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Farmers’ markets’ locavore challenge: The potential of local food production for newly emerged farmers’ markets in Czechia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 March 2014

Marie Syrovátková ,
Jiří Hrabák  and
Jana Spilková
Marie Syrovátková*
Affiliation:
Department of Social Geography and Regional Development, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague 128 43, Czechia
Jiří Hrabák
Affiliation:
Department of Social Geography and Regional Development, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague 128 43, Czechia
Jana Spilková
Affiliation:
Department of Social Geography and Regional Development, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague 128 43, Czechia
*
*Corresponding author: marie.syrovatkova@natur.cuni.cz
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Abstract

The shift toward post-productivist agricultural production in developed countries in recent decades has brought a growing focus on local sustainability and quality food production. This trend has been reflected in the development of a variety of alternative food networks and short food supply chain initiatives. In Czechia, the local and good-quality movement has been significantly represented by the boom in farmers’ markets during the past 2 years. The aim of this paper is to examine the actual potential of the Czech agricultural sector to supply the recently developed network of farmers’ markets. Even though these markets are generally considered to offer farmers better revenues than selling their products to big processors and retail companies, many Czech farmers’ market managers face a lack of potential vendors for their markets. Therefore, we ask if there are producers and self-processors of goods typically sold on farmers’ markets of the appropriate size and legal form in suitable locations in relation to the areas of the biggest demand. The quantitative approach applied was based on the national statistical data on the agricultural sector. It was used to develop a set of indicators which have been displayed in maps and further examined. The results show a high theoretical potential of the Czech agricultural sector to supply farmers’ markets because there are relatively many small farmers producing products sellable on farmers’ markets. In the Czech context, where the tradition of running independent businesses was interrupted by the country's communist past, the lack of experience with private entrepreneurship and marketing among farmers seems to be the main obstacle to broader involvement of farmers on farmers’ markets.

Keywords

farmers' marketssupply potentialsmall farmslocal foodCzechiaPrague
Type
Preliminary Report
Information
Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems , Volume 30 , Issue 4 , August 2015 , pp. 305 - 317
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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