Food democracy

This entry explores the concept of food democracy, which refers to a food system organised in such a way that members of civil society have meaningful opportunities to participate in food governance and make informed decisions that determine access to safe, nutritious food, produced in a way that is socially just and ecologically sound. Food democracy exposes and challenges the anti-democratic forces of control, especially the concentrated economic and political power of multinational agribusinesses, and claims the rights and responsibilities of food citizens to participate in decision making and to help determine our collective food future. The entry identifies and defines key dimensions of food democracy, including collective action, knowledge, deliberation, inclusiveness, actual and perceived efficacy, and orientation towards the common good. The entry concludes by articulating several key questions that can inform future scholarship and practice.