For Resilient and Sustainable Regional Food Systems in Switzerland
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Date
2025
Publication Type
Doctoral Thesis
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yes
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Abstract
The Swiss food system faces complex economic, social, and environmental challenges concurrent with a consensus among citizens, scientists, and institutions advocating for a transition toward sustainable food production. We argue that focusing on Regional Food Systems (RFS) will have a spillover effect on global food system sustainability and resilience. While many researchers have examined specific supply chains or focused on agriculture, few have looked at resilience from a regional perspective - this is the gap we aimed to fill.
We set out with three goals: (1) understanding how agricultural policy changes affect regional food systems and how these systems have resisted, adapted, or transformed in response to shocks and pressures. (2) Operationalizing resilience and sustainability at the RFSs scale and (3) providing local decision-makers with tools to strengthen their food systems
To answer objective (1), we performed an extensive literature review and conducted interviews across six dairy basins of French-speaking Switzerland. These areas started from similar situations in the 1950s but developed very differently throughout the 20th century. For the second and third objectives we delved into four distinct RFSs across different cantons, with varying production types, geographic features, and governance approaches. The regions we analyzed in depth are Valpochiavo (Chapter 3), Franches-Montagnes (Chapter 4), Great Entremont (Chapter 4), and Gros-de-Vaud (Chapter 5). To analyze them, we developed a new conceptual framework and a new assessment tool (Chapter 3) based on in-depth semi-structured interviews with representative stakeholders (including governance) from each region.
Regarding objective (1) our research (Chapter 2) revealed that technology, public policy, and market prices primarily drove similar regions onto different paths. We also found that production difficulties largely explain the same socks (eg. changes in public policies) leads to different trajectories why some regions focus exclusively on cheese-making milk while others focus on drinking milk. Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) certifications can help sustain agriculture in challenging areas, though farmers don't always see them as the best option for them.
Our new framework (Chapters 3 and 4) effectively captured the complexity of RFS resilience and sustainability, confirming that the regional level works well for these evaluations. Comparing all four regions, we found that 1) Valposchiavo showed how a region can transform challenges into opportunities, creating a highly sustainable and resilient food system. 2) A RFS like Gros-de-Vaud focusing on productivity and long supply chain performs well regarding sustainability and resilience. 3) Grand Entremont showed that relying only on a single PDO value chain does not benefit resilience and sustainability and finally that 4) Franches-Montagnes shows great strength by selling milk through two different value chains.
We identified three key barriers preventing resilience from being fully integrated into public policies: regional development strategies often overlook food systems, food planning is either missing or disconnected from land use planning, and resilience takes a backseat to sustainability in regional agri-food development. Bringing food system thinking more explicitly into regional planning could significantly improve resilience throughout Switzerland.
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ETH Zurich
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Subject
AGRICULTURAL POLICY; food systems governance; Resilience assessment; sustainability assessment framework
Organisational unit
03982 - Six, Johan / Six, Johan
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Funding
847585 - RESPONSE - to society and policy needs through plant, food and energy sciences (EC)