Vol. 16 (2025)

Working Paper 16: Ernährungsungleichheiten und Solidarische Landwirtschaften - Ergebnisse einer Mitgliederbefragung in der Metropolregion Rhein-Neckar by Judith Müller

The following study investigates the membership composition of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) initiatives in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region. It forms part of the broader BMBF-funded research project Food for Justice (2019–2025), which addresses inequalities and social movements in the agri-food sector in Germany and Brazil. CSAs are considered sites of socio-ecological transformation in agriculture; however, as existing studies have shown, they also reflect dynamics of social exclusion. Drawing on empirical data, this study analyzes CSA initiatives in the region with regard to intersectional and socio-economic disparities. The findings indicate that CSA members are disproportionately drawn from urban, affluent, and highly educated social groups. Women with academic backgrounds and high incomes are particularly overrepresented, whereas individuals from financially precarious backgrounds or with lower formal education are underrepresented. While the share of members with a migration background approximates the national average, the data suggests above-average educational attainment and income levels within this subgroup. These results raise critical questions about the inclusiveness of solidarity-based food practices and equitable access to sustainable agriculture. In particular, the study highlights the need to identify and dismantle structural barriers to foster greater diversity within CSAs and to advance a broader, socially just socio-ecological transformation.