| CODE | IMS1002 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Political, Legal and Economic Dimensions of Traditional Foods | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Institute of Maltese Studies | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit will explore the intricate political, legal, and economic factors that influence the recognition, protection, and valorisation of traditional foods, with a particular focus on Malta. It will provide a critical understanding of the international, EU, and national frameworks designed to safeguard traditional agri-food products and the challenges in implementing these frameworks, specifically in Malta's context. The course will examine the various frameworks, including UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage listings, geographical indications (GI), and Malta’s National Register of Traditional Agro-Food Products (S.L. 427.89). These will be analysed to understand how they function, and why Malta, despite several frameworks, has limited success—only having the ftira listed under UNESCO and no geographical indications to date. A key focus will be placed on identifying and addressing the systemic issues within Malta’s agrifood sectors, including the issues that have hindered the development and valorisation of traditional foods, as well as the risks emanating from this in terms of long-term sustainability of the local agri-food industry and its competitiveness within the wider EU market. The course will evaluate the efforts of the Maltese Ministry responsible for agriculture and food in strengthening policy, regulatory, and strategic frameworks to promote traditional foods. Special attention will be given to recent state-led initiatives, both on a policy level as well as concrete examples such as those spearheaded by the Public Abattoir, aimed at reviving local traditional foods like mazzit, kirxa, animelli, and qriemec. The study-unit will explore the lack of visibility and engagement within the agri-food sectors regarding the broader economic and regulatory dimensions of traditional foods. Students will critically engage with the need for stronger governance structures and sectoral-level coordination to complement top-down governmental efforts. Finally, the study-unit will discuss how traditional agri-food products, if properly protected and valorised, can contribute to the cultural identity, economic sustainability, and social well-being of Malta, with a comparative analysis of similar efforts in other EU Member States. Study-Unit Aims: The study-unit will: help the students enhance their appreciation of the multi-faceted reality of the political, regulatory, and economic dimension of food in general with a particular focus on traditional local foods as well as its real world implications, and in particular: - elicit an appreciation of strategic, policy and regulatory frameworks underpinning food policy in general and that seeking to provide recognition, protection and valorisation of traditional foods in particular; - through discussions and real-world case-studies, help students analyse the role of different stakeholders in ensuring a meaningful, successful articulation of strategies and policies as well as ensuring their effective implemntation towards the achievement of real-world recognition, protaction and valorisation of such foods. - discuss the iters necessary for the planing and development of sustainable food systems/project with a particular reference to traditional foods and utilization of underutilized food resources and by-products - assess the political and economic implications of the industrialization and globalization of food production and consumption patterns and ensuing impact on traditional food cultures, with a specific focus on Malta. Discussions will cover how through the changes occurring within the local production methods, and shifts consumer preferences are impacting policies and the economic sustainability of local agri-food industry as well as gastronomic heritage, and the potential benefits accruing from the valorisation of traditional and artisinal foods. - discuss the preservation of culinary heritage, including efforts to protect traditional Maltese foods from the pressures of globalization, including by looking at questions of economic and financial sustainability related to the valorisation of traditional (local) food products in the context of and a globalized food economy. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: The student will be able to: Evaluate the intricacies of strategic planning and policy making with reference to food systems in general and traditional foods in particular; Identify the various international, EU and national frameworks which provide recognition and protection for traditional foods and assist in their valorization; Explain the relationship between the top down strategic/regulatory frameworks shaping food systems and their future orientations as well as the complementary bottom-up approaches to achieve a successful symbiosis towards the valorization of traditional (local) foods; Appraise the impact of food industrialization on food culture as well as production and consumption patterns, as well as associated economic risks/impacts and potential benefits; Examine the role and meanings of small scale artisinal food production as well as its wider economic, environmental and social significance plan and develop sustainable food systems/project with a particular reference to traditional foods and utilization of underutilized food resources and by-products; Review own experiences and practical real world scenarios, and based on learnings from the course prescribe recommendations on how these could be tackled 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Classify data/information including from historical, archival and oral sources, identify such information, and describe it. - Apply acquired learning to various case studies discussed during the lectures/seminars. Recognise different ways in which policy and economic matters influence the foods we consume. - Identify ideas clearly and coherently in both written and spoken formats. - Define knowledge from public policy, economics, management and food studies. Recognise connections between different fields of study. - Apply different tools to address the tensions between small-scale production, artisanal production and cost issues. - Recognise sustainable food systems/projects with a particular reference to traditional foods. - Establish the utilization of underutilized food resources and by-products. - Establish the relationship between limited available resources and the rate of return on investment. - Define theoretical concepts related to traditional foods in a real-world context across sectors like tourism, hospitality, and public service apart from direct agri-food sectors. - Persuade others through well-structured arguments and evidence. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - National Agricultural Policy for the Maltese Islands 2018 – 2028; - MALTA’S ACTION PLAN FOR ORGANIC FOOD 2023-2030; - EU Commission (2019) Farm to Fork strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system; - MAFA (2024) Malta's National Strategy for Resilient Food Systems. Supplementary Readings: - https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/farming/geographical-indications-and-quality-schemes_en. - Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 on geographical indications for wine, spirit drinks and agricultural products, as well as traditional specialities and optional quality terms for agricultural products. - Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 on the logos to be used for PDOs, PGIs and TSGs. - Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 2022/891 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) No 66 2014. - Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 668/2014 on how Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs should be applied; - Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2022/892 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) No 668/2014; - Commission communication: Labelling guidelines for foodstuffs using PDOs or PGIs as ingredients. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Fieldwork and Seminar | ||||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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