Whose alternative? Challenges and potential for diversity, equity, and inclusion in German alternative food networks

Through literature, interviews, and one stakeholder workshop we explored aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in German alternative food networks (AFNs). Examining community-supported agriculture, food policy councils, and consumer cooperatives, we started our inquiry with topics of gender and found that a broader, intersectional perspective was needed. This aligned with a common perspective that women were better represented in AFNs compared with conventional food systems, but that groups may be disproportionately white and higher-class. Flatter hierarchies and a general openness to participation are supposed prerequisites to food justice intentions, but do not guarantee that traditional gender roles, passive exclusion, or social barriers are averted. Involvement, norms, and power demonstrate what sets AFNs apart from other systems and give overlapping themes to understand DEI. Opportunities were identified to enhance DEI through (inter-)personal awareness-raising, critical reflection, organizational and networking initiatives, and enhancing resources like information and funding.