The Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development (JAFSCD) Issues a Call for Papers: Sustainable Livelihoods in Food Systems

A query form (and draft manuscript if available) must be completed prior to submission. The query form is online at http://www.agdevjournal.com/jafscd-query-form.html; a link is also below.

Editor Duncan Hilchey ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) is happy to review concept pieces, drafts, or outlines prior in advance as well.

Click on the link for:

• Important Notes for Authors

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Sustainable Livelihoods in Food Systems

DEADLINE: February 15, 2012

While industrialization and globalization of the food system continue to lead to declining numbers of mid-sized farms and more low-wage employment, emerging regional food systems appear to be creating some new occupational opportunities, including the emergence of green-collar sustainable occupations such as farmer trainers, farm managers, agriculture teaching positions certifiers, and consultants. At the core of regional food system growth, family farms are engaging in producing new crops and cultivating techniques that are entrepreneurial and high risk. Indeed, economics continue to challenge the viability of even the most progressive operation. From a public policy perspective, the growth of sustainable livelihoods in the food system will require fair prices and competitive markets for farmers, fair wages for workers, safe working conditions, and a well-trained workforce.

JAFSCD welcomes submissions on a wide range of food system livelihood topics that will inform thinking and practice related to regional food system trends, issues, and public policy. We seek reports of qualitative and quantitative studies, review articles, reflective essays, and commentaries. We encourage submission which focus on Sustainable Livelihoods Approaches (SLA), drawing on diverse disciplinary perspectives and bridging divides, particularly between the natural and social sciences.

Topics of interest might include:

• Application of SLA in smallholder farming and local food systems in the Global North and South
• Local food livelihood development as a strategy for improved food security
• SLA for exploring livelihood options and strategies of different actors within food systems
• Emerging or declining farm- and food-related occupations
• New skills required in emerging food systems (e.g., line workers in farm-to-school programs)
• Occupational data trends and issues in emerging food systems
• Small-scale food processing livelihoods
• Farmer self-exploitation
• Farm worker trends and issues (e.g., regarding migrant labor, guest workers, apprentices, etc.)
• Barriers and effective paths for farm workers to become farm owners
• Trends and issues for independent grocers and other food retailers
• Studies of innovations in microenterprise, entrepreneurship, and occupational education programming
• Food, health, and new products and enterprises
• Changes to subsistence practices due to globalization
• Analysis of foundation, public, and private-sector investment in food systems businesses
• Analysis of policies promoting and/or discouraging emerging systems and their implications and effects on local occupations, economics, and health
• Emerging livelihoods in sustainable livestock production

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Important Notes for Authors

Flexibility in Submission Timeframes

Please do not be discouraged if your research timeframe on call topics does not permit submission by the published deadlines. Special call topics are of core interest to JAFSCD’s readers, and we accept papers on these topics at any time. Furthermore, JAFSCD welcomes articles at any time on any subject related to the development aspects of agriculture and food systems.

See more background on JAFSCD subject areas at http://www.agdevjournal.com/jafscd-background.html. Authors are encouraged to submit applied research papers, commentary, and thought-provoking articles that inform the emerging field of agriculture and food systems development.

Faculty and students, Extension and other educators, planners, consultants, staff with farm agencies and farm and community organizations, and farmers are invited to submit material.

Please download the call for papers flyer below to share with colleagues!

Attachments:

JAFSCD Higher Education and Livelihoods Calls for Paper 08-11.pdf	[ ]	140 Kb
JAFSCD_Query_Form_Fill-in10.pdf	[ ]	186 Kb