Description

This study investigates the methods of production and maps the normal distribution of vegetables and melons within and from the island of Crete to investigate the island’s potential to develop a fully sustainable, localized food system. The small diversified farms, geographic isolation of an island environment, fertile soils for vegetable production, and Mediterranean growing climate coupled with a large range of
altitudes provides, in theory, a suitable foundation for the development of a sustainable and localized food system within Crete. Through case studies, this study examines the typology of production and maps the distribution of vegetables and melons produced on the island as the first step to determining the current level of food system sustainability, and opportunities and barriers for greater sustainability. The
findings show that in the case of fresh vegetable and melon production, Crete’s consumption is heavily based on locally grown product which is produced on small, diversified farms.