Social-Ecological Systems Analysis and Perceptions of Change in Agriculture, Food and Farm Systems in Southern Alberta and Yukon Territory

Wilkinson, Alex

Social-Ecological Systems Analysis and Perceptions of Change in Agriculture, Food and Farm Systems in Southern Alberta and Yukon Territory

dc.contributor.advisor	Gerlach, Craig
dc.contributor.author	Wilkinson, Alex
dc.contributor.committeemember	Karlsson, Meriam
dc.contributor.committeemember	Penn, Henry
dc.contributor.committeemember	Tyler, Mary-Ellen
dc.date	2023-11
dc.date.accessioned	2023-09-19T21:28:03Z
dc.date.available	2023-09-19T21:28:03Z
dc.date.issued	2023-09-13
dc.description.abstract	Social-ecological change such as climate change, market volatility or policy reforms are too often discussed at global and national scales; however, it is at local and regional scales that individuals and communities experience and respond to these changes. This is perhaps most evident in agriculture, food and farm systems, where change is a constant for farmers and ranchers. In this dissertation I explore the perceptions and experiences of change from the perspective of farmers, ranchers, local food producers and community residents using socialecological systems analysis, as a first approximation and effort at pattern recognition in Southern Alberta’s farm and ranch community, and in Yukon Territory. The research objective being to understand how individuals respond to change, identifying supports and barriers that exist for responding to change, and how to create more sustainable and resilient agriculture, food and farm systems. In both study areas, online surveys were used to engage farmers and ranchers, and in Yukon Territory, surveys were also distributed to residents as this study was exploring specific perspectives of local food consumption and the role of hydroponics. A soft-systems approach was taken in each study to understand the social-ecological conditions, relationships, and dimensions that effect responding to change, and the visions for the future. Each study area had unique perspectives and experiences that were a product of their social-ecological context, for example, in Southern Alberta when discussing climate, precipitation was prime concern, while in Yukon Territory, it was temperature. Despite these differences driven by place-based context, there were key similarities. In both areas, financial limitations were the prime barrier for one’s ability to respond to changes of any variety. Furthermore, despite the major differences in scale of agricultural operations in both regions, participants in both areas believed that agriculture needs to produce within their own social-ecological conditions, and there is a need for more diverse and resilient local and regional food systems.
dc.identifier.citation	Wilkinson, A. (2023). Social-ecological systems analysis and perceptions of change in agriculture, food and farm systems in Southern Alberta and Yukon Territory (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.
dc.identifier.uri	https://hdl.handle.net/1880/117107
dc.identifier.uri	https://doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/41949
dc.language.iso	en
dc.publisher.faculty	Graduate Studies
dc.publisher.institution	University of Calgary
dc.rights	University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subject	Social-Ecological Systems Analysis
dc.subject	Responding to Change
dc.subject	Southern Alberta
dc.subject	Yukon Territory
dc.subject	Agriculture
dc.subject	Food System
dc.subject	Farm Systems
dc.subject	Agroecology
dc.subject	Controlled-Environment Agriculture
dc.subject.classification	Economics--Agricultural
dc.subject.classification	Urban and Regional Planning
dc.title	Social-Ecological Systems Analysis and Perceptions of Change in Agriculture, Food and Farm Systems in Southern Alberta and Yukon Territory
dc.type	doctoral thesis
thesis.degree.discipline	Environmental Design
thesis.degree.grantor	University of Calgary
thesis.degree.name	Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
ucalgary.thesis.accesssetbystudent	I do not require a thesis withhold – my thesis will have open access and can be viewed and downloaded publicly as soon as possible.