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Sociology of Agriculture and Food (SAFRIG)

Community-Supported Agriculture in Hong Kong: A Five-Year Project on Public Education and Community Business Kin Chong (Leo) Chao*, Kin Chong Chao,

Community-supported Agriculture (CSA) represents a pivotal model of the alternative food movement to address the systemic inequities in the conventional food production chain, and to enhance local food system resilience and sustainability. Nevertheless, we still need more evidence of how such community-engaged educational interventions can influence participant knowledge, social capital, and sustainable farming practices, especially from the Global South where the alternative food movements remain under-researched despite their rapid proliferation in response to systemic food insecurity and environmental degradation under distinct political and economic pressure. This study critically reviews the multifaceted impacts of a five-year CSA project in Hong Kong, emphasizing its evolution from public education initiatives to a viable community business model, drawing on mixed-method data including ethnographic observation, quantitative survey, and qualitative interviews. Successful practices, as well as major challenges will be discussed with implications of community-university partnerships for fostering civic engagement and local food sovereignty under the unique political and economic context of Hong Kong.