Civil society engagement in food systems governance in Canada: Experiences, gaps, and possibilities

Civil society organizations (CSOs) commonly expe-rience food systems governance as imposed by governments from the top down and as unduly influenced by a small group of private sector actors that hold disproportionate power. This uneven influence significantly impacts the activities and relationships that determine the nature and orienta-tion of food systems. In contrast, some CSOs have sought to establish participatory governance struc-tures that are more democratic, accessible, collabo-rative, and rooted in social and environmental justice. Our research seeks to better understand the experiences of CSOs across the food systems gov-ernance landscape and critically analyze the suc-cesses, challenges, and future opportunities for establishing collaborative governance processes

Automated summary

Civil society organizations commonly face top-down governance imposed by governments and unfair influence from a small group of powerful private sector actors in food systems. Some CSOs are working towards establishing participatory governance structures that are more democratic, accessible, collaborative, and socially and environmentally just. Our research aims to understand the experiences of CSOs in food systems governance and critically analyze the successes, challenges, and future opportunities for establishing collaborative governance processes.