Food Systems Change and the Environment: Local and Global Connections

Making changes to the way food is produced, distributed, and processed is one strategy for addressing global climate change.
In this case study, we examine the “forming” stage of an emergent and locally-based coalition that is both participatory and
focused on promoting food security by creating food systems change. Social network analysis is used to compare network density,
centrality, and centralization among coalition partners before the formation of the coalition and at its one-year anniversary.
Findings reveal that the coalition facilitated information seeking, assistance seeking, and collaborative efforts related
to food security among a group of organizational stakeholders that were relatively disconnected pre-coalition. Results also
illuminate tensions related to increased centralization of the network, coalition efficiency, and the goals of democratic
decision-making. This study highlights the utility of social network analysis as a tool for evaluating the aims and trajectory
of locally-based coalitions focused on global concerns.