Kelly Rae Chi, James MacGregor and Richard King, 2010. Big ideas in development series, IIED, 44 pages.
When it comes to the debate over 'food miles', Fair miles argues that locally produced food can cause greater emissions of greenhouse gases, and that consumers in the West can harm the livelihoods of millions of poor farmers in developing countries if they stop buying their produce. "When consumers focus on 'food miles' they are ignoring the social and environmental issues embedded in their shopping decisions," explains MacGregor. "More than one million livelihoods in rural Africa are supported in part by UK consumption of imported fresh produce. We urge consumers to avoid knee-jerk reactions and think instead of 'fair miles' and recognise that there are also social and ethical aspects to choices about where food comes from."
