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Market Gardens as Agroecological Lighthouses: A Case Study in Sweden with the Tool for Agroecological Performance Evaluation (TAPE)

Hergert, Charly LU (2025) In Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science MESM02 20251
LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
Abstract
Global agri-food systems are in urgent need of a sustainability transformation guided by best practices of agroecology. The study used the Tool for Agroecological Performance Evaluation (TAPE) to assess the performance of seven market gardens in southern Sweden in comparison to the Swedish horticultural sector. The findings indicate that all participating market gardens could be considered agroecological and that they outperformed the Swedish horticultural sector in terms of social and ecological sustainability as well as several economic indicators. Building socio-ecological resilience through their practice, the market gardens were up to twelve times more productive per hectare and had incomes twice as high as average Swedish... (More)
Global agri-food systems are in urgent need of a sustainability transformation guided by best practices of agroecology. The study used the Tool for Agroecological Performance Evaluation (TAPE) to assess the performance of seven market gardens in southern Sweden in comparison to the Swedish horticultural sector. The findings indicate that all participating market gardens could be considered agroecological and that they outperformed the Swedish horticultural sector in terms of social and ecological sustainability as well as several economic indicators. Building socio-ecological resilience through their practice, the market gardens were up to twelve times more productive per hectare and had incomes twice as high as average Swedish horticulture. However, their labour intensity led to trade-offs that were not acknowledged or compensated in the current productivity-driven agri-food system. Market gardens are “agroecological lighthouses” that provide a sustainable alternative to large-scale, industrial farming but need to become more present on political agendas. (Less)
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author
Hergert, Charly LU
supervisor
organization
course
MESM02 20251
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
market gardening, agroecological transitions, sustainability performance, Tool for Agroecological Performance Evaluation (TAPE), Sweden, sustainability science
publication/series
Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science
report number
2025:020
language
English
id
9195329
date added to LUP
2025-06-11 12:48:38
date last changed
2025-06-18 09:12:10
@misc{9195329,
  abstract     = {{Global agri-food systems are in urgent need of a sustainability transformation guided by best practices of agroecology. The study used the Tool for Agroecological Performance Evaluation (TAPE) to assess the performance of seven market gardens in southern Sweden in comparison to the Swedish horticultural sector. The findings indicate that all participating market gardens could be considered agroecological and that they outperformed the Swedish horticultural sector in terms of social and ecological sustainability as well as several economic indicators. Building socio-ecological resilience through their practice, the market gardens were up to twelve times more productive per hectare and had incomes twice as high as average Swedish horticulture. However, their labour intensity led to trade-offs that were not acknowledged or compensated in the current productivity-driven agri-food system. Market gardens are “agroecological lighthouses” that provide a sustainable alternative to large-scale, industrial farming but need to become more present on political agendas.}},
  author       = {{Hergert, Charly}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  series       = {{Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science}},
  title        = {{Market Gardens as Agroecological Lighthouses: A Case Study in Sweden with the Tool for Agroecological Performance Evaluation (TAPE)}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}