台灣農食運動中的公民參與和民主意涵

Abstract

近年，台灣出現許多提倡有機農業、非基改食物、在地食物與本土小農等農食議題的非營利/非政府組織，顯見關注農業與食物議題的農食運動正方興未艾。而據先前學者的研究觀察，此現象反映了農食治理機制的民主化，公民社會的權力愈受重視，一般大眾可透過社會運動和公民團體參與農食系統的治理。意即，農食運動包含了現代社會對於食物民主價值的追求。因此，本研究嘗試從「公民參與」與「食物民主」的視角詮釋台灣農食運動，藉由公民團體參與農食運動的經驗，探討台灣農食運動之中的食物民主意涵。據此，本研究提出兩個問題：（一）公民團體在參與農食運動的歷程中，採取哪些行動、扮演何種行動角色？（二）以食物民主的觀點而言，農食運動對台灣農食系統產生什麼影響？經研究發現，公民團體在農食運動之中的行動可歸納為三個主題：「監督揭露農食問題」、「培養公眾農食知能」、「組織抵抗與建設行動」。而依據這三項行動主題的內容與目的，可將公民團體的角色分為「哨兵」、「充能者」、「行動組織者」。而就食物民主的意義而言，首先，上述這些公民團體的行動促成了農食議題的社會化，使其成為人人皆有責關心、參與的公共議題。其次，透過公眾農食知能的建立，提升了消費者的知情權，使其能在掌握資訊的情況下做出知情的食物消費選擇；另一方面，可建立農食生產經營者投入另類農食系統所需的知識技能，減少生產者對大型企業的依賴、重拾自主權。此外，公民團體組織的抵抗或建設行動，則提供一般大眾參與農食系統革新的公共參與空間，使民眾意見能夠被展現、集結，並使人們的意見與利益得以被包容與體現。綜言之，即是透過公民團體的倡議，協助社會大眾擺脫純粹的「消費者」身份，成為能夠感知農食問題、具備知情權力，並有責任與能力改革農食系統改革的「食物公民」。

The purpose of this study was to investigate the experience of civic organizations that have participated in agro-food movements to determine the democratic implications of their participation in Taiwan agro-food movements. By interviewing members of 10 non-profit advocacy organizations and analysing their published documents, it was found that the actions taken by civic organizations can be summarized into three themes: ‘overseeing and disclosing issues of agro-food system’, ‘cultivating public knowledge and ability of agro-food’, and ‘organizing campaigns to resistance and re-construction’. According to the content and purpose of these three themes, the role of civic organizations can be categorized as ‘guard’, ‘enabler’, or ‘organizer’. By taking these actions, civic organizations have contributed to the socialization of the agro-food agenda and make transparent, information-based food consumption possible. Additionally, campaigns to resist or re-construct the agro-food system provide people a place to engage in public affairs. The results of this study revealed that agro-food movements transform the general public to be not just consumers but ‘food citizens’ who have the ability to recognize issues related to agro-food, the right to know how the food is produced and supplied, and the responsibility to participate in the innovation of the agro-food system.