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RESEARCH PRODUCT

The impact of COVID-19 on alternative and local food systems and the potential for the sustainability transition: Insights from 13 countries

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The COVID-19 pandemic has been a major stress test for the agri-food system. While most research has analysed the impact of the pandemic on mainstream food systems, this article examines how alternative and local food systems (ALFS) in 13 countries responded in the first months of the crisis. Using primary and secondary data and combining the Multi-Level Perspective with social innovation approaches, we highlight the innovations and adaptations that emerged in ALFS, and how these changes have created or supported the sustainability transition in production and consumption systems. In particular, we show how the combination of social and technological innovation, greater citizen involvement, and the increased interest of policy-makers and retailers have enabled ALFS to extend their scope and engage new actors in more sustainable practices. Finally, we make recommendations concerning how to support ALFS’ upscaling to embrace the opportunities arising from the crisis and strengthen the sustainability transition. EEA Balcarce Fil: Nemes, Gusztáv. Centre for Economic and Regional Studies (KRTK); Hungría. Fil: Chiffoleau, Yuna. Institut National de la Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (INRAE); Francia. Fil: Zollet, Simona. Hiroshima University; Japón. Fil: Collison, Martin. Collison and Associates Limited; Estados Unidos. Fil: Benedek, Zsófia. Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Hungría. Fil: Colantuono, Fedele. University of Foggia. Department of Economics; Italia. Fil: Dulsrud, Arne. SIFO Oslo Metropolitan University; Noruega. Fil: Fiore, Mariantonietta. University of Foggia. Department of Economics; Italia. Fil: Holtkamp, Carolin. University of Innsbruck. Department of Sociology; Austria. Fil: Tae-Yeon Kim. Dankook; Corea del Sur. Fil: Korzun, Monika. University of Guelph. School of Environmental Design and Rural Development; Canadá. Fil: Mesa-Manzano, Rafael. Universidad de Valencia. Instituto Interuniversitario de Desarrollo Local, España. Fil: Reckinger, Rachel. University of Luxembourg. Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences; Luxemburgo. Fil: Ruiz Martínez, Irune. Universidad de Valencia. Instituto Interuniversitario de Desarrollo Local, España. Fil: Smith, Kiah. The University of Queensland. School of Social Science; Australia. Fil: Tamura, Norie. Research Institute for Humanity and Nature; Japón. Fil: Viteri, María Laura. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; Argentina. Fil: Viteri, María Laura. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Argentina. Fil: Orbán, Éva. Centre for Economic and Regional Studies; Hungría.