Geographical study on structure and function of alternative food systems

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25770294
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Human geography
• Research Institution: Nagoya University (2014-2016); Kanazawa University (2013)
• Principal Investigator: IGA MASAYA 名古屋大学, 環境学研究科, 准教授 (70547075)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: オルタナティヴ / フードシステム / エビ / インドネシア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to understand the structural features and functions of Global Alternative Food System (GAFS), focusing on the Eco-Shrimp production system (ESPS) in Indonesia. ESPS is an organic shrimp production project conducted by Japanese company A and shrimp cultivators in Indonesia. This project started in Surabaya, Gresik, and Pinrang as a consequence of several problems related to industrialized shrimp farming, such as mangrove deforestation, water pollution, and food safety issues. Similarly to the traditional production system, ESPS uses local knowledge and is embedded in ecological conditions around the production site. But it does not simply represent a return to small-scale and traditional farming because scientific knowledge also forms a part of the production network for the sake of shrimp viability improvement. In an ESPS, human actors’ behaviors are embedded in a relationship with natural environment while applying a mix of local and scientific knowledge.

Free Research Field

人文地理学