Energy scarcity and food security: strategies for transition to resilient food system governance

Emerging trends indicate that energy scarcity is associated with the evolution of a post-liberal order, as anticipated by the more pessimistic contributions to the ‘politics of scarcity’ debate, initiated in the 1970’s. These trends are also manifesting within the global food system, in the form of ‘landgrabbing’ and the widespread imposition of GM-based industrial agriculture. Given continuing fossil fuel depletion, this new order will be unsustainable. <br><br>In light of imminent forced energy descent, the emergence of an elite retrenchment scenario, and learning from the Cuban Special Period, it is argued that green politics, and Transition movement strategy, should focus on the contested politics of forced transition, in conjunction with a prospective politics that steers transition towards a new societal equilibrium.

A diverse, adaptive repertoire of political strategies is proposed, including: solutions-based activism; oppositional activism; insurgent citizenship; transformative engagement with local government; as well as ‘de-linking’ initiatives. Scaling up of local Transition initiatives should include: promotion of regional solidarity networks between urban centres; regional food system planning; and building alliances with other counter-hegemonic social movements.

It is further proposed that a ‘food sovereignty’ framing is adopted, and that scaled up, farm sector agroecology is promoted, to complement existing permaculture and organic approaches.