The Role of Transformative Learning in Fostering a More Sustainable Society: The Case of Consuming Organic in Canada

Sarah Kerton

Abstract
This paper stems from research for my Masters Thesis, conducted over 2006, through the University of Manitoba Natural Resources Institute. The research looks at organic farming as an example of resource management grounded in community and environmental sustainability, and how it affects the learning of those who seek it out.

The underlying premise is that food is the basis of societal organization, and that the conventional food system (and therefore our societal organization) is unsustainable having been undermined by a number of interdependent factors including the globalization of our food supply focused on trade-liberalization, introduction of life sciences technology, and loss of local farmers, local foods, and therefore biological diversity and system resilience.

Using transformative learning theory, my research explores the learning that takes place amongst adults who consume goods directly from local organic producers, how this affects their worldview and consequent lifestyle decisions, and whether or not this can help to foster more environmentally-responsible decision making in adults, and consequently lead to a more sustainable future.

The research was conducted within Canada, on the East Coast, through face-to-face interviews, as well as through my own observations while working on each of the farms.

Three different models of organic producer/consumer interfaces were considered: A market-garden operation where the farmer and customer interact through sales at the farmers’ market only; an education and outreach centre where participants live and work and consume an organic diet; and a Community-Shared-Agriculture project.

See the full paper (PDF)


Source
Presented at the 2007 Social Sciences Symposium at the Guelph Organic Conference


Author Location & Affiliation
Natural Resources Institute, University of Manitoba, skerton@gmail.com


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Posted March 2007