Putting Down Roots: Motivations Behind Community Investment in Small-Scale Local Food Systems

Abstract

Community investment into small-scale local food systems (LFS), also known as alternative food systems (AFS) play a historic and present role in Nova Scotia’s economy. As small-scale LFS face challenges such as financialization and neoliberal policy, which have created an increasingly competitive and unequal market, it is important to understand the motivations behind community investment into the community economic development investment funds (CEDIF), in Nova Scotia. Although previous research has been completed relating to community investment within the province, there has been little research surrounding the social and economic motivations behind investment into small-scale LFS. To investigate social and economic investor motivations, a qualitative online survey was distributed to all current FarmWorks investors through Opinio, with responses then being inductively coded to understand overarching and specific motivations. Results indicate that social and economic motivations are deeply interconnected, and that they play equal roles in influencing investments. Overall, it was found that social and economic motivations are tied to social connections and community wants and needs.