrid spaces of alternative and
conventional.
Chapter 4 : Organic Yaoyas
Chapter 5: Distribution Challenges AFNs vs
wholesale markets
Issues of distribution and aggregation plague AFNs and prevent
AFNs from moving beyond niche, individual consumer choice
relations. This chapter explores the functions of wholesale
markets against AFNs distribution.
Chapter 3: Intergenerational
Transitions of Teikei
Explores how changes enacted by the current
generation of teikei organizers creatively explore
the non-capitalist economic practices exemplified
by their past movement leaders and explores the
detachment away from strong activist identities.
Compares 'sanchoku-ec' e-commerce sites that link farmers
and eaters with teikeiat the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.
Chapter 6: COVID-19 Digital
AFNs and alterity
Chapter 7: Women Farmers and AFNs
This chapter expands the possibilities for AFNs to articulate social
change by exploring how women farmers are shifting traditional
gender norms related to agriculture and role of citizen-producer.
10

11. Conventional
Alternative
teikei
ch 3
organic
yaoya
ch 4
sanchoku e-
commerce
(digital AFN)
ch 6
wholesale
market
ch 5
AFN distribution
groups
ch 5
11

12. Blueprint to
carry out teikei
help farmers and
eaters define their
mutual partnership
and develop
necessary
coordination and
logistics.
Est. in 1978
Teikei emerged as a
social movement to
build alternative
market relations
aimed at reponding to
ills of rapid
industrialization.
Embodies Diverse
Economies
Each principle spell
out the importance
of de-
commodifying food
production and
consumption and
relationship
building.
Mutual Assistance
Intended
Production
Accepting all
Harvest
Mutual Price
Decision
Deepening Friendly
Relationships
Self-distribution
Democratic
Management
Learning Among
the Group
Maintaining
Appropriate Scale
Steady
Development
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Teikei 10 Principles
12

13. Teikei
groups
peak in
early 1990s
Teikei groups in 1991 survey in Japan. Osaka
had the highest membership total, but
most number of groups in Tokyo. 13

14. Hirakata
Iga Yuuki
Case Studies
1.
2.
14
Chapters 2 and 3
teikei

15. TEIKEI CASE STUDY #1
枚方食品公害と健康を考える会
E
S
T
.
1
9
7
5
A
S
A
S
T
U
D
Y
G
R
O
U
P
HIRAKATA THINKING ABOUT FOOD
CONTAMINATION AND HEALTH
15

16. “It’s tiring to try and uphold a movement. What
connects us is not theory but our relationships to
one another and being able to speak to one
another equally.” -teikei member
“When I first heard about this organization, I thought it
was a cult. It sounds very intimidating. It was only after
learning about it through the pre-school that I
realized: 'oh this is what they are doing. I’d like to
support local farmers and eat vegetables that is
grown so close to my house.'.” -teikei member
MOVING AWAY
FROM SOCIAL
MOVEMENT
ACTIVISM
16
teikei case study 1: Hirakata

17. EST 1981 PRODUCER TEIKEI
1７
TEIKEI CASE STUDY #2
伊賀有機農業供給センター
IGA YUUKI ORGANIC AGRICULTURE
SUPPLY CENTER

18. est in 1973 as a grassroots non-
profit organization
collecting recycled paper to
faciliate conversation on how to
change society
CONSUMER GROUP
established a producer group to
facilitate conversation on organic
growing practices and also as a
way to build power in discussing
prices and farm conditions
PRODUCER GROUP
established the Anzen Nousan
Center in order to carry out
distribution. Started in 1975 as a
stock holding company but
practices as a solidarity economy
DISTRIBUTION
CENTER
teikei case study #3:
使い捨て時代を考える
会
18
ASSOCIATION TO
COLLECTIVELY REFLECT ON THE
THROWAWAY SOCIETY

19. case studies
Chapter 4
organic
yaoya
18

20. yaoyas sit in a
heterogenous space of
small independent
community-based
businesses and explore an
important role of
intermediaries.
they serve as
communication bridges
between farmers and
eaters.
Diverse Economies of
Alternative Yaoyas
19

21. 20
1.Otemairiya
2.Henko
3.Kyoto Organic Action (KOA)
Chapter 5
wholesale
market
AFN distribution
groups
1.Nagahama Local
Wholesale Market
AFN distribution case studies
Local wholesale market
case study

22. Nagahama Local Wholesale
Market
Established in 1990 as a Third-Sector market
(quasi-public) and intended to help market
Nagahama local speciality products. There are
currently 2 private wholesalers who operate inside
the market.
Today, roughly 70% of fruits and vegetables
come from outside the prefecture, with
remaining 30% coming from within Shiga
Prefecture.
Mostly distributes to local supermarket chain
distribution centers.
Accepts all harvests within quality standards
Takes 7% on fruits and 8.5% on vegetables on
negotiated price as a fee. 21
source:
Kondo

23. Otemairiya｜Nagahama Organic Farmers
Operates a collective distribution group for local vendors including
10 restaurants, 2 beauty salons, 2 pre-schools, and a direct sales
corner at a local chain supermarket (Heiwado). Supermarket
distribution transaction is conducted by
Nagahama Wholesale Market.
22

24. HENKO
ORGANIC
WHOLESALER 23

25. KYOTO
ORGANIC
ACTION
24
24

26. Case Study
sanchoku e-
commerce
(digital AFN)
Chapter 6 25

27. Sanchoku EC Case
Study: Pocket Marche
Direct marketing e-commerce platforms first appeared in the 2010s
to directly connect farmers and eaters through online delivery.
Popularity surged at the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.
26

28. Conventional
Alternative
teikei
1. 2. organic
yaoya
4. sanchoku
e-
commerce
(digital AFN)
3. wholesale
market
3. AFN
distribution
groups
27
Discussion

29. Today's
teikei
Operational Shift
Relational Shift
Ideological Shift
Shifting away from principles 2 (planned production) and 3 (accepting all harvest),
consumers and producers limit what is acceptable for produce. Many farmers also
find it difficult to host volunteers and people on the farm due to limited time and
capacity. Changing role of women in society also impacts the frequency of face-to-
face interaction between farmer and eater.
Declining teikei membership = farmers need to secure additional markets to maintain
livelihood.
Distribution challenges also emerged as members could no longer practice self-
distribution. This led to diversity of structures, such setting up internal distribution
companies, and farmers relying on express couriers to urban areas that can afford
higher prices.
Cooptation of concepts such as 'kao-no-mieru-kankei' (relationship between grower
and eater where you can see each other's face) was seen in supermarkets as
marketing strategies without much effort to maintain close ties between farmer and
eater.
More familiarity with the concept of CSA vs teikei among new and beginning organic
farmers 28

30. Teikei exists as a diverse economy
but struggles to adapt
shifting away from strict
notions of solidarity and
clearly defined roles of
movement building.
struggling to engage more
young farmers to participate
as teikei groups do not have
enough membership base to
support farmers.
difficulties in transitioning to
digital tools.
struggles to uphold teikei 10 principles such as
volunteering on farms, but some farmer-
eater interactions occur through organized
events and part-time labor.
limitations to maintaining farmer-eater
partnerships and strengthening role of
citizen-consumers and citizen-producers.
Teikei remains a niche alternative space and
perhaps the most idealized form of AFN.
29

31. creative adaptations for organic yaoyas to exist
between conventional and altenrative spaces.
Both alternative and conventional
yaoyas serve as intermediaries to expand organic
/AFN activity and accessibility and therefore avoid
reducing AFN activity to niche exclusive markets.
Expand reach of AFN activity
hold a more realistic approach to food system
transformation. engaging in the small day to day
activities, daily interactions with everyday consumers.
Shifting away from radical change
role of intermediaries to connect farmers and eaters
helps to maintain practices of solidarity through the
exchange of information and awareness building.
Continued relationship building
Lessons
learned
from
yaoyas
30

32. highlights the limitations of direct farmer-eater relationships.
various struggles in building cost-efficient distribution routes when
organic farmers are sparsely located throughout rural areas.
urban-rural divide often results in demand for organic limited to urban
areas.
challenge of creating local markets within rural areas.
not an AFN, but the functions of aggregation, distribution are critical
components for building a sustainable food system.
wholesale markets can potentially alleviate some of the burdens that
organic farmers face in securing markets, through function of
accepting all harvest.
collaboration between AFNs and supermarkets is a potential entry
point to expand reach and scale of AFNs.
Local Wholesale Markets
AFN Distribution Groups
31

33. struggle to
maintain viable
livelihoods lends
towards a diversity
of AFN practices

34. Digital AFNs as Diverse
Economies...
without a strong foundation like the
teikei 10 principles, digital AFNs risk
economic reductionism, privileging
strong retail skills from producers and
niche affluent consumer markets
the struggle to maintain strong
relationships between farmer and
eater, limits the extent and depth of
solidarity building
SANCHOKU E-COMMERCE
surge in popularity during COVID-19
pandemic and reflects a turning point
for AFNs.
provided an opportunity for more
farmers to engage in IT and online
sales for their own distribution and
marketing strategy.
less about community building.
it operates as a mostly market-
mechanism with some opportunity for
cooperation among participating
actors.
32

35. AFNs in Japan sit in a diverse space of possibilities that all express
varying degrees of alterity in their process of development,
evolution, and how they relate to the conventional food system.
Solidarity building does not occur just between farmers and eaters,
but also includes the role of intermediaries such as yaoyas,
distributors, wholesalers that relay important information and
support food system operations
AFNs in Japan do not explicitly engage in social movement building
or the active rejection of the conventional food system.
the everyday interactions and casual connections among actors
within AFNs is where solidarity building occurs.
Alterity of AFNs in Japan exists in the not so conventional, not so
alternative blurred space that is highly context specific with a
diverse set of motivations and organizational structures
Conclusion
33

36. AFNs can move beyond niche counter culture spaces when we expand
the debate on alterity by looking at the interdependence and
connections among AFN actors and their everyday community building.
Solidarity is a dynamic process where farmers,
intermediaries, and eaters continuously engage
towards a more sustainable food system
34

37. References
35
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DuPuis, E. M., & Goodman, D. (2005). Should we go “home” to eat?: Toward a reflexive politics of localism. Journal of Rural Studies,
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Goodman, D., DuPuis, M. E., & Goodman, M. K. (2013). Alternative food networks: Knowledge, practice and politics. Routledge.
Guthman, J. (2008). Neoliberalism and the making of food politics in California. Geoforum, 39(3), 1171–1183.
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Kneafsey, M., Maye, D., Holloway, L., & Goodman, M. K. (2020). Geographies of food: An introduction. Bloomsbury.
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in Rural Development. Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space, 35(3), 393–411. https://doi.org/10.1068/a3510
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38. Thank
you.
36