Regional Determinants of the Development of Short Food Supply Chains in Poland

Abstract

This study investigates the regional drivers shaping the development of short food supply chains (SFSCs). SFSCs are increasingly recognized as sustainable alternatives to industrial food systems; however, their development dynamics at the regional level remain poorly understood. Drawing on structured interviews and surveys with regional agricultural institutions, combined with official statistical data, we applied Spearman’s rank correlation to test five hypotheses related to structural, institutional, historical, and demand-related factors across 16 provinces in Poland. The results revealed weak or statistically non-significant associations between most of the analyzed factors and the development of SFSCs, with the notable exception of a strong correlation with urban population size. These findings challenge conventional assumptions about the role of agrarian or policy conditions in supporting localized food systems and suggest that regional food policy should focus more on enhancing urban–rural linkages and consumer engagement to foster sustainable food supply models.