Browsing by Subject "food system"

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    Durham County Food System: A Qualitative Analysis of Actors, Missions, and Challenges
    (2017-04-28) Sun, Tianshu; Davis, Laura
    In the context of a national movement around local food, our clients, the Duke Campus Farm and World Food Policy Center want to know what they can do to best engage with and support the local food system (LFS) in their community of Durham County, North Carolina. We conducted an exploratory case study to characterize the current network of actors within the Durham LFS and the challenges they face, in order to provide recommendations to our two Duke clients. Qualitative analysis of interview data resulted in a network sociogram showing two main clusters of actors, generally separated by sector and mission. The primary challenges facing these actors include financial barriers, lack of communication, and social environment barricades. We recommend that our clients 1) facilitate communication between network actors 2) assist with collecting baseline data for evaluation, and 3) provide relevant policy analysis.
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    Farm to Fork to Farm: Biochar, Compost, Working Landscapes, and a Circular Economy in Warren Co., NC
    (2023-04-28) Fast, Clara; Bowers, Madeline; Carter, Eliza; Taragittigul, Karina
    Working Landscapes, a non-profit organization located in Warren County, NC, aims to create new value from their natural and cultural assets and share them in more equitable ways. This project explores the market opportunity, community interest, and externalities of installing and operating a biochar unit in and around Warren County. Biochar, a carbon-rich, solid by-product that results from the pyrolysis of discarded woody material sourced from the community, combined with compost generated by Working Landscapes’ food scraps, can increase soil health and contribute to the creation of a circular supply chain. Beyond the economic benefit of waste reduction is the environmental benefit of keeping natural materials from producing greenhouse gasses in landfills. We conducted a market and cash-flow analysis, a geospatial analysis of the soil types, and analyzed results from an electronic survey for community input. To demonstrate a tangible example of a circular supply chain in Warren County and make use of otherwise wasted materials, we recommend that our client invest in biochar production along with scaling up their compost generation. Working Landscapes will gain a new customer touchpoint, reduce its waste, and increase circularity within its supply chain.