Quality assessment of the social infrastructure of short food supply chains in the municipality of Ljubljana

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to present the quality of the social infrastructure of chosen short food supply chains in the Municipality of Ljubljana and its effect on resource conservation and reduction of food and packaging waste. We studied six providers included in short food supply chains with box schemes, joint ordering, and communi-ty-supported agriculture. The assessment of facilities using BNB sustainable building guidelines (Bewertungssystem Nachhaltiges Bauen) has shown poor quality and lacking social infrastructure. Discussions with interviewees have shown that they want well-kept and easily accessible collection points with facilities which enable good conditions for people and food. In light of the vicinity of the countryside with its good conditions for extensive and ecological farming, the Municipality of Ljubljana still has numerous possibilities of increasing self-sufficiency in high-quality home-grown food; however, it needs to see to the development of social infrastructure.