About the project

The Big Idea Multi-stakeholder cooperatives Multi-stakeholder cooperatives (MSC) (or solidarity cooperatives) are co-ops that include two or more stakeholder groups in ownership and governance of the organisation. In food and farming this usually means farmers and consumers, but can also include workers involved in other activities related to the food system (e.g. processing and distribution). This novel arrangement is aimed at overcoming the conflict of interest between producers and consumers inherent in a capitalist market-driven food system. Among those calling for a transition to a more solidarity-based and public good focused economy (e.g. P2P Foundation and DisCO Coop many have come to see this multi-stakeholder model of cooperation as an important vehicle for social and ecological transformation. Yet there is very little research on MSCs, especially in the context in agri-food systems.