The French context
For about fifteen years , in France , different types of ethical purchasing groups have been emerging . There are different ones : the most successful and complete is called CSA ( Community-supported agriculture , also known as AMAP in France ) because there is a strong link and a mutual commitment between the producer and the consumer . However , there are also other groups , less demanding : the hive saying yes ( Food Assembly ), baskets distributed in companies or public places when a certain amount of consumers is reached , or just when a collective decides to gather around purchasing groups in order to be able to benefit from bulk-prices .
There are also ethical selling groups : indeed , producers from the country unite to open together a selling or distribution point . Many producer group projects exist in Strasbourg and in its region .
The CSA concept started to expend to cultural aspects : there are two cultural CSA groups in Strasbourg . The concept stays the same : support local artists and make them known .
Definition and description of different ethical purchasing groups ( EPG ) CSA :
A CSA is a Community-supported agriculture aiming at preserving the existence and the continuity of local farms with the objective of a sustainable agriculture , that is to say a socially fair and ecologically healthy farming agriculture . The first CSA has been created in 2001 . Since then , the number of CSA has exponentially increased . CSAs are now present in all regions of France . We numbered more than 1600 associations in 2012 , in France . This figure represents more than 50 000 families and almost 200 000 consumers . Moreover , the goal is to give consumers the possibility to buy good quality food products at a fair price , being informed about their origin and the way they have been produced , and to actively participate in the saving and development of local farming activity with respects for sustainable development .
A partnership is established between a group of consumers and a local farmer . It is completed by an agreement in which each consumer buys at the beginning of the season a part of the production ( vegetables , meat , cheese , egg , etc .) that is periodically given to him at an
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