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From Policy to Plate: A Critical Analysis of Council Engagement with Local Food Initiatives in Aotearoa

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Dissertation(2.61 MB)

Date

2023

Authors

Supervisor

Berno, Tracy

Item type

Degree name

Master of Gastronomy

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Publisher

Auckland University of Technology

Abstract

There is no agreed upon definition of local food, yet it is often uncritically assumed to be a beneficial way to consume. Local government in Aotearoa New Zealand is no exception. This dissertation critically analyses Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch City Councils’ engagement with local food initiatives. These councils were selected based on their leadership in food strategy and because they are the largest three cities in Aotearoa. The study explores to what extent the three most populous city councils in Aotearoa prioritize and invest in local food, and considers what critical insights can be derived from analysing their initiatives in the local food space. The study presents a thematic analysis of the food plans and policies of each council, as well as of the ‘about’ descriptions of organisations with council funding working in the local food space. The main theme that was identified from the data was ‘The pursuit of a food system centred around social, individual, economic, and environmental wellbeing’. These four wellbeing focus areas were then used as a guide for a critical discussion of the councils’ engagement with local food and localised food systems. A critical lens was applied to the claims that the councils make about local food using findings from the literature review. The findings suggest that Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch City Councils may have been susceptible to “the local trap”, the assumption that local food is inherently good.

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Permanent link

http://hdl.handle.net/10292/16861

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Masters Dissertations