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Community Supported Agriculture schemes (CSAs) are experiencing exponential growth in the UK. The schemes encourage partnerships between farmers and local communities, providing mutual benefits and reconnecting people to the land, either through linking a community with its farmer, giving locals access to fresh, seasonal food, or through actively encouraging them to become involved in food production.

The model of farming has capitalised on the recent surge in public interest in the politics of food, a renewed interest in growing food and the increased support shown for smaller scale, traditional and sustainable farming. The concept originated in Asia where it has been popular since the 1960s.

According to the latest statistics, there are currently around 80 trading CSAs in England, of which over 50 are under three years old. What is more, data from the Soil Association shows that a further 100 such schemes are in development.  

This trend of increased interest and involvement with food, which has spread across Europe and North America, is having a huge affect in Britain, where a quarter of the population now grow at least some of their own vegetables. An ICM poll from 2009 revealed 26 per cent of British respondents grew their own food in allotments and gardens.  

CSAs have also proven extremely popular in the USA, where numbers have rocketed to over 12,000 by the last USDA estimate, and many are already well established in parts of mainland Europe, including Germany and France, where the trend for AMAPs (Association for sustainable small farms, or 'Associations pour le maintien d'une agriculture paysanne') caught on some years ago.

French Magazine Bloc described the attraction of AMAPs to communities “Involvement with an AMAP [CSA] allows consumers access to extremely fresh produce for around supermarket price. It also shows conviviality and solidarity, in developing a close relationship with the farmer.”

CSA uptake set to increase with public awareness of food politics, support for organic

Michael Marston, Northern England Regional Development Co-ordinator for the Soil Association, said “a good majority” of CSAs are organic. He explained that, although some may not go through the certification process, which can be expensive for such enterprises, the majority of those that sell to third parties are registered as organic and most follow organic principles. image expired

One organic CSA is the hugely successful Stroud Community Agriculture. The farm, which is based on two sites in Gloucestershire, is a mixed fresh produce and livestock operation. Members pay an annual membership to the farm and a further payment to receive produce including vegetables, pork and beef. The farm says its aims are not only to support organic agriculture and reconnect the public with their food, but pioneer a new economic model based on mutual benefit and shared risk to ensure that farmers have a decent livelihood.

Clare Sheridan of Stroud Community Agriculture explained that, in the seven years the farm had been operating, the CSA had seen an increasing number of visits from likeminded farmers and stakeholders wishing to set up similar projects elsewhere in the country.

Ms Sheridan explained the attraction of the CSA model, “People want to know that their food is grown organically and without chemicals. In many cases they want to get out of the supermarket system, where farmers are treated badly, and get involved.” She added the farm has seen “An increase in families with young children who want the children to know where their food comes from.”

She said, “As food prices rise and chemicals and oil become more expensive more people will turn to schemes like community supported agriculture; there is already more interest in things like Transition Towns and locally grown food.”

In Wales, the Organic Centre Wales this week announced it would be holding a series of study tours to draw people into community farming and increase support for the model. Tony Little, tour organiser from OCW, commented, “All CSAs currently operating in Wales are vegetable based, despite the huge dominance of livestock in Welsh agriculture. The hope is for CSA to become a driver for more mixed farming systems throughout Wales.”

A soil association report evaluating Community Supported Agriculture in the UK is set for publication in mid-November. The Soil Association website offers further information on community supported agriculture and resources for groups wishing to set up a CSA.