Is there space for farmers’ voice in the food supply chain? (Joint CHEFS Research Seminar & DSSM Distinguished Lecture)

Is there space for farmers’ voice in the food supply chain? A story-telling/listening experiment with Indian farmers and UK- based consumers
Presenter:  Dr Maria Touri
Facilitator:  Dr Jennifer Smith Maguire

The UN’s agenda for the 17 Sustainable Development Goals is heavily focused on the economic, environmental, and social resilience of Southern farming communities.  Yet, subjective dimensions of social well-being that are indirectly linked to food production are often neglected.  Among these is the potentially harmful impact of stereotypical representations of Southern food growers, in public communication i.e., advertising, and promotional material.  Food brands and organizations such as the Fairtrade foundation typically rely on portraits that objectify food growers and silence their voices.  But do these discursive embodiments matter for farmers’ well-being?  And is there space for farmers’ own voices and stories in the food supply chain?  The presentation attempts to tackle these questions with a participatory video storytelling experiment.  This was conducted in collaboration with a group of farmers in South India and consumers in the UK who engaged in a long-distance communication through short videos produced by the farmers.  The farmers’ videos and self-representation elicited subjective and material benefits for both groups, highlighting the centrality of representation for human development and social justice.  At the same time, creating a space for voice expression and listening will remain utopian without a concerted effort from trading and development organizations.

Information on the talk and Zoom joining link on the CHEFS research talks page: https://blogs.shu.ac.uk/chefscluster/chefs-online-research-talks/ 

This session is open to all staff and PGRs.

Recordings appear on the CHEFS past talks page: https://blogs.shu.ac.uk/chefscluster/past-talks/