Prospects for a Just Transition Across Global Agrifood Chains: A Comparison of South American Soybean and Southeast Asian Palm Oil

Abstract

Demands for food system transformation are growing, but this presents distinct challenges as the sector is highly globalized and marked by global agrifood chains linking countries producing agricultural commodities in the Global South with countries importing them in the Global North. To understand possibilities for and limitations of a sustainability transition across global agrifood chains, it is crucial to examine cross-scale dynamics and the interdependence of sustainability politics between the Global North and South. From our comparison of soybean production in South America and palm oil in Southeast Asia, we make two main observations. First, it is questionable to what extent the dominant trade-based approaches to sustainability foster transformative change. Further research should also look at other markets and forms of agricultural production beyond commodity chains. Second, the concerns of consumers in the Global North tend to get priority over socioenvironmental concerns in producing countries in the Global South, posing important obstacles for procedural justice.