Empowering grassroots agriculture: tools for food system transformation

For five years (2019-2024), researchers from the UNMAKING project explored whether and how grassroots agrifood initiatives such as Community-Supported Agriculture unmake environmentally disruptive institutions and practices that are deeply ingrained in capitalist societies. In addition to scientific publications, the project also produced a suite of resources that grassroots collectives, movements, organizations, and their networks can use to inform action and support collective reflexive processes.

The resources, a selection of which are highlighted below, are free to use and available in multiple languages and formats, including workshop handbooks, advisory reports, interviews, and short guides.

Degrowth and food system transformation: A workshop toolkit

This handbook is for a self-organized workshop on degrowth and food system transformation. The workshop is a two- to four-hour process where participants engage in open-minded and critical reflection regarding food systems and their relationship to the growth-based economy. The goal of the workshop is for participants to consider the links between the struggle for more just and ecologically viable food systems and the core ideas of a degrowth transformation and, through this, to think about strategies to overcome the obstacles to a food system transformation rooted in societies’ current pursuit of endless economic growth. The handbook is available in English, German, Dutch and Spanish.

Drawing Boundaries: How Community Supported Agriculture networks can position themselves by creating, maintaining and enforcing a shared collective identity

This leaflet provides an introduction into the idea that CSA networks set boundaries by defining their own identity. How can members of Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) networks collectively negotiate and define a shared identity? Why does this matter? It provides reflections on how such boundaries can be created, maintained and enforced over time to position the CSA network strategically and to support its own internal development. The leaflet is available in English, German and Italian.

Fostering diverse genders and sexualities in agriculture: A guide on Community Supported Agriculture

This leaflet explores issues of exclusion and discrimination, underrepresentation affecting LGBTQIAPN+ farmers and consumers in the countryside. It shows how Community Supported Agriculture can be conducive to gender and sexual diversity and flourishing. The leaflet is available in English and Portuguese.

Participatory guarantee systems for consumers’ buying groups: a tool for farmer-citizen dialogues

This report provides advice on how to set up farmer-citizen dialogues to explore a participatory guarantee system (PGS) for consumers’ buying groups and other similar grassroots collectives. A PGS can potentially help consumers’ buying groups establish concrete principles for sustainability which are adapted to local needs, opportunities and values. It allows producers to tell the story behind their products and production methods if they do not have an organic label. The report is available in English and Dutch.

The complete set resources developed throughout the course of the UNMAKING project are available on the UNMAKING website.